LIZ WUERFFEL
Storyteller, Educator, Collaborator, Artist
Liz Wuerffel (they/she) is a multichannel storyteller, digital media educator, filmmaker, and artist who loves collaborative projects that include and engage the public. Liz teaches digital media art in the Communication and Visual Arts department at Valparaiso University. Liz also co-directs the Welcome Project, a first-person story collection used to foster conversations about community life, belonging, and inclusion. It’s a two-time recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Projects for the Public grant.
Wuerffel produced and directed a short documentary about Syrian refugees in the Kurdish Region of Iraq, Kawergosk: Home Made of Cloth. They directed the short animation The Four Hijabs and was a cinematographer and photographer for Teacher of Patience. Liz was a 2016-2017 recipient of the Indiana Arts Commission Individual Artist program grant. Their artwork has been shown near and far, from Chicago’s Woman’s Made Gallery to Java Arts in Phnom Penh and Hannover’s konnektor – Forum für Künste. Liz has co-authored papers ranging from mobilizing storytelling for the public good to data visualization of the Library of Congress’ Farm Security Administration photo collection. Liz received their M.F.A. from Columbia College Chicago in Interdisciplinary Arts and Media.
Wuerffel works with nonprofits to advance their missions by developing and enhancing visuals, design, and communications. These nonprofits include Bright Stars of Bethlehem, Project Neighbors, the LGBTQ Outreach of Porter County, and Valparaiso International Center. View work samples here.
The Welcome Project
Founder and Co-Director
The Welcome Project collects first-person audio and video stories about identity, belonging, and home and pairs them with facilitated conversation to foster curiosity about difference and forge stronger communities. Stories are shared through our website and podcast and air on NPR-affiliate Lakeshore Public Radio each week.
Welcome Project General Collection: The Welcome Project general collection features Valparaiso University campus and Northwest Indiana community stories of identity and belonging.
FLIGHT PATHS: An initiative funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Flight Paths investigates the history of migration to and from the Gary, Indiana, including segregation, integration, black power, white flight, and deindustrialization.
The Invisible Project: The Invisible Project is a collaborative initiative with the Porter County Museum and area nonprofits working in homelessness to make visible the experience of housing insecure residents.
Flight paths – the chorus of voices: retelling Northwest Indiana History
A five-part audio documentary composed of voices in concert and discord, “Chorus of Voices: Retelling Northwest Indiana History” is a complex portrait of Gary and, by extension, Northwest Indiana. “Chorus of Voices” draws from oral history interviews collected for Flight Paths. Listeners trace memories of migration, neighborhood life, and the rise of black political power and opportunity in the 1960s. These memories also document the “flight” of white residents and businesses to the suburbs, the automation and underemployment of the steel mills, and the consequent impact on the city and region.
Each of the five choruses in the playlist below introduces a topic and time period in Gary’s history. Voices in each do not always agree, and no single chorus is completely comprehensive. Through this audio documentary, we at the Welcome Project aim to show the way in which our experiences, in all their variety, present a complex portrait of the city and region.
Kawergosk: Home Made Of Cloth
Producer and Co-Director
After fleeing war in Syria and crossing the border into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Syrian Kurds attempt to build a life in Kawergosk Refugee Camp. From a rap artist creating songs of resistance to a young woman who understands the power of education, Kawergosk: Home Made of Cloth is a powerful account of perseverance in the face of hardship. | Directors: Saddam Al-Zubaidi and Elizabeth Wuerffel | Co-Director: Sarhang Sherwany
Watch the full documentary here.
The Four Hijabs
Director
The Four Hijabs is an animated short film that explores the multiple meanings of four hijabs mentioned in 16 Qur’anic verses and interprets them through Arab-Muslim feminist lenses.
Co-Written by
Dr. Manal Hamzeh
Jamil Khoury
Director
Liz Wuerffel
Animator
Anna Hayden-Roy
Sound Recordist and Sound Editor
Peter J. Storms
Production Manager
Corey Pond
Teacher Of Patience
Cinematographer, Photographer
Over 20 years after Emily Felter is diagnosed with Down syndrome, paramedic (and Emily’s father) Tom develops a presentation to share her story with other first responders. As the Felters work to raise disability awareness, they come face-to-face with the struggles and joys of their daily lives.
NonProfit communications & Design consulting
Liz Wuerffel works with nonprofits to support their missions by developing and enhancing their visual content, digital media, and communications strategy. These nonprofits include Bright Stars of Bethlehem, Project Neighbors, the LGBTQ Outreach of Porter County, and the Valparaiso International Center.