It’s been exactly two weeks since we welcomed Phoebe Stein as the new Federation President so we wanted to catch her (in between all the Zoom meetings!) to see how she is doing, what it feels like to begin her leadership during a pandemic, her thoughts about the organization and humanities community as a whole, and finally whether she’s a virtual coffee break or happy hour kind of person!

The 2020 National Humanities Conference is scheduled to take place November 5-8, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail, the Indy 500, and six vice presidents! As we gear up for the big event, we asked Indiana Humanities to share these 10 fun facts about the state and host city, Indianapolis.

Extend your documentary repertoire with several unique offerings from state humanities councils! Films from a wide range of topics such as Responding to COVID, the Veteran Experience, Women’s History and UNLADYLIKE2020, Virtual Theater, Hoosier Film Festival and more, can be found and viewed by just clicking a button. Let us know your thoughts by tagging us on social @HumFed and using #HumanitiesAtHome.

More than anything else, the humanities inspire empathy.  The disciplines and tools allow you to see the world from someone else’s perspective.  That’s more important than ever now, especially when we are physically distant.  If I’m young with no pre-existing conditions, no kids, no elderly relatives, I may need elucidation of what this situation is like for those individuals, and thus why it’s important for me to socially distance, wear a mask, and wash my hands.  The humanities are the best way to give people that alternative point of view, which could help save lives. Read the full interview with Delaware Humanities Deputy Director Ciera Fisher.

COVID has illuminated so much of what is already in place and what isn’t in place. And it has raised questions that are clearly rooted in the daily and long-term realities of people’s lives. In this moment, we’re trying to show up as a calm, encouraging, and reliable partner in creating opportunities for people all over Oregon to feel a strong sense of interpersonal connection and shared imagination. Read the full interview with Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis.

I think the humanities shift our perspective and give us a little bit of distance from current events in a way that lets us engage more. That sounds a little paradoxical, but I’ve found that focusing on stats, curves, protests, and antibody testing can be both overwhelming and narrowing in our understanding and response. By asking questions like, “What lessons and stories from this pandemic are worth passing to future generations?” we seem to be able to open up and talk more. The humanities help us move through fear toward a more encompassing understanding of the variety of experience.

Last week, we spoke with Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis, Delaware Humanities Deputy Director and Senior Program Officer Ciera Fisher, and Humanities Montana Program Officer Samantha Dwyer about their recently launched virtual programs, Connect in Place (Oregon), Distant Discussions (DE), and Gather Round / Montana Conversations (Montana) to gather their tips for making community conversations, Zoom calls, and other online discussion programs work for their states.

After a career dedicated to serving, strengthening and supporting the state humanities councils, Federation President Esther Mackintosh officially retired as of April 30, 2020. The Federation staff was honored to toast to her retirement and to sit down and ask her a few last questions!

In the age of physical distancing, how do you convert and run meetings, such as what was traditionally a multi-day, in-person Board meeting? We checked in with our members and Federation Events Manager Tom Marabello for his input. While some challenges just can’t be helped (poor wifi, unmuted background noise, and those who don’t ‘video conference’), many reported positive experiences overall. Check out the tips and resources and share your experiences!

The Federation of State Humanities Councils is now accepting nominations to its Board of Directors. The 2020 FSHC Nominating Committee is seeking two humanities council executive directors and two public members to fill vacancies that will be left by four retiring board members in November 2020. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, May 15, 2020.

32 Podcasts on History, Journalism, Literature, and the Human Experience from the State and Territorial Humanities Councils

Refresh your audio library and tune into a wide variety of podcasts that use the humanities disciplines to explore important areas of everyday American life. With over 30 different podcasts by councils from across the United States and US territories, there is something for everyone!

Earlier this week, we checked in with Pam Breaux, the president and CEO of the National Association of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), on the role of the the state art agencies and humanities councils during this crisis, why they are natural partners at this time, and the challenges and needs of the communities we all serve.

Those employed with the task of keeping American culture safe and vibrant carry a great, yet unrecognized burden.  And in a crisis such as we now face, it is the proper role of the federal government to preserve the cultural fabric of the nation. 

In collaboration with the National Humanities Alliance, the Federation is requesting supplemental funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities to begin alleviating strains felt across the humanities sector, including the state humanities councils.

The fact that broad public interest in history, literature, ethics, art, and the power of ideas has never been higher should hearten academic humanists, despite the worrisome fact that our students are choosing to leave themselves out of the conversation.  While I have been involved in efforts on my campus to recapture student interest in the Humanities, I have also, during my five years as an academic administrator, recognized that we must work strategically with allies beyond the walls of the university to promote the value of what we do.   We have nothing to lose in this effort—and a great deal to gain.