As part of Outside the Wire: Veterans Respond to the Pandemic, a multi-platform humanities project that centers the narratives and experiences of the military community, the Writers House is pleased to invite submissions for its 2022 digital exhibit.
For nearly two years now, we have been battling a global pandemic. In 2022, as a means to
confront the individual ways we have all experienced the strain of such a fight, our Outside the
Wire Exhibit is seeking veterans, active duty service members, Reserve or Guard service
members, and/or family members to shed light on the diverse veterans’ experiences of the
pandemic. Whether deployed overseas or stationed right here in New Jersey at
McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, we want to hear how the sudden impact of the pandemic affected the
ways you serve.
Whatever your MOS, AFSC, or NEC, we understand the landscape of your role as a
servicemember likely changed overnight, providing longer shifts, uncertain futures, and a
heightened need for safety and efficiency. We also understand that it is under conditions such as
these that timeless bonds are formed and powerful teams are made stronger. Such bonds are
invaluable to those of us who were or are away from home during these times. These are the
stories we know each of you contain— these are the stories we would be honored to hear.
To tell your stories, we are looking for artifacts from your experiences. Photographs of objects
and replicas of documents will be featured in the exhibit accompanied by participants’ written or
oral narratives about the artifacts and their relationship to participants’ experiences. This can be
letters sent or received, whether handwritten or digital; photos of you and your team conducting
operations in support of the pandemic; or a journal entry that captures the emotions that fueled
your fight.
To participate, please complete the form linked below, attaching a
photograph of the object or document you would like to share (10 MB max file size), along with
a description of up to 500 words describing the significance of your artifact to you and/or your
community, and how it represents your experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have
questions related to this form, please email leah.falk@camden.rutgers.edu.
Deadline: May 1, 2022.
Submit hereProject Team:
Leah Falk, Project Director
Matthew Midgett, Curator
Outside the Wire is supported by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan Act. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
