I Was Here uses public art and engagement to inspire communities to see themselves as authors, innovators, builders, and contributors to the nation's story.

We envision communities embracing a full understanding of American history, identity, and belonging. Communities where public spaces tell complete stories; and where ancestry is understood as a source of agency, creativity, and civic participation.

our Values

Truth

We believe communities are strengthened when history is fully acknowledged.

Ancestry

We honor those whose power, labor, creativity, sacrifice, and resilience helped build this country.

Place, Access & Belonging

We believe public spaces should reflect those that have shaped them and that everyone deserves to see themselves represented in the places they call home.

Our Purpose

I Was Here exists to change how America sees, tells, and experiences its history.

Through Ancestor Spirit Portraits, historic imagery, public art, workshops, and community storytelling, the project makes visible the labor, creativity, leadership, and sacrifice embedded in America's past and present.

The work moves beyond remembrance. It invites people to recognize the connection between ancestry, authorship, and agency, and to consider what it means to leave a meaningful mark on the future.

Public Benefit & Impact

I Was Here creates public benefit by:

Expanding public understanding of American history by bringing overlooked contributions into the places and stories where they belong.
Creating meaningful learning experiences for young people that connect history, critical thinking, public speaking, art, and personal identity.
Activating public spaces as places of learning and connection, making history accessible beyond traditional classrooms and cultural institutions.
Strengthening community connection and belonging by inviting residents to see their own histories reflected in the places they live.
Building a replicable model for communities nationwide to use art and storytelling to elevate those whose contributions have too often been overlooked.

Why Now

America is experiencing a renewed conversation about whose stories are remembered, who gets to tell them, and whose contributions are recognized as part of the national narrative.

At the same time, a new generation is seeking more personal, participatory, and creative ways to understand civic identity.

I Was Here responds to this moment by creating opportunities to encounter history as a living legacy that shapes who we are and what we can build together.

The Opportunity

With philanthropic support, I Was Here can expand this work into a national initiative, bringing historically grounded art, youth engagement, and community storytelling to more cities and more people.

The opportunity is not simply to create art.

It is to help create a path to empower communities.

I Was Here exists to change how America sees, tells, and experiences its history.