About four years ago writer/historian Anne Winkler-Morey began collecting oral histories of people who have lived, engaged institutions, and/or worked on grassroots campaigns in Minnesota’s biggest city. The Minneapolis interview Project tells life stories that reveal hidden histories of inequality and the struggle for social justice in Minneapolis.
I became aware of the project when I saw a friend’s interview on social media. The writing had so much detail that I was astonished how little I actually knew about my friend’s life and experiences. The in-depth interviews are mini-memoirs of many different voices of my city; taken together they are a fascinating collection of life stories in Minneapolis.
I feel very fortunate to be part of this project. I started photographing people for in early 2019, going back to shoot Anne’s previous interviewees as well as photographing her new subjects. When I photograph people for this project I always ask how they would like to be presented in the photo; they choose the location, their wardrobe, their pose, etc. I give advice when requested, but do my best to keep my own “voice” to a minimum.
So far I’ve photographed about 40 people for the project. Anne’s intention is to interview about 100 people and she is working on other ways for this incredible project to be seen by more people.
