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Community invited to help create oral histories of Syracuse

Everyone has a story to share. A team of researchers at Syracuse University aims to help members of the Syracuse community share and preserve their stories through the “Your Story!” initiative. The first of four story-sharing events will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 at La Casita Cultural Center, 109 Otisco St., Syracuse. All of the workshops are free and open to the public.

The weekly events will feature live oral history interviews and an open mic session to provide attendees with opportunities to share their stories. “My hope is that the series will inspire people to share and preserve their stories and to listen to, and learn from, the stories of others,” says Joan Bryant, associate professor of African American studies in SU’s , event organizer.

Bryant coordinates the Black Syracuse Project, which explores and documents the history of people of color in Central New York and is housed in the Department of African American Studies. “Your Story!” is a new Black Syracuse Project initiative. “Your Story!” spring 2013 events are produced in collaboration with Imagining America, La Casita Cultural Center, and the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company.

“Your Story!” complete schedule:

Migration Stories: 5-6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 20, at La Casita Cultural Center. Syracuse is a city of migrants. People with roots in the American South, the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America and elsewhere call the city home. Share your story of coming to Syracuse, ties to “home,” and adapting to life in your new world.

Prison Stories: 5-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, at Beauchamp Library, 2111 S. Salina St., Syracuse. The U.S. has had the highest incarceration rate in the world for more than a decade. Share your story of incarceration, ties to individuals in prison, the absence of an incarcerated family member or friend, prison visits or adjusting to life after prison.

Learning Stories: 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at La Casita Cultural Center. What does it mean to learn or be educated? Share your story of learning, where you learned, what you learned, the love of learning, teaching others to learn, obstacles to learning, or things you wish you had not learned.

Love Stories: 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Beauchamp Library. Share your story of old love, hard love, sister love, unexpected love, parent love, lost love, looking for love, childhood love, misplaced love, brotherly love or renewed love.