theARCHIVE: Ep. 1 Economic Vulnerability + 37 Voices

This week’s episode includes oral histories related to economic vulnerability and homelessness and interviews with project partners from United Way of Northern New Jersey and Free Press.

Stephanie Hoopes from United Way of Northern New Jersey helps us to unerstand how the pandemic is impacting those in the ALICE threshold - those who don’t qualify for federal benefits but live paycheck-to-paycheck.

Mike Rispoli of Free Press tells us about deficiencies in local journalism during the pandemic, and the unique vulnerabilities that journalists face as essential workers.

Oral histories featured on this episode include Catherine Verduci from 37 Voices and Katura Williams from coLAB Arts’ new oral history project on homelessness, the Neilson Street Project.

John Keller and Dan Swern do a weekly deep dive into the coLAB Arts oral history archive and look at how those experiences inform understanding of the present moment. Stories span issues that include economic vulnerability, gender diversity, community development, and criminal justice reform.