The Illustrated Memoir Project in Cincinnati
We believe individual stories can change the world.
Since 2019 we have been working with immigrant and refugee youth who have settled in the US. We were invited to conduct this programming at Aiken High School, a part of the Cincinnati Public School District, in 2019 and we have continued to work with the students and faculty there for the past six years. Over that time the project has evolved from being completely outside the classroom, meeting one day per week throughout the school year, to being integrated into the classroom curriculum and meeting daily for one quarter of the school year. As we test run different versions of the project we continue to learn and grow and find new ways to partner with individual teachers, schools, and community organizations.
If you are interested in supporting this work or partnering to bring the project to your organization, please reach out to our executive director, Kate Carlier Currie.
Below are a few examples of illustrated memoirs created over the past six years by young people in the Greater Cincinnati Region. The memoirs are published under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND licenses. This license enables users to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. They are published this way in the hopes that they can be used for educational purposes by a variety of users. Memoirs can be purchased at cost, we do not make a profit on the sales.
The Way / El Camino
by Milton
Milton’s illustrated memoir tells the story of a beautiful night sky he saw and how it changed the way he felt about himself and the world. His story is told in English and Spanish. To read his entire book click on the button below.
Stories of My Life in Burundi and the US
by Fabiola
Fabiola shares six short stories describing and comparing aspects of her life here in the US and in Burundi where she grew up, after leaving Congo. Her story is told is English and Swahili. To read her entire book click the button below.
The Lightness and the Darkness of the Future
by Sidra
Sidra’s memoir tells the story of her family leaving Syria to escape civil war and how they eventually came to settle in the Unite States with the assistance of the UNHCR. Her story is told in English, Arabic, and Turkish. To read her entire book click the link below.