I’m proud to share that I’ll be presenting at the 2025 Oral History Association Annual Meeting in Atlanta. My workshop, “My Declaration: Capturing a Town’s Story Through Oral History & Civic Publishing,” was selected for inclusion in this year’s program, and it represents the heart of the work we do at Honey House LLC.
The workshop teaches participants how to gather oral histories from their communities and turn them into accessible, meaningful civic publications—such as zines, chapbooks, public displays, or community newsletters. It’s an approach rooted in values I bring to every project: narrative clarity, deep listening, and creative public engagement.
The inspiration for this offering came during the Poetry Foundation & Poetry Magazine’s Summer Institute for Educators, where I first encountered the innovative work of O, Miami Poetry Festival. Both experiences energized my thinking around place-based storytelling and how creative publishing can preserve memory while activating civic identity.
As founder of Honey House Press, I work with individuals, nonprofits, and civic groups to shape and share their stories—through oral history consulting, custom publishing, and community storytelling initiatives. If your organization is interested in hosting a version of this workshop or collaborating on a publishing project that centers community voice, I’d love to hear from you.
Let’s bring your town’s stories to the page.
— Cesca Waterfield
