Fall 2022 OHMA Open House with OHMA students and alums, Alum Courtney Scott, and OHMA Director Amy Starecheski
Image by Courtney Scott, I Am Your Nanny”/I am [not] your [m]other
About this event
OHMA VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
Information session
Virtually meet OHMA students and alums
Presentation by OHMA Alum: Courtney Scott, I Am Your Nanny”/I am [not] your [m]other
Mini-interviewing workshop, taught by OHMA Director Amy Starecheski
OHMA is the first program of its kind: a one-year interdisciplinary Master of Arts degree training students in oral history method and theory. Our graduates work in museums, historical societies, advocacy organizations, media, the arts, education, human rights, and development. OHMA is also excellent preparation for doctoral work in fields like anthropology, history, journalism, and American studies or professional degrees in law, education, or social work.
Jointly run by the Columbia Center for Oral History Research, one of the preeminent oral history centers in the world, and INCITE, a lively hub for interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences, OHMA connects students with the intellectual resources of a major research university, and with the intimate society of a small cohort of talented students.
During a year at OHMA, students learn the skills of digital audio and video production and editing, digital archiving, oral history project design and interviewing, and both historical and social science analysis. Working with an OHMA faculty member, each student is guided through the process of creating a thesis. Past projects have taken the form of academic and creative essays, film and audio documentaries, performances, exhibits, and multimedia websites. OHMA students also have access to elective courses taught anywhere within the University and exclusive oral history internship opportunities.
Courtney Scott, Nashville native and OHMA alum, is a writer, storyteller, oral historian, nanny and early childhood educator. When not telling stories in sound, film, or words, Courtney devotes much of her time and heart to caring for young children. As a working nanny for over a decade, she became the protégé of mother-workers from across many generations and cultures. Her oral history work is deeply informed by their stories, exploring themes of race, class, money, and love. New projects which continue to evolve from her current work as an early childhood teacher in Morningside Heights, include an exploration of oral storytelling curriculum for preschoolers.
I Am Your Nanny”/I am [not] your [m]other is a multi-media oral history project centered around the stories of career nannies living and working in New York. It is an exploration that combines oral history, poetry, prose, film, podcasting, and mixed media. The project confronts nannying as both a physical and spiritual practice and questions how caretaking can be woven into our collective understanding of both mothering and legitimate work. “I Am Your Nanny” is an ongoing, experimental meditation, which can currently be explored on the project’s multi-media website.
“This presentation will focus on my experience of practicing oral history as an artist. Using the project website, I will explore how various artistic practices became integrated into each step of the oral history process and how artistic expression helped me to interrogate the project’s direction along the way. I will also also share a bit of what I learned about working with a vulnerable population and the challenges of navigating privilege and shared authority as a nanny interviewing other nannies.”
Prospective students are also welcome to meet with the OHMA director or virtually sit-in on one of our classes. Please send us an email (ohma@columbia.edu) to connect!
Image Description: A collage of an image of a minimalistic, high-end interior and a pink-layered cut out image of a Black woman in an apron taking care of a white baby.
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