Oral Resources of the COVID-19 Pandemic as Knowledge-Based Storytelling

Abstract

Loud voices during the COVID era will be heard far into the future, but what about the everyday Albertan? They're thoughts, fears, and persistence are important for future researchers to fully understand what it was like during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the winter semester I have recorded oral histories of everyday Albertans where they share their experiences living during the COVID-19 pandemic. After recording the interviews, I uploaded the recordings onto a website I made to archive their stories for future researchers to access. The process in delivering the interviews has been based on 'knowledge-based' storytelling which empowers the interviewee by validating their experiences. My hope is to leave behind enough personal accounts to give an accurate representation of life in Alberta during this historic time.

Department: Arts and Cultural Management

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Heather Fitzsimmons-Frey