“I was stunned and gratified to find my Ethnic Studies 101 students in earnest conversation about questions of symbolic annihilation by the third week of the project. They recognized the importance of the term and used it in discussions elsewhere in the class; they were able to connect their work on the PAA to broad scholarly concerns in Comparative Ethnic Studies. In other words, work on the PAA elevated the level of comprehension and subsequent analysis in the class, within a very short amount of time. …Almost unanimously, [the students] were surprised and pleased to find themselves not only understanding terms like “metadata,” but directly engaged in creating it.
– Dr. Rachel Buff, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
“I found the Personal Archive Assignment to be one of my favorite projects - I can definitely understand why this is so powerful when looking at history. Through these prompts, I learned more about myself, and I feel I can be prouder of who I am now after seeing how much I've changed as a person.”
– Student, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
“I think it was the first time I really analyzed what happened to me and everyone else this year and I needed that. Doing an archive assignment made me realize how one-sided history is and continues to be. There are so many perspectives that are often overlooked.”
– Student, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee