Writer: Siena Iwasaki Milbauer
All Women’s History Month 2021, we at AAOP have been celebrating by highlighting Asian American women memoirists who are proving that the personal isn’t just political, it’s historical. When we tell our own stories in our own voices, we claim our place in history, and we make sure that history includes our stories.
You don’t have to be a professional writer or artist to tell your story; you just have to be you! That’s why to wrap up our Women’s History Month festivities, we wanted to share a template that for any first-time or unsure storytellers, can be an opening baby-step in helping you to share your story.
You may not think that your story is all that important or unique, but we can assure you, that’s not true at all. As Asian youth and young people, and especially as young Asian women or Asian folks who don’t identify as women but have lived experiences of misogyny, our stories are not only valuable, they are absolutely indispensable.
For too long, our voices have been drowned out or never even allowed to ring out at all. But we have the power to change that. When we share our stories, whether with a few close loved ones or with the whole world, we are reclaiming our narratives on behalf of ourselves and our broader communities.
Your story is yours, and your story is history.
Whether you use this template or not, and whether it’s today or years from now, we hope that you tell your story. If you do use this template and are comfortable, share it with us by posting on Instagram with the hashtag #MyStoryIsHistory and tagging @aaopmn.
More Storytelling Resources:
If you are a Twin Cities youth, check out the Minnesota Youth Story Squad
You can also learn more about the Story Squad in our interview with co-founder Professor Jigna Desai
The SEAD Project provides ongoing storytelling opportunities and platforms for Southeast Asian community members. Learn more at https://www.theseadproject.org/programs/storytelling/ or reach out to chanida@theseadproject.org
Green Card Voices is a Minneapolis-based organization that is dedicated to uplifting the voices and storytelling of immigrants and their communities.
The Loft offers a variety of writing programs, including youth-focused workshops.
Asian Media Access is a media arts education agency that serves the Asian American Pacific Islander community.
Asian American Writers’ Workshop is a New York City-based collective that supports and provides a platform for creative writing from Asian American communities. Their website is a fantastic place to discover examples of powerful Asian American storytelling.