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OurStoryBridge Listens Project Collects Oral Histories of Our Political Landscape

‘OurStoryBridge Listens’ Milestone Documents Personal Costs of Immigration, Economic Shifting, Cultural Erasure, and More. 

WASHINGTON, DC (March 24, 2026)—In just seven months, a new national oral history initiative has achieved a critical milestone, capturing over 100 stories from 19 states and the District of Columbia. OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment is a non-partisan effort documenting the raw, unfiltered experiences of Americans navigating a rapidly changing social and political landscape.

Unlike traditional history projects that look back decades, this initiative uses a “short-form” methodology—three-to-five-minute digital narratives—to preserve history as it happens.

“We are providing a listening post to those who need it most,” said Jery Huntley, founder and president of OurStoryBridge Inc. “As an oral historian, I felt the urgency to document this period immediately. These are brief, powerful accounts that meet the attention span of today while providing a roadmap for future historians.”

Stories from OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment document the current circumstances in the United States that are deeply impacting Americans and others around the world.

A Snapshot of the over 100 Stories: The collection, available at ourstorybridgelistens.org, features diverse voices on the front lines of American life, for example:

• Immigration: In “Why Do I Have to Live with These Fears,” a young immigrant from Guatemala shares the daily terror of potential family separation. (Available in English and Spanish.)
• The Economy: In “Losing Our Statistical Expertise,” a former U.S. Census Bureau employee warns of the long-term dangers of crumbling federal data infrastructure.
• Civic Discourse: In “Leadership Sets the Tone,” a local public official bemoans the hate and anger she hears, instead of concern and compassion in her community.
• Democracy & The Arts: A special partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation explores challenges to First Amendment rights and the role of the arts in preserving inclusive communities.

“The stories offer an opportunity to listen to personal experiences about how people are responding to challenges to our First Amendment rights,” said Joni Doherty, senior program officer at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation.

Call to Action: The project is currently seeking new voices. Individuals can record their stories virtually or in-person, either anonymously or attributed, by emailing listen@ourstorybridge.org. Hear these stories at ourstorybridgelistens.org.

About OurStoryBridge Inc.

“OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment” is patterned after other partner projects supported by OurStoryBridge Inc., which began by recording the stories of people in the small town of Keene in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state and has since become a national 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. The short-form oral histories of 3 to 5 minutes are accompanied by photographs and posted online on dedicated websites.

Since its founding in 2019, OurStoryBridge Inc. has helped 44 Partner Projects in 15 states and the District of Columbia develop their own oral history projects using tools the organization provides. More information on OurStoryBridge Inc. is available at ourstorybridge.org. 

About OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment

“OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment” is the new, non-partisan Partner Project by OurStoryBridge Inc. that documents the current circumstances in the United States that are deeply impacting Americans and others around the world. Using the OurStoryBridge methodology for collecting and free sharing of digital short-form oral histories of three to five minutes each with scrolling photographs using community crowdsourcing and curation, this project 1) captures digital history in the moment before the stories are lost; 2) helps those impacted by providing a dedicated and shared space for their voices; and 3) creates opportunities to communicate these real-time stories to others who can use them to contextualize and amplify their changemaking and research efforts.

PRESS CONTACT: Jery Huntley | (410) 353-6372 | createyourstoryproject@gmail.com