We’re collecting on an ongoing basis, a wide range of Asian American and Pacific Islander stories from diverse experiences to continue supporting and fostering the growth of Asian American and Pacific Islander Narratives.  Our Narrative series began in 2013 with our Raising Up Hmong LGBTQQI (lesbian, gay, bisexaul, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex), where we saw just how much narratives/stories matter to our community. We’ve received testimonies from young and old Hmong LGBTQQ readers who no longer felt alone in being Hmong and LGBTQQ. Whom also saw themselves reflected in the diverse stories emphasizing on the process and coming of age of their complex identities that shape their experiences.

Then in 2015, we wanted to expand, continue highlighting and engaging AAPI family, friends and people to reflect and share their stories through intersectionality so we organized narratives for AAPI May Heritage Month and LGBTQ June Pride Month. The Narrative series serves a purpose to counter the stereotypes, generalizations, or miseducation of AAPI communities told by mainstream. We don’t have enough stories about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in America–whether you’re Vietnamese, Laotian, Hmong, Polynesian, Khmer, Korean, Tibetan, Filipino, Nepalese, or mixed AAPI ethnicity and race. The important framework in this narrative series is to elaborate the AAPI experiences through intersectionality of gender, sexuality, sex, ethnicity, race, class, faith, ability, geography, immigration and refugee experiences.

MWSM’s efforts to organize narrative collection and sharing is intentional and invested in our activism by giving back to our community.