OUR Voices, Our stories…

In 2024, Webster University and the St. Louis chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (STL JACL) partnered to collect 17 oral histories from members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in St. Louis. This project aims to challenge the portrayal of Asians as a monolith by highlighting the rich histories within our community and the diverse, dynamic ways we understand ourselves as AAPI. We ask: What does it mean to be Asian American in the Midwest?

These stories reflect the evolving ways we relate to identity and heritage, as well as our shared commitment to building community.

Funded by ASIANetwork, this project was led by Robin Hattori, board member and community advocate from STL JACL and Elsa Fan, associate professor of anthropology at Webster University. Our team included of four student researchers—Alex Koenig, Evelyn Truong, Lauren Walther, and Maya Zerazion—along with faculty associate Shaolu Yu from Rhodes College. We interviewed community members and worked closely with them to share their stories as written, audio, and video narratives.

This project arrives at a pivotal moment. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the AAPI population in the St. Louis region has grown by 37% over the past decade. Yet, AAPI often describe feeling invisible and lacking a sense of belonging and acceptance in the cultural landscape. They also confront the persistent perception that they are homogeneous, or “all the same,” exacerbated by historical narratives like the “Mysterious Asia” exhibits during the 1904 World’s Fair. This sentiment is further magnified in the Midwest, which has the lowest representation of AAPI in the country. 

This collaborative effort seeks to amplify AAPI voices while also emphasizes the importance of community-academic partnerships in addressing societal issues and promoting inclusivity. We hope this project promotes a more representative narrative—one that celebrates the diverse cultural histories and experiences of AAPI communities in the Midwest.