Each of us has hundreds of stories built from our own lives and those whose lives intertwine with ours. Remember that story your dad told you about his first job? Or your grandmother talking about her trip across the country? How about when your parents met? It’s likely you have a cherished personal story, too – your first day at school, the first time you tried your favorite meal, your 16th birthday. These stories make us who we are and forge our connections with each other. The ability to tell stories, according to some scientists, is one of the traits that makes us human.
The IU East Campus Library has embarked on a project to collect the stories of Latinos and Latino Americans, along with their families, as part of a project funded by the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In conjunction with the Latino Americans theme year activities at IU East, the Los lobos rojos escriben (Red Wolves Write) program aims to record and present the stories of Latinos in the Richmond area. Students from IU East and members of Amigos Latino Center have volunteered to record and share traditions, personal moments and well-told family lore throughout the 2015-16 school year. These recordings will be edited and made available to the public, so that the entire community can benefit from these stories.
You are invited to join the conversation! You need not be an IU East student to participate – anyone of Latino/a heritage is welcome to contribute. If you would like to schedule a time to participate, please email the campus library at liblearn@iue.edu. If you prefer, we can make available a Spanish speaking IU East student to record your story. You are also welcome to record your own stories and send them to us. The LibGuide which details our process (and uses the Latino Americans film series as a launching pad for questions) can be found at http://iue.libguides.com/CulturalConversations. We accept stories in both English and Spanish. Some stories will be published, with writer’s permission, in a book that is a compilation of selected writings from the entire Red Wolves Write project.
For those interested in Latino culture and history, the library has on tap additional activities and resources. The Latino Americans LibGuide covers all of the events that will take place throughout the Latino Americans theme year. With films, food, workshops and more, this year presents an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Latino influence on American life and culture. The LibGuide can be found at http://iue.libguides.com/latinoamericans.
Your personal story makes you who you are, and all of our stories combined create a community unique and diverse and friendly to all of its members. We invite you to share your stories, and to celebrate Latino heritage throughout the 2015-16 academic year at IU East. If you want to learn more about what we have to offer, or wish to share your story, please email us at liblearn@iue.edu.