Since receiving its 501(c)(3) status in 2004, the African American Registry has created the most comprehensive on-line database resource of African American heritage in the world. One AAREG initiative is called Voices That Guide Us. First conceived in 2005, the collection features HD video narratives of black elders, professionals, and young people.

In 2021, AAREG founder and executive director Benjamin Mchie reached out to Saving Tape with the objective of expanding upon the Voices That Guide Us online archive. To accomplish this goal it would be necessary to transfer approximately 200 of the original taped interviews, on HDV format, to high quality ProRes and Mp4 video files. The project was funded through a MN Legacy Grant, administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.

The resulting ProRes portfolio will serve as a resource for future projects which require very high quality files, such as a video documentary. The Mp4 reference files are much smaller in size, so will be ideal for posting and streaming online as part of the Voices That Guide Us collection.