2892 Miles to Go

There are 2892 miles across the continental United States. Each of these miles symbolizes stories of the relationship between people and land that have been mistold, misrepresented, or omitted. 2892 Miles to Go is a social justice education program centered on amplifying local community stories about justice, race, and equity that are often left out of common narratives of human history. Our hope is to become the antidote to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's eloquent definition of  "The Danger of a Single Story"  by holding space for and elevating the stories of many. We believe that the land we live on never forgot these stories, and we want to remember - and reclaim - them together.

Through the support of the  National Geographic Society , 2892 collaborates with local educators, change-makers, and other visionaries who are passionate about community-led storytelling to journey along selected routes in their own communities and then create visually compelling digital educational resources that are rooted in collective wisdom and represent the voices and experiences of many.

We collaborate with educators and local leaders to help create more informed, empathic, and united communities. In this way, our aim is to rebalance the imbalance of the kinds of stories and histories that have been available across the education landscape in order to shift the learning experiences of the young people who will inherit this land.

There is no better place to begin the work of justice and equity than in your own community. It is very easy to feel overwhelmed with the never-ending layers of injustice and the ongoing work necessary to make the world a better place. But the foundation of 2892 is that while there are many miles to go, we can all walk them one by one. By taking your storytelling journey in your own community - and facilitating young people along theirs - you can inspire others and contribute to a movement of storytellers who also want to uncover truths and lead change.

We hope the StoryMaps that follow will serve as catalysts for deeper learning and critical thinking opportunities in your classroom - regardless of where you live and teach in the world. You do not have to live in the place represented by these stories to learn from the lessons provided therein.

Our goal is to create the textbooks we wish we could have always had - voiced by many and rooted in collective wisdom. We want to support the creation of texts and media by community leaders, artists, experts, storytellers, and advocates. We believe young people deserve the opportunity to learn history and culture from those who have lived it, and that they are wise thinkers and leaders who will move all of us forward.

The materials provided below are connected thematically to the StoryMaps co-created by 2892 Storytellers and are meant to serve as the sparks for fires that will burn long after they are implemented into learning contexts. The lessons that follow are interdisciplinary in nature and primarily meant for young people at the secondary level (7-12), although adjustments can be made according to your needs. Our hope is that you will feel inspired by these ideas and use them and the companion StoryMaps to create your own lessons, units, and projects far beyond the scope of these few pages.

The 2892 journeys and resources are created through application of a process called "place-based narrative inquiry." By applying this process in your own work as an educator, you too can join the #2892MilesToGo movement to shift the learning experiences of young people who will inherit this land toward a more holistic, equitable, and just understanding of history, culture, and place.

Narrative inquiry means entering onto a winding, undefined pathway of discovery with fresh eyes, open minds, and a willingness to be changed and lead change through stories. Sometimes this journey is by foot along a route in your community, other times the journey is through conversations with leaders or experts, and still other times the journey is through deep learning into topics that may be unfamiliar to us. Sometimes storytelling is all of these journeys combined. Most importantly, narrative inquiry when applied to issues of social justice means a commitment to dismantling systems of power with a “listen first” approach and a courageous, unwavering responsibility for enacting change.

Investigative storytellers - both educators and their students - cultivate these skills and others along their journeys because narrative inquiry is about questioning ourselves, examining all aspects of our communities, and centering people in the change we seek.

There is no better place to begin the work of justice and equity than in your own community. It is very easy to feel overwhelmed with the never-ending layers of injustice and the ongoing work necessary to make the world a better place. But the foundation of 2892 is that while there are many miles to go, we can all walk them one by one. By taking your storytelling journey in your own community - and facilitating young people along theirs - you can inspire others and contribute to a movement of storytellers who also want to uncover truths and lead change.

Your 2892 journey begins now.

The toolkits provided below are meant to guide educators and young people through storytelling journeys in the following ways:

● Provide a framework for the narrative inquiry process ● Support personal reflection & growth ● Assist learning journeys through complex issues ● Guide educators and young people toward taking action for creating change

The goal of narrative inquiry is to come through the other side having learned new insights, grown in understanding, and feeling inspired to take ongoing, sustainable action beyond the initial inquiry journey. The 2892 narrative inquiry process can help you along an investigative storytelling journey of your community and its people.

Want to learn how other educators like you are putting 2892 resources to work in their classrooms? Explore the interactive map below for inspiration:

We invite you to commit here and now to seeing the world differently and to be part of making the world a better place. We commit to this ongoing work and we are honored to walk alongside you in our collective ongoing storytelling for social justice journey.