2020 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients

Congratulations to the national 2020 Freeman Tilden Award recipients, Justin Olson from Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Anne Monk and Sabrina Oliveros from San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.

The Freeman Tilden Awards for Excellence in Interpretation and Education recognize an individual and a team for excellence, achievement, and innovation in the profession of interpretation, education and visitor engagement. Established in 1981, the Freeman Tilden Award recognizes leaders in interpretation and education and rewards creative thinking that results in positive impacts upon the preservation of the parks and the visiting public.

2020 Individual Freeman Tilden Award Recipient

Duration:

3 minutes, 8 seconds

Justin Olson at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore was awarded the 2020 Freeman Tilden Award for Excellence in Interpretation and Education for his effort to incorporate Ojibwe language, cultural values, perspectives, and voices into visitor resources.

Photo of Justin Olson

NPS Photo

Justin Olson, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Justin Olson led a collaborative effort to incorporate Ojibwe language, cultural values, perspectives, and voices into a personalized visitor experience prioritizing preservation, diversity, and community. Olson’s strategic use of digital and physical media tools properly tailored interpretative products in efforts to preserve Ojibwe language and culture. Olson’s leadership successfully brought together staff, communities, and visitors to explore civilly marginalized groups, language diversity, community, and park significance. He demonstrated genuine and thoughtful leadership from the early stages of the project—proving to be highly amenable and receptive to the feedback of tribal experts. His impressive efforts on this project set a new precedent and mark the successful assimilation of incorporating Ojibwemowin into the majority of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore’s content. For more information, please visit the park’s website.

2020 Team Freeman Tilden Award Recipients

Duration:

1 minute, 59 seconds

Anne Monk and Sabrina Oliveros at San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park received the Team Award of the Freeman Tilden Awards for Excellence in Interpretation and Education for bringing the voices of San Francisco's waterfront's past to life in a new podcast series.

Photo of Anne Monk and Sabrina Oliveros

NPS Photo

Anne Monk & Sabrina Oliveros, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park

Anne Monk and Sabrina Oliveros exemplify the highest degree of capability in interpretation drawing on historical documents, first-hand accounts, literature music, and conversations with experts to examine the ideas of myth and propaganda in their podcast “Better Lives, Bitter Lies.” In this podcast, Monk and Oliveros curate several primary and secondary sources to bring forgotten voices back to the forefront, giving thousands of listeners proper historical context and exposure to tough topics from the past and present. By forging the relationship between maritime-related histories and current events, Monk and Oliveros spark emotional and intellectual connections, satisfying the park’s audience’s strong desire to hear the untold stories of park heritage. Monk's and Oliveros' ability to interpret resources and stories, giving voices to underrepresented narratives, often from women and people of color, in a virtual format and reach wide audiences, re-ignite and reframe the narrative of the American experience. These commendable efforts, along with their ability to initiate collaborative, accessible, and respectful interactions with a diverse array of audiences from different backgrounds, have encouraged listeners to question biases. The podcast is currently available on Apple Podcasts.