Where Cultures Meet: A Celebration of Immigrant Youth Stories

Immigrant and refugee youth face a unique set of challenges - immersed in local schools and learning new norms, frequently serving as interpreters for their families, torn between the desire to honor their culture and the need to fit in.

The Asian Center’s Untold Migrant Stories program connects with these resilient young people to help them process big changes and challenges through storytelling. Our December 2024 Untold Migrant Stories Showcase featured groups of middle school and high school students sharing their unique perspectives on their cultures.

Students, families, and guests gathered at the Asian Center to learn and share. Several student videos were shown, demonstrating how their daily routines are interwoven with food and traditions from their home country as well as many American rhythms and tasks. One Karen student shared about her appreciation for Karen clothing and fashion.

A group of students from Lefler Middle School chose to work together on a project representing their shared Muslim faith. Although the students are from four different countries with distinct languages and cultures, they wanted to present a joint message about the beauty and traditions of Islam.

Two Karen youth shared about their culture and faith traditions, including food, clothing, and symbols. One young man expressed his appreciation for Karen names that parents bestow on their children. Many Karen names combine multiple words to uniquely anoint a child.

A group of Vietnamese dancers gave a lovely performance for all to enjoy.

The Lincoln Northeast High School Asian American Pacific Islander Club presented a poster representing the wide variety of members from all over Asia, sharing bits of their stories.

Learning the stories of our newest neighbors is a great way to build bridges throughout community member in our city. We’re proud to work with such bold and creative students to share their stories!