Lillian Petershoare, a Juneau resident and artist facilitator on the project team that researched, wrote and produced the series, said she was pleased with the results.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“People make connections by sharing personal stories. This is a marvelous gift,” she said, adding that she’s thankful that the project provided her with so many opportunities to hear stories that she otherwise would not have heard.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Members of the Juneau Community Foundation and project-involved City and Borough of Juneau staff members joined the tour to celebrate.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“It’s so important to be learning more. In Juneau, we have an obligation to understand our past,” said Mandy Mallott, secretary of the Juneau Community Foundation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“I thought it was incredible and striking. So many familiar friends and so many smiles,” Mallott said after the tour.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
About the tour<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Wayfinding signs around downtown Juneau, like this one photographed Wednesday, are ready to share stories with residents and visitors alike via QR codes that link to audio. The Juneau Voices project recently held a sort of “opening night” as storytellers and people involved in the project took a walking tour. (Dana Zigmund \/ Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t Designed as a smartphone-based audio walking tour through the downtown area, listeners hear a diverse collection of stories ranging from experiences growing up in the Juneau Indian Village to learning about the experiences of Stuart Sliter, née Johnson, who served as the very first Miss Alaska at the dawn of Alaskan <\/a>statehood<\/a>. Audio effects and the introduction of a raven and eagle as tour guides add to the rich experience.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Outside Juneau Drug, listeners can hear the recollections of Walter Alexander Soboleff Jr., who recounts the struggles he had growing up as the child of prominent Alaskan Native leader and minister Walter Soboleff, namesake of building listeners look out on while hearing the installation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “That’s the unvarnished truth,” he said after hearing the recording for the first time at the recording’s location during the kick-off event. “I was surprised by what I revealed.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t It’s shaping up to be a busy July 4 weekend<\/a><\/ins><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t![\"Wayfinding](\"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25681006_web1_IMG_3231_20210630_135130.jpg\")
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