Sent on behalf of Josephine Ensign, SON
I am pleased to share with you a series of free educational videos on the history and current situation of health and homelessness in Seattle—King County. These include five-minute videos, such as “Commitment,” about Seattle—King County’s first official homeless man (“insane pauper” Edward Moore), as well as “Listening to Skid Road,” a twenty-five-minute video highlighting oral histories I conducted with people such as Charles Royer, Dr. Maxine Hayes, Dr. Ben Danielson, public health nurses, social workers, and people with the lived experience of homelessness.
All of these videos were made with the support of two 4Culture Heritage Awards. The oral history interviews, which will be stored at the University of Washington Special Collections, were made with support from Humanities Washington’s Stories Fund, National Endowment for the Humanities, Jack Straw Cultural Center, and the University of Washington Simpson Center for the Humanities. Dr. Lorraine McConaghy, public historian, has been my mentor for this project.
My aim is for the Skid Road videos, companion book from Johns Hopkins University Press, and accompanying educational materials to be used as resources for policymakers, teachers, healthcare providers, and the general public interested in a balanced and critical approach to the intersection of healthcare and homelessness. Skid Road serves to increase visibility and understanding of the rich health and social care history and mission of Seattle—King County. In addition, Skid Road increases ways for a diversity of voices to be heard within ongoing healthcare and public policy debates.
