Projects

TELEGRAPH HILL DWELLERS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Since 2019, I’ve managed the Telegraph Hills Dwellers Oral History Project, which records the experiences of people who have helped form the character of San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill and North Beach neighborhoods, historically home to large Italian- and Chinese-American populations and a vibrant artistic community.

ROBERT DOXEY WEBSITE

In 2022, a website celebrating the art of Robert Doxey was launched. Robert, my father, was a dedicated self-taught artist for more than 50 years, working mostly at his home studio. He maintained the highest standards for his own work and felt it had to evolve further before it warranted being seen by anyone other than his family and close friends. After careful study of his paintings and drawings, my mother and I decided to develop the RobertDoxey.com website, as we feel this talented artist’s work deserves a wider audience.

VALLEY AT THE CROSSROADS

Filmmaker George Spies and I spent three years producing the documentary “Valley at the Crossroads.” The film examines one of the most urgent issues facing California: the prospect that, if current growth trends and practices continue, urban sprawl will gobble up a significant portion of California’s Central Valley. The Central Valley is a tremendous agricultural resource that produces about half of America's fruits, nuts and vegetables. Following its release in 2002, “Valley at the Crossroads” was broadcast by public television stations in California and appeared in film festivals around the United States.

AS THEY SAID 

Launched in 2017, As They Said is an interview project that aims to get people talking about issues of central importance in their lives. Inspired by the American oral historian Studs Terkel and his “Working” project, I’ve been interviewing people from Leiden, the Dutch city I now call home, about their jobs, dreams and sources of fulfilment. As They Said is expanding to include stories collected from on-the street interviews in a variety of countries. The blog also features interviews with Dutch innovators, and additional series are planned.

CAN’T GET THERE FROM HERE

Low-density urban sprawl, automobile-oriented city design, traffic hazards, fear of abduction, lack of public transit alternatives. These are some of the factors that have reduced independent mobility for California’s children. In 2003, while working with the Surface Transportation Policy Project, I co-authored “Can’t Get There From Here.” This report explores the impacts of increased car-dependence on children’s health and recommends policies that could improve the ability of children to get around on their own.