How Family Stories came to be

At a recent dinner gathering, I found myself seated next to the hostess, who shared her remarkable immigrant journey. She had come to the United States at the age of 12, and from then until she turned 18, she worked tirelessly in a sewing factory to save money for her education. Her determination and resilience eventually led her to earn a doctorate degree—a testament to her unwavering spirit.

Her story, so inspiring yet rooted in the everyday struggles of an ordinary woman, reminded me of something student Huang had written in her oral history report. Huang had participated in our small projects program, where she interviewed her grandmothers. Reflecting on the experience, she wrote, “If we overlook the stories and emotions of everyday people, the true essence of history will be lost.”

It was during that dinner, as I listened to my friend’s story and recalled Huang’s words, that I realized the profound importance of preserving the narratives of ordinary families within the Chinese Diaspora. These stories, though often untold, are the threads that weave together the fabric of our shared history. They carry the struggles, triumphs, and dreams of generations, and they deserve to be remembered.

And so, Family Stories was born—a project dedicated to recording and celebrating the lives of everyday families, ensuring their voices are heard and their legacies endure.

Our vision is for this to become a space where family stories are not only preserved but also evolve. As one family member interviews another, more relatives may join in, creating a ripple effect of storytelling. In this way, a rich and vibrant tapestry of their family history will be woven together

Our guiding principle is that these interviews and other family records reflect the perspectives of the interviewees and their family. While the interview files are archived by EEF, the family—particularly the interviewee—retains control over who, aside from EEF staff, can access the files and under what circumstances.