51 Steps to Freedom: Josephine Butler Parks Center AR Stop
Project Overview
51 Steps to Freedom: Josephine Butler Parks Center AR Stop is an augmented reality (AR) installation created using Hoverlay. The experience introduces visitors to Josephine Butler’s life and activism through interactive menus, historical media, and 3D storytelling. The AR stop can be explored on-site at the museum or remotely from any location.
Launch the Experience
Scan the QR Code to Begin
This QR code allows anyone to launch and explore the full AR experience, whether or not they are physically at the museum site.
Experience Walkthrough
The following visual walkthrough demonstrates how the AR stop works for visitors who cannot access the interactive version directly.
Introduction Menu
When the AR experience loads, visitors see a floating menu with three options:
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Learn About Her History
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Watch a Brief Video
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Take a Photo With Her
Visitors may explore the experience in any order they choose.
OPTION 1 — Learn About Her History
A. Section Introduction
Selecting this option opens a brief explanation about Josephine Butler’s signature hat and the campaign buttons she wore — each representing a cause she supported.
B. Interactive Hat Buttons
A 3D bust of Josephine Butler appears on a pedestal.
Only the buttons on her hat are highlighted in color and can be tapped.
Tapping each button reveals part of her life’s work.
1. Quick Information Cards (Most Buttons)
Most buttons open a short (under 25 words) information card describing the cause represented by that button, such as:
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desegregation
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environmental health
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housing justice
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ending apartheid
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workers’ rights
These offer rapid, digestible insights into Butler’s activism.
2. Two Special Buttons: Immersive Video Experiences
D.C. Statehood Button
Tapping this button transports visitors into a digital recreation of the Howard University auditorium, where a 1990 archival video of Butler speaking plays.
This scene highlights her leadership in the D.C. Statehood movement.
Earth Day Button
This button opens a scene set in Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, leading to archival footage from the 1997 Earth Day Rally at the National Mall.
This video underscores Butler’s environmental justice advocacy.
OPTION 2 — Watch a Brief Video
Visitors are taken to a digital podium displaying a short trailer for Trail Blazer: The Josephine Butler Story.
To the right of the trailer is a link to view the full mini-documentary in YouTube, offering a deeper exploration of Butler’s life and work.
OPTION 3 — Take a Photo With Her
This option opens a 3D statue of Josephine Butler that visitors can place in their environment.
Instructions guide the user to:
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Position the statue on the steps of the Josephine Butler Parks Center (or anywhere they choose)
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Hand the phone to someone else
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Pose beside the virtual Josephine Butler for a commemorative photo
This feature creates a personal moment of connection with Butler’s legacy.
About Josephine Butler
Josephine Butler (1920–1997) was a community organizer, civil rights advocate, and environmental justice leader whose work transformed Washington, D.C. She stood at the forefront of integration efforts in Adams Morgan, fought for D.C. statehood, and dedicated her life to empowering those without a voice.
Purpose
This AR stop was created to honor Butler’s decades of service and activism. Our goal was to create an accessible, interactive experience that reflects her commitment to justice, compassion, and community empowerment.
Credits
Produced by students in the Emerging Media Program,
Cinema and Television Arts Department,
California State University, Northridge.
Created for CTVA 463: Community Service Learning, Fall 2025.
Team:
Alexis Evanoff – Project Manager / Website Content & Design
Garrett Wright – Art Director / Designer
Ricky Arenas – AR Builder
Zen Tapia – Researcher & 3D Asset Creator
Jimmy Garcia – Audio / Video Lead
Community Partner: 51 Steps to Freedom Museum
AR Platform: Hoverlay