Become proud of who you are.  MY STORY, OUR FUTURE brings South Asian American teens together to explore their individual and collective heritage and create history for the next generation of students.  

Teaching the history of cultural and racial groups is an effective way to combat harmful stereotypes.  But Asian and South Asian American stories are absent in our archives and absent in textbooks.  ICC teens are helping to change that.

Dr. Jason Chang, the advocate behind legislation requiring the inclusion of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) studies in CT’’s K-12 curriculum and director of UConn’s Asian and Asian American Institute knows that Asian American stories exist in local communities and that Asian Americans can best tell their stories.  

Jason sees youth as a key to collecting stories: “Many Asian American students want to help give the next generation of students the opportunities to learn what they missed out on in public schools.” The result was My Story, Our Future, an oral history workshop for teens in which they undertake a journey of self-inquiry, research, and storytelling.   Teens interview parents and grandparents and learn about the struggles their immigrant families faced when they arrived in America. They record interviews with family members and capture the contributions  South Asian Americans are making.  

Greenwich Historical Society wants ICC teens to be proud of their history and share it with the community. They run a curatorial workshop in which students curate an exhibit of family artifacts and then participate in a community showcase that make front-page news.

​

My Story Our Future validates who teens are.  It cultivates pride and appreciation for their South Asian heritage.   Most importantly, their stories will help overcome stereotypes in the classroom and demonstrate how South Asian American youth are contributing to a more inclusive community for all.