Voices from Apalachicola: Practical Insights for Empowering Communities through CCHAR

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Dialogue as Defense: Addressing Preservation Threats with Community Conversations on Heritage at Risk (CCHAR)", at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Community Conversations on Heritage at Risk (CCHAR) is an emerging public engagement program developed by archaeologists and cultural heritage professionals to explore community valuations of local heritage, particularly under the threats posed by climate change. This paper offers a practical guide to initiating CCHAR programs, emphasizing logistical preparations and data creation. Key considerations include the decision-making process around Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals, the importance of involving appropriate community partners, and strategies for effective participant recruitment. Furthermore, we discuss logistical needs such as audience size, audio equipment, session structure, and time constraints. The paper also outlines the transcription process, highlighting lessons from audio recordings of CCHAR sessions. Finally, we address the management of collected data, focusing on storage, format, and meaningful community feedback. Through this framework, the paper aims to equip practitioners with the necessary tools to effectively engage communities in safeguarding cultural heritage.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Dialogue as Defense: Addressing Preservation Threats with Community Conversations on Heritage at Risk (CCHAR)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow