Localized Histories and Pedagogical Revolutions: Youth-Driven Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Curriculum in New York State
The Localized History Project is a youth participatory action research project that investigates to what extent AANHPI history is taught in K‑12 history classrooms in NY State. This article, jointly written by 12 youth and two adult researchers, presents initial findings about the state of AANHPI curriculum in NY as determined through Youth Action Boards, surveys, interviews, and field‑notes. The article concludes by sharing examples of, if youth‑driven, localized, and critical, what an AANHPI archive and curriculum could look like. Findings confirm what literature has shown, that AANHPI history is largely invisabalized and omitted from curriculum, and that the impact of this on young people is deflating, but also, spurs a desire to change the education system. The Localized History Project is ongoing, and updates about our work and research can be found by following @LocalizedHistory.
Constellations and Collectivity: Youth Storytelling as Re-Rooting Methodology
In this collectively-written autoethnographic piece by youth and adult allies from The Localized History Project—a youth-driven participatory action research project advocating for the inclusion of radical, solidarity oriented and movement driven Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history—we share and analyze the experiences of our youth during a three day Storytelling Retreat. We frame the storytelling as a “re-rooting” methodology, by which AANHPI youth are able to anchor themselves in histories of resistance, solidarity, and liberation. Through an analysis of photographs, written reflections, and survey collection, we share the following reflections: Firstly, storytelling is a “re-rooting” process as AANHPI youth were able to anchor themselves in histories of resistance, solidarity, and liberation. Secondly, storytelling is a form of a living archive, by which we move from individual stories to a broader sense of collectivity. Finally, we find that storytelling as a practice helps us deepen our commitments to collective liberation both within and beyond our community.