Reclaiming Place Through GIS: 2892 Miles to Go
Geographic Information Systems are often introduced as instructional tools within traditional geography classrooms. Yet the framework extends far beyond map reading. GIS collects, analyzes, and visualizes spatial data to reveal relationships — between people, places, history, and power. At its core, GIS is not just about location; it is about connection.
Our sense of belonging is shaped by where we live and the stories embedded in those spaces. For educators, those stories inform how students understand identity, culture, and shared history. But what happens when the historical record of a place is obscured or erased? How can communities reclaim narratives that have been silenced? And how can teachers guide students in reconnecting with those narratives?
These questions became personal after learning that a major arena in Louisville, Kentucky — my hometown — once occupied the site of an auction block where enslaved people were sold. This history had not appeared in my schooling, nor was it visible on standard maps or in textbooks. Yet it fundamentally altered how I understood the place. If education is meant to cultivate informed and empathetic citizens, then these omitted histories must be included.
The moment coincided with a broader reckoning in 2020. As the Black Lives Matter movement re-emerged nationally, educators confronted difficult conversations about systemic bias, historical omission, and inequities embedded within curriculum. Simultaneously, I was developing a “real-time learning” framework through a grant from the National Geographic Society. The convergence of local discovery and national dialogue suggested a new approach: connect contemporary social justice movements with place-based geographic inquiry.
That vision became 2892 Miles to Go: Geographic Walk for Justice.
A Geography-Based Approach to Social Justice
2892 Miles to Go is a social justice education initiative grounded in geo-inquiry methodology and built using Esri StoryMaps. The program documents the historical significance of landmarks whose stories have often been marginalized or excluded.
The project spans communities in Kentucky, Hawaii, Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma — regions where cultural narratives have experienced systematic erasure. Working alongside activists, artists, historians, and educators, the team gathers oral histories, archival materials, and community perspectives. These insights are transformed into interactive StoryMaps that illuminate the deeper histories behind everyday locations.
One collection highlights Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, presenting layered accounts of economic prosperity, racial violence, and resilience. By integrating narrative text, imagery, and spatial context, the StoryMaps provide educators and students with a fuller understanding of local history.
Place-Based Learning as Civic Engagement
Each StoryMap collection includes learning guides designed to encourage inquiry and action. Students are invited not only to absorb information but also to ask questions, investigate their own communities, and contribute to broader dialogue.
The decision to provide these StoryMaps free of charge reflects a commitment to accessibility. These digital narratives can function as living textbooks — shaped by collective memory rather than a single institutional voice. They emphasize that historical understanding must include those who have lived the experience.
The initiative’s name references the 2,892 miles that span the contiguous United States. Symbolically, it represents both distance and connection — an invitation to traverse geographic and cultural divides together.
GIS as a Tool for Reconnection
GIS technology makes it possible to map more than terrain; it maps memory. By integrating spatial analysis with storytelling, educators can help students reclaim connections to place and identity.
Projects like 2892 Miles to Go demonstrate that geography is not neutral. The way we map and teach about space influences how communities are remembered — or forgotten. Through geo-inquiry and collaborative storytelling, GIS becomes a platform for restoring visibility to histories that shaped the present.
The goal is not merely to document the past but to inspire informed action. When students learn to see their communities clearly — with all stories acknowledged — they gain the tools to participate thoughtfully in shaping the future.
The journey across 2,892 miles has already begun.
