Share Your Legacy

Welcome to the first step of sharing your powerful legacy. Start by briefly introducing yourself and your story in the form below. We are seeking stories from Iowans. We believe ordinary stories are worthy of sharing, uplighting and celebrating. When you are ready to share yours, we will work with you to add your story to The Legacy Collection.

Submission questions & guidelines

Is my story the “right story” for The Legacy Collection?

Yes! Your story is the right story. If you have a story, we want you to consider preserving it for future generations. Phase 1 is ongoing and we will continue to collect and preserve the stories and histories of individuals who have refugee or immigrant heritage. As we begin Phase 2, we want to invite Iowans to share the legacies they want to leave behind or share the the story of someone who should be remembered.

How much work does it take to add my story to The Legacy Collection?

We want to honor untold stories by sharing them deeply and thoroughly, which requires the necessary dedication, time and materials to create them. We don't want any important detail or item overlooked, so we encourage you to plan for a few weeks or months to let your story grow. Know that you will not be alone as you develop your story. You'll have a dedicated team at ArtForce Iowa to help you capture rich photography, video, audio, digital scans, and writing.

Can I include photos, video, audio and other media to my story?

Yes, we encourage you to consider capturing recordings and objects to build your story, such as:

Interviews (audio and video)
Oral Histories (audio and video)
Scans of archival public documents
Photographs
Artworks
Diary entries
Poetry and creative writing

Who will be reading my story?

Everyone! If you give permission to share your story, it will be available to anyone who can access the internet. You can use a pseudonym, your initials or your full name. You can also have your story removed from the public archive at anytime.