(MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ) -- Capitalizing on the latest technology, the Middlesex College Holocaust and Human Rights Center (HHRC) recently hosted "The Next Dimension in Storytelling," a powerful event that featured a Q&A from Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski—via hologram.
The interactive AI-generated hologram was created by the Innovative Holocaust Education Program from The Blue Card, an organization that provides support to Holocaust survivors.
"Innovations like the Interactive Holocaust Education Program expand what we ever thought was possible in the way of teaching and learning human experiences," said Middlesex College President Mark McCormick. "By utilizing hologram technology, we can continue to connect with future generations so as to not repeat the past."
The event began with the screening of a short film detailing the life of Warshawski working as a tailor in suburban Kansas City and the efforts made by her family to keep her story alive. The 45-minute film Big Sonia depicted Warshawski being interviewed by NPR, local schools, and even prison inmates.
Warshawski, who lived in Poland, survived stays in three different concentration camps before and during World War II, losing her entire family in the process. She survived with her only relics, a tattered scarf from her mother, and a tattoo on her left arm.
After the film screening, there was an opportunity to ask Warshawski's hologram questions about her experience. The hologram is pre-programmed with answers while capturing Warshawski's personality and grace.
"The lessons of history can be turned into beautiful vibrant tools, whether films or holograms, for empathy and social justice," said Middlesex College History Professor and HHRC Director Terrence Corrigan. "Storytelling is the most effective way to ensure history remains a living dialogue rather than a closed book."
The audience included Middlesex College students as well as leadership from the Jewish Community Center of Middlesex County, Provident Bank, the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC).
"The video was incredibly powerful," said Linda Scherr, chief academic officer of NJCCC. "Hearing it and the context of what is happening politically in the United States now came across differently to me. I also noted how the students were locked in. That doesn't happen all the time."
The Blue Card group is an organization devoted to keeping the stories alive. The group estimates that there are only 250,000 survivors left in the world. By utilizing cutting-edge technology, the Blue Card hopes to draw in a new generation of learners to hear stories of the Holocaust from survivors like Sonia, transforming historical events into empathetic human experiences.
Middlesex College, established in 1964, is a public, two-year institution of higher education located in the heart of New Jersey. With a main campus in Edison and centers in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy, Middlesex College offers over 90 degree and certificate programs encouraging its more than 10,000 students to explore, grow, and thrive. Middlesex College, through dedicated faculty, state-of-the-art educational facilities, and holistic student supports, is committed to providing a high-quality, affordable college education that provides every student an opportunity for growth and achievement. Middlesex College is Middlesex County's premier destination for lifelong learning and workforce training.
