The Mellon Out(sider) Preservation Initiative (OPI) is creating a robust slate of work to tell a new foundational story of the United States. OPI uplifts and supports the preservation work done by descendants of Black settlements and freedom colonies. This session will bring together three Outsider Preservationists who have been working with the OPI to share their successes, their challenges, and the lessons learned from their work, so that others may benefit from their experience.