Heritage Award Winner Bronwyn Jaques

Bronwyn Jaques, a PhD student in Cultural Studies, traveled to Queen’s Park on February 23 to accept a Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage “Excellence in Conservation” Award for her role in producing the oral history “In Our Own Words: The Links between Kingston’s Heritage and its Penitentiaries”, a project that seeks to understand how penitentiaries have shaped the social fabric of the city of Kingston. Bronwyn was the Oral History Coordinator for the project, working with the support of volunteers and staff from the group “Friends of the Penitentiary Museum” to conduct interviews with community members, formerly incarcerated people and correctional officers.

In addition to applying historical research and oral history methodology, the project utilized creative community outreach initiatives, such as canvassing events, social media and local news outlets to gather stories.

Each year, the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards, administered by the Ontario Heritage Trust, celebrate individuals, groups, and communities who have made exceptional contributions to cultural and natural heritage conservation, environmental sustainability and biodiversity. (Read More)