Desegregation at the University of Georgia.
Paying it Forward.
Always Forward, Forward Always.
I had the honor and privilege of serving as the Communications Director for this University of Georgia New Media Capstone team’s augmented reality app, Stepping Stones in collaboration with Bristol King serving as Application Developer, Chelsey Perry as Primary Researcher and Megan Dougherty as Visual Designer.
Stepping Stones was developed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of desegregation at UGA by walking a mile in the shoes of first two Black American students to go here: Charlayne Hunter Gault and Hamilton Holmes.
As I served in various capacities while at UGA, one being a representative of the future of democracy’s institution under the University of Georgia's as a spokesperson for first amendment's freedom of press. As I gave tours of the university, spoke at journalism college events, and actively recruited and mentored underclassmen to various certificates and programs offered within the institution — I can say firsthand how important this app even in its infancy is to those coming to the campus not only to understand the past but make sense of the present moment as well.
Now 60 years ago, especially to my generation, may seem like this distant memory. The court ruling against two African American students attending the school because of the color of their skin could seem like an archaic notion, but the reality is that this battle for equality has and always will be a marathon not a sprint. Through augmented reality and 3D graphics courtesy of Ryan Fernandez, our app emphasizes the strides we’ve made in this journey and how far we still have to travel.
Sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Organization, our client Dr. Susan Williams has stressed the importance in putting this experience together both via a walking tour and remotely. Though the in-person experience is the only way to experience the Number One school in the Nation, we wanted to provide users the option.
In order to prevent the horrors of the past from repeating we must acknowledge it in every respect including how recent it really was. In order to ensure lasting change it is integral that the past not be erased or overlooked, and since digital is close to everlasting, we wanted to immortalize the journeys of these pioneers.
Source: https://apps.apple.com/am/app/stepping-stones-uga/id1567081348
Apple IOS Download for Stepping Stones App
Apple IOS Download for Stepping Stones App
Stepping Stones is an augmented reality app developed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of desegregation at UGA by walking a mile in the shoes of first two Black American students to go here: Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes.