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A LOOK INSIDE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY
OCTOBER 9TH, 2023
Here's to the strength and resilience of Indigenous People around the world, who have been innovators and stewards of lands everywhere since time immemorial, who continue to innovate today, and who will shape our collective future for untold generations after us.
A W A R D
OURWORLDS RECEIVES AN EDUCATION GRANT AWARD FROM NEWSCHOOLS VENTURE FUND
We are very pleased to announce that OurWorlds has received support from NewSchools Venture Fund under their EDge Meet the Moment opportunity, created in support of educators developing solutions that empower students. NewSchools Venture Fund is a leading venture philanthropy committed to advancing innovation in PK-12 education.
NewSchools' grant funding will help OurWorlds to develop its geolocated immersive reality educational products that support culturally-responsive, equitable learning.
In addition to financial support, OurWorlds will benefit from NewSchool's deep institutional knowledge and expertise, as well as its influential network of innovators, leaders, and funders. This partnership bolsters our capacity to drive meaningful change within the field of education.
NewSchools is committed to transforming education through powerful ideas and passionate entrepreneurs so that all children, especially those in underserved communities, will be able to thrive and succeed.
Above: A student at e3Civic High School. We are thrilled to see uptake from so many communities around the country, and around the world. Many thanks to everyone who supports and uses the app, and very special thanks to our friends at Native Land Digital and e3Civic High School. The best is yet to come.
A W A R D
NEW MEXICO PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ADOPTS OURWORLDS CURRICULUM
In 2022 OurWorlds was approached by the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) to present curriculum materials for their K-12 students.
Over the next year OurWorlds set out to adapt its award-winning Choctaw Code Talkers immersive reality experience for a Grade 9-12 standards-aligned social studies curriculum. OurWorlds worked closely with the NMPED, and our Educational Director, Dr. Christina Steiner to create and evaluate a course of study with a modern focus on STEM, reading and art. The curriculum was officially adopted on September 19th, 2023. We would like to send a special thanks to everyone involved for their continued efforts in making this happen.
In their closing award letter NMPED stated, "Thank you again for your participation in the 2023 adoption. Your investment in the students of New Mexico is important to their academic achievement."
N E W S
LA JOLLA'S COAST WALK DEDICATES KUMEYAAY PLAQUE AS DIGITAL MONUMENT FOR THE FUTURE
In partnership with Dr. Stanley Rodriguez (Kumeyaay, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel), artist Johnny Bear Conteras (Kumeyaay, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians), and Friends of Coast Walk, OurWorlds developed an immersive experience for a new bronze plaque for the Coast Walk Trail and attended the dedication on September 26th in La Jolla, CA with tribal members from the Kumeyaay, Kuupangaxwichem, and Payòmkawichum communities. A fulfillment of a long standing vision for everyone involved, this "digital monument for the future" showcases the power of emerging technologies and geolocation to transform public and private places into immersive and interactive learning environments.
From left to right: Samantha Pinto (Kumeyaay, Jamul Indian Village), Kilma Lattin (Kuupangaxwichem, Pala Band of Mission Indians), and Ed McEnespy (Payòmkawichum, Rincon Band of Mission Indians) unveil the plaque, Sept. 26th, 2023 in La Jolla, CA.
Visitors can scan the QR code engraved on the bronze plaque with their smartphones (both iOS and Android) and hear the spoken word of the plaque and its translation from Kumeyaay to English. In augmented reality you can experience Kumeyaay words and phrases and explore the intricate design and construction of a tule boat. Visitors will also be able to view an XR360º immersive story about Kumeyaay arts and culture in this region, narrated by Johnny Bear Contreras.
If you are in the area we invite you to visit the Coast Walk Trail and experience the digital monument for yourself. OurWorlds illuminates the Indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and culture in this beautiful live environment. Check back often – the experiences at this location will evolve and change over time.
