Noëlle Lopez

Located in Washington DC, the National Museum of American History empowers people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past. Washington, DC is home to a vibrant network of activists that raise money to provide school supplies, devices, and hotspots for local families in need; gather and disseminate information about educational resources; and raise awareness of the causes and consequences of educational inequity. The shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated longstanding social and economic inequities. The Leading Edge Fellow will conduct oral histories of individuals involved with educational justice initiatives that address digital access and technological literacy in DC-area schools. The fellow will document the work of educational justice activists, providing future museum audiences an understanding of the challenges faced by students and families in gaining access to educational enrichment and the consequences of systemic racism in the United States.