Who is Wilkine Brutus; What is Maps & Diaries

Wilkine Brutus is an award-winning public media journalist and the founder of Maps & Diaries, a platform he launched in 2018 to uncover overlooked family histories and human migration stories. A fellow of The Poynter Institute's Leadership Academy and The National Critics Instiute, his work has been featured in "At the Vanguard," a history book by the National Museum of African American History and Culture. 

Brutus’ intergenerational workshop & gathering, Preserve Voices, was inspired by his 2018 podcast A Boat A Voyage, which grew out of an intimate interview he conducted with his Haitian mother during her visit to see him in South Korea in 2013.

Maps & Diaries, founded by award-winning public media journalist Wilkine Brutus, is an intergenerational documentary platform that archives overlooked family stories to transform history into lasting legacies.

Preserve Voices, our guided art of storytelling workshop, uses Brutus’ 5 essential interviewing skills to teach people how to interview their parents and love ones. 

Preserve Voices® Storytelling Deck: Each deck of 54 curated prompts is designed to ignite joyful, deep, cinematic storytelling among individuals, families, and immigrant diasporas, helping capture personal histories and intergenerational wisdom.

Roughly 11,000 Americans turn 65 everyday, according to the Census. 

To bring these techniques to life, the session incorporates the power of film and journalism, showing participants how to frame meaningful questions, capture authentic emotion, and preserve personal histories with professional depth.

To ensure participants don't just learn the theory but actually master the craft, the workshop features fun, engaging breakout sessions that provide a safe, interactive space to practice active listening, test out interview prompts, and connect deeply with fellow attendees.