Mapping Memories

Mapping Memories was a four-year SSHRC research-creation project directed by Liz Miller and involving over 100 refugee youth from Montreal and Toronto. The project was affiliated with Life Stories of Montrealers Displaced by War at the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling (COHDS). Our dynamic team of students, policy makers, activists and educators led ten projects to train youth in new media skills to document their stories of migration and separation. We worked at shelters, and youth centres offering individuals a chance to express themselves creatively and to develop networks and to share their experiences with others.

The project resulted in 18 first person short films developed by participants, one documentary database Korsakow project, six short films documenting our process and a book/DVD. The films have been screened in festivals, conferences and culminated in a 30-school tour throughout Montreal that reached thousands of students.

Our original self-published 160-page publication is geared towards organizers and activists with chapters written by Liz Miller, Michele Luchs and Gracia Jalea.

Citation: Eds, Miller, Liz with Michele Luchs. (2011) Mapping Memories: Participatory Media, Place-Based Stories & Refugee Youth, Montreal, (Montreal: Self Published).

Book

Mapping Memories is a book/DVD of first-person narratives by youth with refugee experiences. Discover compelling digital stories and films about migration, belonging, tolerance, cultural identity, and personal resilience. The project offers practical insights on using digital storytelling, mapping, video, photovoice, soundscapes, and oral history. Explore the power of using personal stories to inspire audiences, counter biases, and build understanding in classrooms and communities. To order the book – please see below (scroll down). We are thrilled to let you know that 100% of the proceeds from the book will go towards scholarships for the youth involved.

Cartographie des Souvenirs : lieux et récits, jeunes réfugiés et médias participatifs est un livre accompagné d’un Dvd qui contient les récits de plus de 20 histoires personnelles de jeunes venant du Rwanda, du Congo, de la Somalie, du Mexique, d’Haïti, d’Irak etc. et ayant une expérience de réfugié. Cela comprend des exemples concrets de la manière dont les enseignants réussissent par le biais des médias à transmettre des messages au sein des classes et des communautés, en utilisant les récits numériques, les cartographies, les vidéos, les montages-photos et sonores ainsi que les méthodes de l’histoire orale. De plus, ce livre/Dvd apporte une meilleure compréhension concernant les questions éthiques abordées lors d’un travail avec des histoires difficiles, et peut ainsi servir de guide et de modèle pour des entreprises similaires.

DOWNLOAD CHAPTERS

Each chapter is organized around a central theme relevant to the immigrant/refugee experience and applicable to a larger public.

*Chapter 2 The First Door: Finding Home in a New Place, focuses on home and the experience of having to leave and then recreate home in a new place.

*Chapter 3 Going Places: Connecting Personal Stories to Public Spaces explores the connection of memory to place and the value of discovering our family histories.

*Chapter 4 Roots to Rap With: Expressing Identity Through Music offers an in-depth discussion on conducting oral histories in the classroom as well as tips on video interviews.

*Chapter 5 Queer is in the Eye of the Newcomers: Identity, Belonging and Place examines how stories can be used to counter biases and also addresses the unique circumstances of refugee youth fleeing their countries because of their sexual orientation.

Activities

Interviews/Digital Storytelling

The life story interview is a practice within oral history and is an interview with someone about key moments in their life. It can be conducted in one session or over several days.  See below for tips on video interviews.

Digital storytelling is usually associated with short autobiographical narratives that combine photographs and short written narratives. Find handouts on writing, photography, and working with sensitive stories or find our more by downloading chapters.

Mapping

Throughout the project we used the term “map” to describe the process of connecting personal experiences to places of significance (place-based stories).  Mapping helped individuals locate the relationship between the past and the present, the personal and the collective, story and place.

Public Outreach

Inviting participants of collaborative projects to share their work and experiences with a broader public can be not only individually empowering, but can also contribute to far-reaching social change that influences social opinion and affects entire communities.

Our projects:

ON TOUR, Mapping Memories (2013)

We coordinated leadership training and a youth-led tour into thirty classrooms to build understanding in high schools.

