Choosing to Participate Exhibit Touches Many in the Immigrant Community

"As an ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] teacher, it is not always easy to find cultural or educational venues that are both easily understandable and intellectually challenging," says Anne Erde.  "The 'Choosing to Participate' exhibit was both."

Choosing to Participate, an interactive multimedia exhibition created by Facing History and Ourselves, encourages people of all ages to consider the consequences of their everyday choices and to make a difference in their schools and communities.  It features four stories of individuals (two of whom are immigrants themselves) who have faced moral decisions and have participated in historically important events.  These stories highlight that it is not simply about the triumphs in history, but also the journey and challenges as well.     

As their teacher, Anne led groups of newer immigrants from the Worker Education Program and from UMass-Boston through the exhibit at the Boston Public Library last spring.  Anne's students prepared for their visit by using Facing History's Choosing to Participate study guide.   Her two groups of students ranged in age from 17-50 and come from countries across 5 continents.  Some students are refugees who have settled in the United States after war or hardship.  

Anne described the impact of the exhibit (which includes the experience of immigrants) on her diverse groups of students as a fascinating, meaningful, and life-changing learning experience.   

Her Worker Education Program students "...were surprised by the depth of feeling the exhibit stirred in them.  Each of these students has her own story of loss and change, immigration, war, fear.  They were able to find connections and empathize with the situation of each character."

A similar imprint was also made on Anne's UMass students: "The students were deeply moved by the connections they saw between the stories and their own lives...Many spoke of the cultural differences that keep people from connecting or helping each other, and how confusing that is for them."

After viewing the exhibit, Anne's students returned to the classroom energized - wanting to read, learn, and reflect more.  From engaging in new resources and writing reflectively in their journals to participating in thoughtful discussions - even returning to the library to hear a presentation by Arn Chorn Pond, (a survivor of the Cambodian genocide and human rights activist featured in the exhibit), the students truly saw Choosing to Participate as an important learning experience that they will not forget.