Community Psychology's Gaze

In May, 2010, the government of Jamaica occupied Tivoli Gardens, an inner city community and home of a known drug lord wanted on drug and arms trafficking charges in the USA. Within four days at least 76 civilians had been killed by the state. Three researchers (an anthropologist, a cultural worker, and a critical community psychologist) began an oral history project aimed at producing an historical record of survivors of the atrocity; providing an opportunity for families to honor their dead with dignity potentially contributing to personal, community and national healing; documenting testimonies of community members; and creating an oral memorial for the dead. To date, 26 community members have been interviewed. Their audiovisual recordings form an archive from which a multimedia art installation (Tivoli Stories) and a filmic representation (Four Days in May) are being created to share the community’s stories with a public beyond the academy, one that includes the international hu...