A big hello everyone! I’m Arbër, and I’m so excited to have started my Archival Placement with the National HIV Story Trust (NHST). As a charity I deeply admire, the act of collecting oral histories documenting the lived experiences of HIV in this country is incredibly important. Preserving these voices and stories ensures that future generations can learn from, connect with, and continue to share these experiences, a truly vital act of remembrance and understanding.
Having worked across the heritage and cultural sector over the past five years, within national institutions and on independent projects, my work has focused on activating material culture, archives, and personal histories to develop exhibitions, public programmes, and interactive experiences. At its heart, my practice aims to encourage people to reflect on the stories, memories, and moments that shape our collective understanding of the world around us. With an ethos grounded in social justice and care, I aim to compel people to work towards futures that can be more equitable and just for us all.
With an MA in Gender, Sexuality and Culture, and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, my research into the history of HIV and AIDS, particularly from the 1980s onwards, both in the UK and beyond, has inspired me to take part in the vital work of archiving these histories. The in-depth conversations I’ve had with my LGBTQ+ elders who lived through the height of the HIV crisis, often in the face of systemic homophobia and widespread societal neglect, have been profoundly moving and sobering experiences.
Hearing these personal stories, the richness of their narratives and the reflection they inspired in me, has continually motivated me to speak out about HIV and the AIDS crisis. I’ve made it a personal commitment to challenge reductive narratives and dispel the myths and misconceptions that still surround the condition and the people affected by it. By centering my approach on active listening and using myself as a vessel to continue sharing these stories, I see this work as part of a collective responsibility, something we should all play a role in.
Therefore, working with the NHST, will continue these human-centred intentions. Over the next 6 months, I will work closely with the founders of the charity – archiving their lived experiences, and working to find out how this project came to life, the intentions, the purpose, the future of it and the legacy it is already starting to shape.
The intersections of my identities, as the child of Kosovar refugees who arrived in the UK during the fall of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and as a member of the Muslim community, have deeply shaped my perspective and approach to archiving and developing exhibitions/public programming. Having worked closely with sexual and gender minorities within Muslim contexts, I bring an added layer of understanding that I believe will enrich my approach in this role.
During this placement, I aim to continue the NHST’s vital work of amplifying these stories and ensuring the message reaches even wider and more diverse audiences. I hope to build stronger connections with organisations that share and support our mission, while developing an event programme that warmly invites people from all backgrounds to engage with, and learn from, the incredible archive NHST have collected and are continuing to build on a national level.
I am honoured to contribute to its legacy and to work alongside a team across the country who, with their thoughtful, intentional, and considered approaches, are building an archive that is so desperately needed in Britain. Being part of creating a resource that will foster meaningful conversations around HIV and AIDS, engaging those with the stories of people who deserve to be heard.