This project is about sexual assault. A list of sexual assault and support resources is available on the "Resources" page.
The Problem
On January 18th, 2015, Chanel Miller, previously known as Emily Doe, was at a fraternity party at Kappa Alpha (KA) when she met Brock Turner. When two students passed by, they found Brock Turner brutally sexually assaulting Miller behind dumpsters while she was unconscious.
After the assault, Chanel Miller's victim impact statement resonated with survivors around the world. It sparked outrage regarding Brock Turner's lenient six month prison sentence, of which he served just three months.
Stanford agreed to build a contemplative garden at the site of the assault. The administration promised Miller a plaque at the garden where words from her victim impact statement would be immortalized.
Stanford rejected the quotes Miller proposed and offered some alternatives, including "I'm okay, everything is okay," leading to controversy on campus.
As of spring 2019, the administration no longer plans to install a plaque at the site.
With no reference to its significance, the garden is ignored and abused.
Image credit: Chris Delgado, (The Stanford Daily). Source.
The Project
We created an AR experience that puts Chanel Miller’s words on a plaque in the garden, centering her voice in the space as was originally intended.
We have captured and incorporated perspectives from students into the experience, giving the site a form of collective memory around this issue on campus.
We are a group of Stanford students who believe augmented reality (AR) can reshape the way we remember history in public spaces.
We reopened the conversation about this urgent issue on campus, preserving student memory around this topic, and showing that AR can add context to physical space. Learn more about the team here.