U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
"BEFORE THERE WERE BORDERS"
an installation for World Design Capital 2024 in partnership with Rob Wellington Quigley Architects, the San Diego Central Library, and Bay to Park Paseo
OurWorlds is working closely with its tribal advisors and partnering with Bay to Park Paseo 2024, Rob Wellington Quigley Architects, and the San Diego Public Library to present Before There Were Borders, an Indigenous history in immersive reality on the streets of San Diego throughout 2024. In keeping with the theme of World Design Capital, the project will reflect and amplify the history, common values, and essential connections between the peoples of the border region.
The digital art piece will be accessible within the arcade of the Central Library. Rob Quigley, architect of the Central Library, envisions it to be one of “stage” and “performance.” As participants move though the arcade, images will appear that entice further exploration using a simple scan of a QR code with a smartphone. The installation will include video holograms, viewing cultural objects through augmented reality, and immersive reality language experiences.
“I see the technology that we are pioneering here at OurWorlds as a bridge-builder. We may not be able to unify the two sides of the border, but we can build a digital bridge and include people who aren’t here to tell their story," says Kilma Lattin, Founder and CEO of OurWorlds.
"We are making history right now as tribal people," says Priscilla Ortiz La-Chappa, Miss Kumeyaay Nation 2022-2023, an advisor to the project. "We want to tell the story of this land, which is our Holy Land," says Dr. Stanley Rodriguez. "Each hill, each mountain, the ocean. Each has its story. Here our cultures come together, and if we learn not just to tolerate our differences but to celebrate them, we will grow stronger together."
“Before There Were Borders” will explore the region from the pre-contact period until the present, as well as the relationship between the modern library and Indigenous modes of knowledge transfer.
World Design Capital® (WDC) is designated every two years by the World Design Organization® (WDO). It recognizes cities for their effective use of design to enhance economic, social, cultural and environmental quality of life. This 2024 designation provides the San Diego region a year-long international showcase of design through unique experiences and explorations that stimulate thinking and bring communities together to celebrate what makes San Diego and Tijuana exceptional.
Above, from left: A schematic illustrating some of the architectural surfaces that will include Indigenous narratives in language and visual arts formats; Priscilla Ortiz-LaChappa and Catherine Eng at the San Diego Central Library's Hervey Family Rare Books room, researching the archives for photographs of the community for Before There Were Borders.
P R O J E C T S
OURWORLDS CREATES IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES FOR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
University of San Diego, The National WWI Museum, and Choctaw Cultural Center
We are proud to announce that OurWorlds has secured a contract with the University of San Diego to develop a series of immersive reality simulations to support its virtual training curriculum for its M.S. in Humanitarian Action course at the Joan S. Kroc School of Peace and Justice. This innovative M.S. program provides working professionals with critical frameworks for accessing and operating in humanitarian crises around the world.
We are also working with both the Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant, OK, and The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, MO to deliver Choctaw Code Talkers 1918 as an immersive reality museum experience. The National WWI Museum has commissioned a copy of Choctaw Code Talkers 1918 as part of a revamped WWI exhibition to launch in Q1 2024. The exhibition for the Choctaw Cultural Center is shipping this week as a complete "pop-up" immersive experience with props, set pieces, and VR headsets that is portable and can be taken on the road to exhibit at cultural events for Choctaw Nation.
Official launch press releases coming soon. For more information, or to bring our exhibitions to your institution, please contact us at team@ourworlds.io
A message from Kilma
"This has been a transformative year for OurWorlds, with major projects already in the works including something extremely exciting with Apple, Inc. Over the last two years we have captured the imagination of thousands of people, and created a lot of value. This year, we are beginning to capitalize on that, and capture that value. With several "work for hire" agreements in place (and some already completed), as well as a grant from NewSchools Venture Fund, OurWorlds will be able to complete and deliver another round of development heading into 2024. It is undeniable that with support from the community and hard work from our team, the last two years have seen a meteoric rise for this small Native American tech start up. In many ways we have already achieved all
that we could have hoped for – and yet I already see that 2024 will bring more upward trajectory and will be a breakout year for us, with exciting, high profile projects already in production. Stay tuned."
– Kilma S. Lattin, Founder and CEO
Thank you for reading.