Entry Point: Queer Refugees (2012)

We collaborated with AGIR, a queer refugee support organization based in Montreal, to help thirteen first time filmmakers from Africa, Caribbean and Central/South America tell their stories.

Going Places: A MemoryScape Bus Tour of Montreal (2010)

We collaborated with the YWCA on a ten-week workshop that resulted in a youth led storyscape bus tours to build understanding with the general public.

Queer is in the Eye of the Newcomer (2009)

We collaborated with Suhail Abual Sameed of EXPRESS, a support program for young queer and trans newcomers, and Jane’s Walks, an annual event of walking tours, on a youth-led walking tour through Toronto’s Gay Village.

The First Door: Finding Home in a New Place (2010)

We collaborated with Sylvain Thibault of Maison Haider, a residence for newly arrived refugee claimants, in a series of workshops. The resulting work was integrated into a year-long exhibit “We Are Here” at Centre D’Histoire de Montreal. We also produced a documentary about the critical role of Maison Haider in helping newcomers adapt to Canada.

Ka Mamukanit (2009)

Ka Mamukanit was an intensive professional program for youth aged 16 to 35 wanting to get back into the work force.

Rue-Elles/Urban Life STories (2009)

Rue-Elles/Urban Lifest♀ries was a workshop series with the YWCA and Mapping Memories. The series was directed towards women and girls with experience living in the street who developed stories and photographs. The workshops were held at the YWCA and at the headquarters of LOVE (Leave Out Violence).

Full Exposure (2009)

Full Exposure 2009 was a participatory photography project for high school students from differing socio-economic backgrounds. It was developed by Gracia Jalea, a graduate student at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec as part of her Masters’ thesis project.

I Belong (2008)

We collaborated with Maison des jeunes Côte-des-neiges on a ten-week course to train youth in video, peer interviews and digital imaging. The project was covered by the CBC and the youth presented their work at RIDM Montreal Documentary festival.

If I Only Knew: Queer Refugee Youth in Toronto (2008)

We collaborated with Suhail Abual Sameed of EXPRESS, a support program for young queer and trans newcomers in Toronto, on a series of workshops. The finished work became part of a travelling exhibit shown at City Hall in Toronto and venues throughout Montreal and Toronto. The project won the  Youth Line Award, Toronto, 2008.

2 Years 2 Many: PSA Campaign on Refugee Rights (2009)

We collaborated with human rights lawyer Mitchell Goldberg and 24 communication students at Concordia University on a PSA campaign to raise awareness about the challenges that Canadian refugees face.

Making a Difference: Interviews with Artists with Refugee Experience (2009)

We conducted life story interviews with members of Nomadic Massive, a hip-hop group that powerfully conveys the immigrant and refugee experience through their music.

Roots to Rap With (2009)

We collaborated with No Bad Sound, a dynamic group of young hip hop artists who use their music to communicate what is important about their cultural roots. Together we produced the short video, Roots to Rap With, that screened in youth festivals.

Our team

In an effort to build public understanding of the unique realities youth refugees face,we brought together Montreal and Toronto based educators, filmmakers, policy advocates, service providers, and youth with refugee experiences. Our primary partner was the Canadian Council for Refugees and we collaborated with service groups including Project Refuge, YWCA, Cotes-des-Neiges Youth Centre, Express, and AGIR.

Principal Researcher and Director: Liz Miller

While hundreds of individuals helped us on each project our core team included:
Educational Coordinator and Curriculum Advisor: Michele Luchs
Canadian Council of Refugees Liaison: Colleen French
Production Coordinator: Gracia Dyer Jalea
Youth facilitators: Ayanda Dube, Stephanie Gasana, Leontine Uwababyeyi

Thanks for the support of:

Rania Arabi, Suhail AbualSameed, Janet Dench, Steve High, Ed Lee, Rebecca Lessard, Michele Smith, Martha Stiegman, Sylvain Thibault, Jeff Traynor, Kevin Stanley and all of the facilitators, students and volunteers who generously donated their expertise!

Funding provided by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Additional support generously provided by Concordia University, and the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling.

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