From Service to Severance

A StoryTelling Project with Federal Government Employees

From Service to Severance captures the stories of those who worked in the federal government and have been laid off.  Writer, Tara Van De Mark, and photographer, Deb Niemeier, have spent the last nines months providing sessions for people to talk about their careers as a way to record this moment in history and help raise the collective consciousness around our federal government.  

They continue to seek collaborators who are in a position to participate and living in the DMV or New York City.  For those able, the time commitment for collaboration is a few hours and consists of an initial 15 minute pre-session discussion, a one hour interview and photoshoot and a half hour post-session review so collaborators can give input on their narrative and photos.

The intent is to build a deep recounting that resonates with people for a very long time.  Whether this is in a museum or gallery exhibit, print, or another medium, these stories and imagines will help define what we've experienced and learned in a way that raises above the noise.