Taking Root: Immigrant Stories of the Hudson Valley

About Taking Root

Taking Root was an multisensory exhibition on view in the Reher Center Gallery. This exhibition featured the personal and family stories of 36 narrators from 22 countries and 6 continents who have made a home in the Hudson Valley. They shared their stories with us between 2019 and 2022 as part of the Reher Center’s growing Hudson Valley Immigrant Oral History Project. Their experiences were brought to life through oral histories, tintype portraits, and the smells of beloved cuisines.

This multimedia exhibition amplified the stories of local immigrants as never before. Visitors listened to the voices of our storytellers – their joys, tastes, tears, and laughter – and immersed themselves in what is unique to each person and what is held in common about being an immigrant to the Hudson Valley. 

The Reher Center is grateful for the individuals and organizations who made Taking Root possible

Sponsors and Community Partners

Office of State Senator Michelle Hinchey, Humanities New York Vision/ Action Grant, Ulster County, Steve Housepian, Hudson Valley Credit Union, Ulster Savings Bank, Rondout Savings Bank, Harana Market, and M&T Bank. Reher Center programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Pinnacle Program Partner Radio Kingston

In-Kind Support

Brand Design Indeleble Design-Brand Creative Director: Jose Zapata & Graphic Design: Laura Garcia G.
Media WKZE 98.1 FM
Materials Herzog's Home Center of Kingston, Jack Weeks

Contributors and Collaborators

Kingston Library, Bard College, Hudson Valley Immigrant Oral History Project Advisory Committee, Ulster Literacy Association, La Vida Real Church, Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church

Food Research

Dr. Willa Zhen and her Research Methods in Applied Food Studies students, The Culinary Institute of America