This week I have really begun to think of how I fit in this project. I was very excited to meet the art and design students we will be working with.  This will be a unique experience to see what designs will represent not only the Filbert Street garden but our mission or as some would say the vision. I was very excited to learn more about the murals that are going to be collaboration between UMBC art students and Benjamin Franklin High School students.  This collaboration brought me back to an idea I had about T-shirts. If the students could design a t-shirt to sell that represented their connection to the Filbert Street Garden.  Prof. Bradley extended an invitation for the American studies students to be a part of the collaboration with BFHS, and I would love the opportunity to help and be a part of this. This would provide me a way of incorporating my education background into the project.

            I want to share my experiences along the way as I take on this new challenge of collecting oral histories.  This weekend I learned how to dig a little deeper into the history of the Baybrook area.  I for the first time visited the Enoch Pratt free Library. I took my daughter (Magnolia 15) along for the adventure. I was able to get a library card to allow me access to historical papers and Sanborn maps. http://www.prattlibrary.org/index.aspx Although I have lived in Maryland my whole life I have never been real comfortable riving in the city so we chose to take the Light Rail. This was to our benefit because although we got off at the wrong stop we were able to admire some of the murals found throughout the city. This reminded me of the project that the art students are working on this the students at BFHS. I feel as if our class were just to raise money for the garden would not make the garden sustainable but collaboration with the children promote future generations to have ownership of their garden so it can continue to thrive.

            As I was reading Conducting An Oral History Interview by Linda Shopes, I have begun to feel a little bit of anxiety. I have never conducted an oral history and so with anything new it is a bit scary.  I am excited to learn and try new things and learn more about persevering the oral histories of Baybrook. As I read the some of the oral histories it calmed me down a bit.An example I would like to share was in the Jason Reed. During the  interview a child interrupted a few times and that was ok. In a way it added richness and realness to his value as a active part of the community.