Who’s your Window Keeper? Nominate them today!

Josh Sherretts loves local history and finding innovative ways of connecting with new audiences through his work at the Crawford County Historical Society in Meadville, Pennsylvania through programs such as History on the Road and the Heirloom Road Show. 

In Honesdale, Pennsylvania, Arrah Fisher is committed to building a community her children can be proud of and shows it by the way she listens to residents, mirrors back what they need and provides a community gathering space for connection, humanities learning and bridge building as executive director of the Cooperage Project.

And in Pittsburgh, Ahmed “K” Bey leads the YMCA Lighthouse Project, a free, afterschool program where young people connect with mentors and like-minded peers to explore creative expression through writing, poetry, music and art. 

They are just three of the first 25 people recognized through PA Humanities’ new statewide initiative, The Window Keeper: Civic Honors.

This project, created to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, draws on Yolanda Wisher’s poem, “The Window Keeper,” which imagines the Declaration of Independence as a window that must be cleaned and cared for so that it can continue to let in and reflect the light of each new day. Real-life Window Keepers are those who take on this responsibility and illuminate what’s possible in their communities, helping others to connect and participate more fully in civic life.

Across Pennsylvania, these Window Keepers can be found in every corner of the state – in classrooms and afterschool programs, cultural spaces and nonprofits, churches and volunteer groups, museums and libraries. Their work may not always make headlines, but it strengthens everyday civic life across the Commonwealth in ways that are long-lasting and deeply felt.

Over the coming months, PA Humanities will recognize individuals from all 67 counties. We’ll add each honoree to a map of the state, creating a living portrait of Pennsylvania at 250 and the good work being done by great people all across the Commonwealth. 

This is an opportunity not just to reflect on the past, but to celebrate the work of today. By honoring those who put the tools of the humanities into practice every day for the benefit of others, the Window Keeper: Civic Honors project invites all of us to show that the story of democracy is not only a document we inherit but one we continue to write, together.

Who will you nominate from your community? 

A Window Keeper can be a librarian or educator, or a museum or nonprofit professional expanding access to knowledge and bringing learning into everyday spaces. Perhaps it’s a local historian or archivist preserving community memory. Maybe your Window Keeper is a cultural tradition bearer passing down language, foodways or art. Or a community organizer or small business owner creating spaces for connection. 

What Window Keepers all share is a commitment to care, connection, and community that shows up through the humanities. 

Anyone can nominate a Window Keeper! In fact, we can’t do this without you! 

Check out the website, browse the first 25 for inspiration, check the guidelines for any questions and nominate your Window Keeper today!   

The Window Keeper: Civic Honors initiative is supported in part by Pennsylvania state legislators, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, and individual donor Randall Miller. “The Window Keeper” by Yolanda Wisher was commissioned by PA Humanities and ArtPhilly for America250PA’s National Convening of State Partners Closing Dinner on September 21, 2024.