Detroit's Asian Youth experience will be focus of May gathering of DFY

May 15, 2012

DETROIT – The Detroit Asian Youth (DAY) Project will host the monthly gathering of the Detroit Future Youth network on May 26 from 4-8 p.m. at St. Raymond Community Center located at 20103 JoAnne Street (Near Nsoroma Institute). The theme for the May DFY gathering will be an exploration of the Asian-American youth experience in Detroit.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity for the participants to explore and share about their personal experiences through interactive writing workshops,” said the DAY Project's Soh Suzuki. “We are also looking forward to DAY Project youth leading discussions and many aspects of the event, where they can share about what it means to be Asian Americans in Detroit.”
The DAY Project has been a charter member of Detroit Future Youth and reflects the core values of DFY by representing a diverse, all-inclusive vision of the Detroit community. Their organization evolved through community organizing efforts by Detroit Chinatown Revitalization Workgroup in March of 2004 when the group organized a forum on Asian Americans and their involvement in the community's organizing efforts.
After an initial trial year and based on feedback from the group of youth who participated in the initial trial summer program, the DAY Project decided to continue meeting throughout the year with its framework becoming more accommodating to students who have school commitments. Their theme/mission states “Detroit Asian Youth Project is a group of Asian Americans in Detroit developing leadership skills and awareness for social justice, by engaging the participants in community service learning and other programs that foster greater appreciation towards Detroit and its Asian American community”
“I think one of our questions is how do we preserve our identity and traditions in this era of media saturation and how can we use media to tell our stories?” said DAY Project's Meiko Krishok.
In addition to interactive writing workshops and discussions, the Day Project plans to share their experience with the other 12 members organizations of DFY with by incorporating youth-led aspects that showcase some of the Asian American talents from the Detroit's Asian American community. Participants will be able to explore and share about their experiences as they find common ground for living/working/organizing in the city.
The gathering will also feature Detroit poets Emily Lawsin, Aurora Harris, Matthew Olzmann, and Peggy Hong from Milwaukee. It will also feature a special remembrance of Vincent Chin who was the victim of a hate crime in the city 30 years ago this June 23 and 24. Finally, the gathering will also feature media collected by youth involved in Asian Pacific Islander Americans Vote, who will lead us in a discussion of the power of oral histories
“We have invited some of the writers/poets to share their talents, along with DAY Project youth,” Suzuki said.