Rooted in Community: Preserving Local Histories and Creating Partnerships
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December 3, 2025 | Zoom
*** This event has been shifted to an online format.
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Join us for a two hour webinar with the Smithsonian. By working with local leaders to identify the specific needs of their region, the Smithsonian’s Rural Initiative builds trusted collaborations between the Institution and local partners. This work is informed by the results of a year-long Rural Needs Sensing research project reflecting the perspectives of more than 4,000 rural community members and stakeholders.
Together, we’ll explore how these insights can inform new opportunities for collaboration across North Carolina—strengthening rural and tribal communities and tourism efforts through storytelling, curation, and creative exchange. Through sessions led by Smithsonian and North Carolina partners, participants will engage in dialogue on preserving community histories, expanding access to cultural resources, and uplifting local voices across the region.
Agenda
​11:00AM
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11:30 AM
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12:00 PM
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12:30 PM
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​Welcome & Introductions
Creating Our Shared Future in Service to Rural and Tribal Communities Andy Mink, Director of Rural Initiative, Office of Under Secretary of Education
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​Our Families, Our Communities, Our Histories: Preserving Histories Through Community Curation
Dr. Doretha Williams, Director of the Robert F. Smith Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
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Elevating Local Content through Smithsonian Exhibitions
Robbie Davis, Project Director for Digital Programs, Museum on Main Street
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Q&A, Discussion, & How to Further Work with Our Speakers