I am currently collecting data for my dissertation, which is tentatively titled "Sharing the Past, Pursuing the Future: How 'Rooted in Place' Families Remember and Share their History." Based on both my own experience as a multigenerational North Carolinian and my academic background, I ask: How do people and place interact over generations? How does place shape who families are today? And how do families preserve and think about their history in a place as they continue to live there today?
To address this, I'm conducting interviews with members of families who have been in their community for multiple generations, with a focus on my home state of NC and surrounding areas (e.g., VA, SC, and GA). Through both one-on-one interviews and family group interviews, I ask questions like: What was it like growing up in your community? How does your family talk about your history today? What events have been especially important to y'all, and what do you wish you knew more about? And what kind of future do you envision for your community? Each participant is thanked with up to $75 in Visa gift cards, and I provide each family with a special summary document of their participation. If you're interesting in learning more about my research, feel free to complete this brief confidential interest form or email me at aormond@email.unc.edu. I would so love to hear from you! And please feel free to pass along my project to anyone you think might be interested in participating!