Podcast peeps 1
Updates

Mon, Dec 14, 2020

Introducing Our New Oral Archive Project: MAHcast

Greetings and salutations MAH universe! This is Wyatt Young, the MAH's new Archives & Library Coordinator, sharing some news with you about the relaunch of our monthly podcast.

If you were familiar with our previous efforts, That Was Weird: Stories from Santa Cruz, you’ll be glad to know that the MAH Cast will continue to bring you glimpses into the history and culture of Santa Cruz County. This time around, we are consciously using our podcast as a way to develop our archives with the rich oral histories from Santa Cruz County while also entertaining you in the process!

To kick off the podcast series, we put together four episodes that coincide with In These Uncertain Times, the upcoming MAH exhibition that showcases the creativity and resilience of Santa Cruz County’s response to shelter in place and the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Podcast peeps

In the first episode, we heard from August Stevens, a student producer from the Center for Arts and Diversity Center at UC Santa Cruz who helped organize Click Fest 2020, an online virtual arts festival designed to overcome the challenges of the current pandemic.

In episode 02 we talked with Roy Recio, the community organizer behind The Tobera Project and Watsonville is in the Heart. In this conversation, Roy discussed the inspiration behind his work and how documenting the experiences of Filipino American laborers is more important than ever now during our current crisis.

In episode 03 we sat down with Abi Mustapha, a community activist, and artist-in-residence at the MAH whose work speaks to our current social and political climate. Abi’s work, along with those from numerous other local artists, is featured in the upcoming exhibition In These Uncertain Times, and we can’t wait to share their work with everyone!

Finally, in episode 04 we spoke with Joe Ferrara, the owner and operator of Atlantis Fantasyworld here in Santa Cruz. In this conversation Joe shares tales of what it’s been like to run a small, niche business in Santa Cruz for close to 45 years, and how the pandemic reminds him of how our community pulled together following the devastation of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

We are so excited about the new direction for the MAH Cast, and we look forward to sharing more inspiring stories with you throughout 2021. You can stay up to date on new episodes by following the MAH on Soundcloud or check back on our History & Archive landing page here.

Please enjoy listening to these thoughtful conversations, and let us know what you think. You can send feedback or story ideas to info@santacruzmah.org.

Related Reads

History Resources

Browse original publications, detailed history journals, fascinating podcast episodes, and an expansive archive to uncover the rich history of Santa Cruz County. For information about the Historic Landmark Program, click here.