A Mile in My Shoes
In September 2020, Southampton welcomed the award-winning immersive project from Empathy Museum, A Mile in My Shoes, as part of Southampton’s Mayflower 400 anniversary programme.
A Mile in My Shoes is a shoe shop where visitors are invited to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes – literally. Wearing a pair of the contributor’s shoes, visitors go for a walk, listening to the shoes’ original owner telling them a story. The stories cover different aspects of life, exploring themes of shared humanity, from grief and loss to love and joy, visitors take an empathetic as well as a physical journey.
The installation included stories from all over the world along with eight new local stories from Southampton, commissioned by Mayflower 400. Listen to their stories below.
“Great interactive exhibit! Could have happily listened to all the stories – especially liked the newly commissioned Southampton ones! Thank you @Mayflower400SC and @empathymuseum #AMileInMyShoes” Twitter User
Listen to Southampton's stories here
Professor Tom Wilkinson is Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Honorary NHS Consultant Physician within Medicine at the University of Southampton. Professor Wilkinson’s work focuses on understanding the mechanisms which contribute to the vulnerability to and impact of respiratory infections in patients with chronic lung disease. In 2020, his team have been trialing an inhaled drug that could prevent worsening of COVID19 in those most at risk.
Listen here
Dahlia Jamil has been actively involved in access to education and learning for disadvantaged groups, particularly women from BAME communities, in Southampton over the last 30 years. Dahlia is an organiser of the Women’s Education Association and is the Chair of Art Asia. She is passionate about the arts and through her work has enabled individuals and groups to access, experiment and engage with the creative industry.
Listen Here
Professor Margaret Ross MBE has been named one of the most influential women in IT. Professor Ross is an emeritus professor of software quality and research fellow, Margaret has championed careers in IT – especially for women – for the last couple of decades. Quality, education and gender issues within computing are just some of Margaret’s areas of expertise.
Listen Here
Aaron Phipps is a Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby player and London 2012 Paralympic athlete. Aaron contracted meningitis C and meningococcal septicaemia (blood poisoning) when he was 15. Aaron was in a coma for two weeks and both of his legs and most of his fingers had to be amputated due to the septicaemia. After spending a year in hospital recovering, Aaron enrolled at college and took part in a 10km wheelchair race. Since then he has spent his time climbing mountains and competing professionally in wheelchair rugby.
Listen Here
“These shoes belong to Aaron Phipps, another Southampton local, who is a Paralympian and has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, part by chair part by crawling. He spoke of how after becoming an amputee at 15 he discovered his talent for extreme sport.”
Ram Kalyan “Kelly” was educated in Nairobi and England, Kelly is a qualified electronic engineer in sound and lighting. Kelly has now been running Unity 101 community radio station, the leading ethnic community station in the South of England, for 17 years. Kelly works closely with Hampshire Constabulary, the NHS and local schools as well as providing support for many young Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people in the city in training and development.
Listen here
Eva Dixon was born in Kenya and is an economics graduate and a chartered accountant. Eva is also co-founder of a local grassroots charity, an entrepreneur, developer of the market leading property portal in Kenya and leader of several women empowerment projects. Her group, Umoja na Upendo Support Group, seeks to bring together and foster understanding amongst black and ethnic minority communities residing in Hampshire, UK.
Listen Here
Lou Taylor is a local businessman running Streetside Media providing marketing and advertising support to businesses in Southampton. Originally a professional musician for 20 years, both as a session player and producer, it was establishing himself in the business world which really highlighted the covert racism that existed in the city and demonstrated the need for organisational change. As Director of Black History Month South, Lou believes education and a better understanding of our collective history is the road to greater harmony within the community.
Listen Here
“These shoes belong to Southampton local and musician Lou Taylor. He spoke about BLM, structural racism and Black history month in Southampton. How he is having the same conversations as he did 25 years ago but there looks to be change on the horizon.” Twitter User
Ciro Scognamiglio is an Italian chef and graffiti artist who is known on the Hip Hop scene in Southampton. Ciro’s, tag name is TrueL; he sees graffiti as a pass-time – good for the spirit, body, soul, courage and hard knocks in life. The process of graffiti, not just the final piece is important to Ciro. Ciro has been living in Southampton for over eight years where he has had the chance to express and develop his art. It has helped him meet new, creative and inspiring people in Southampton.
Listen Here
“We headed to @empathymuseum’s #amileinmyshoes exhibition at Southampton’s @Westquay today – an immersive experience (safely sanitised!) that lets you listen to stories told by people from all walks of life, accompanied by the shoes they wear. A fantastic and powerful initiative.” Twitter User
Some photos from the installation in Southampton
