Our process

We began our project by proposing two mediums with which to collect stories. 

1. a digital archive (website) that would contain every story submitted. Additionally, it could collect stories on its own.

2. a physical device that would aid in the collection of stories by being deployed at different locations and events.

In order to exist in different environments with different levels of involvement, we propose 4 scales of physical devices. Some of them are tabletop devices that can easily be accommodated within a coffee shop. Others are more dramatic: an entire room that can be placed within a gymnasium for a school event. Each commands its context in a unique way, making our system more flexible.

Our initial reasoning for this was based on degrees of accessibility and preference. Since we want to collect as many stories from as many different groups of people as possible, we wanted to make sure that no one and no event was ever left out. Our devices incorporate various ways of submitting stories in addition to a digital submission. This is because we did not want to exclude people who are either unfamiliar with technology, or people who would rather just write something down on the spot.

At the end of the day, our project strives to fight misinformation and underrepresentation in the media. We provide not only a voice, but an opportunity for Chicagoans to listen to the voice of others.