How Will We Achieve Our Goals Over the Next 3 Years?

 

We’re stepping into the next chapter with boldness, clarity, and heart. To grow our impact and deepen our roots in the community, here’s what we’re ready to stop, start, and continue:

 

We’re Letting Go Of…

 

It’s time to shed what no longer serves us:

 

  • Worrying about what’s “perfect” and just getting started
  • Playing small about the incredible reach and richness of our work
  • Hiding in plain sight—our facility should be seen, known, and loved by all
  • Using hesitant language that dulls our message and value
  • Feeling shy about charging fair value for our time, space, and expertise

 

We’re Starting to…

 

The future is here—and it’s full of potential. We’re ready to:

 

  • Shine a light on our partnerships, collections, and community work through fresh, intentional social media content
  • Experiment with TikTok—perhaps as an intern-led storytelling initiative
  • Invest in educators—dedicate budget or grants to pay a local teacher to connect our archive to K–12 curriculum
  • Get on the airwaves—share compelling stories on local radio. We don’t need a perfect communications plan to start. Let’s get Board members involved and amplify our message
  • Dream bigger—go after larger funding opportunities and expand our network
  • Showcase more archival gems—go beyond photos to highlight documents, oral histories, and unexpected treasures
  • Position LHC as a global resource to elevate our presence and inspire local pride
  • Animate our space—use the perimeter wall and building facades to tell our story visually and vibrantly
  • Activate our oral history collections and Somos Latinos to gather even more voices from the community

 

We’re Continuing to…

 

Our core strengths will carry us forward:

  • Build social capital through authentic relationships and collaborations
  • Collect and evaluate student impact data to improve our educational reach
  • Be radically welcoming—ensuring people of all abilities feel at home here
  • Digitize and expand our collection to preserve and share more stories
  • Grow our archive—continually collecting diverse narratives that reflect Lawrence’s spirit
  • Celebrate youth voice through Rising Loaves and other youth-centered programs
  • Meet people where they are—in schools, online, at events, and in their neighborhoods
  • Engage and innovate on social media, finding new ways to tell our story
  • Develop and share curriculum that brings Lawrence history into classrooms
  • Host our annual symposium, a cherished space for dialogue, scholarship, and community building
  • Create transformative programming that connects the past to the present—and inspires action for the future