Lacey Names 2026 Historian of the Year

The City of Lacey is proud to announce Window Seat Media as the recipient of the 2026 Ken Balsley Historian of the Year Award.

Window Seat Media’s mission is to spark conversation, connection, and social change through community oral history and storytelling in the South Sound and beyond. Through innovative projects, partnerships, and public programming, the organization helps preserve and elevate stories that reflect the region’s rich diversity and history.

In 2025 alone, Window Seat Media served more than 530 adults and 175 youth through 26 in-person events in collaboration with 11 partner organizations, including the Lacey Museum. Their work has created meaningful opportunities for community members to connect through shared history and storytelling, and they continue to fill a unique and important role in the South Sound.

The organization’s current oral history initiative, the “Pride Storytelling Project,” is dedicated to gathering and preserving local queer history throughout the South Sound. During 2025, the project focused on training, collaboration, and identifying stories that need to be told and preserved. Throughout 2026, Window Seat Media will share the project’s stories and findings through events, artist talks, exhibits, workshops, and performances.

Established in 2002, this award recognizes local community members and organizations that have made significant contributions to the preservation or promotion of Lacey’s history.

For more information on the Historian of the Year program, please visit LaceyParks.org/Historian.

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