Mission Statement
Stories Empowered is a youth-led initiative striving to celebrate BIPOC narratives through different outreach projects and media platforms, such as podcasts, writing, art, and film. Through this, we hope to empower underrepresented communities, break down cultural stereotypes, and encourage an environment of compassion and empathy.
Recent Work
Our Projects
Books Of Hope
Books of Hope, the outreach program of Stories Empowered, aims to promote representation in children’s literature by hosting multiple storytime events at elementary schools and low-income communities; the difference is that only children’s books written by culturally diverse authors will be featured. Furthermore, this project will organize an annual book drive, donating all books to local organizations. By promoting the importance of cultural diversity in children’s literature, Books of Hope aims to encourage cultural understanding and appreciation among children while also inspiring today’s youth to pursue opportunities they are passionate about, rather than being confined by cultural stereotypes.
Uplift All Voices
Uplift All Voices is divided into two different sections: a podcast and a written narratives portion. In each podcast episode, the local artists, activists, or authors are interviewed so listeners can gain a better understanding of the cultural topic or issue that they are promoting, as well as learn more about their efforts to spread cultural awareness. Meanwhile, the narratives section allows community members to submit their written works, which include poems, personal essays, and spoken word. These pieces focus on the writer’s personal encounters and relationships with discrimination, misrepresentation, or any cultural topic.
Visual Perspectives
Through Visual Perspectives, we aim to increase representation in the visual arts by celebrating and showcasing the work of minority artists. Visual Perspectives is an online platform that celebrates culturally diverse filmmakers, artists, and photographers by showcasing their creations regarding culture and race; all community members are encouraged to submit their pieces. This project will be separated into two sections so that the cinematic pieces, such as short films or music videos, will be found separately from the static artwork, like paintings, graphics, or photographs.
Partners
1000 Books
Sharing Our Stories
