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Cover Image for a project called "Notes from Public Housing: The Story of Section 9 and its Music." The background of the photo is the New York City Skyline, with public housing prominent.
Save Section 9
Notes from Public Housing: The Story of Section 9 and its Music

From New York City-based organization, Save Section 9, comes this mini-documentary about the relationship between public housing and music. Public housing has been central to the development of modern music—including the birth and evolution of hip hop.

Save Section 9 is a tenant-led coalition that works to educate and activate public housing tenants. They take on policies rooted in colonialism that have led to discriminatory disinvestment in America’s only truly affordable housing stock. Full website: https://www.savesection9.org/

MyProjectsRunway_home
My Projects Runway
My Projects Runway

My Projects Runway is a digital collection of memories in New York City Public Housing across the five boroughs that seeks to humanize the public housing experience. Their multimedia platform, which users can contribute to, cultivates community and provides insight to those seeking to understand life in the projects. Their ultimate goal is to inspire and provide a space for people to take control of their narratives, while also documenting public housing as we know it before gentrification takes over.

My Projects Runway was established in 2020 by Jayah Arnett, an Afro-Latina who grew up in Carver Houses in East Harlem, New York. Since her maternal great-grandma migrated to New York from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, most of her family members have lived, and still live, in public housing.

A screenshot of the "Through the People" Exhibit Website. It is a royal blue background with the title in all caps, white font. There are four polaroid frames with guest-submitted photos.
NPHM x MPR
Through the People

Through the People is an interactive story collection project and exhibition by the National Public Housing Museum (NPHM) and My Projects Runway (MPR). This digital archive shares the authentic stories of public housing residents through photos, videos, and stories. The exhibit shares parallels between the New York City public housing and Chicago public housing, the hubs for MPR and the NPHM, respectively, while opening an opportunity for residents from other parts of the country to add their own personal histories to the conversation.


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