A Family Literacy Storytelling Project
“Be present while they are sharing their stories, stories that you don’t hear everyday. It’s not often that you hear somebody share about what is very personal to them. And just being in that moment and sharing the space with them is one of the most rewarding experiences for me.” – Yer Vang
Meet Yer Vang, a Hmong American whose love of libraries developed after working part time in a library while completing her undergraduate studies. Through that experience, she became aware of the impact that libraries and information professionals could have on communities of color, including her own Hmong community. She was motivated to become a Hmong librarian in a public library since she never had seen that herself.
Today, Yer is on her way to fulfilling her ambition. She obtained her Master of Library and Information Science and currently works as a Library Assistant at the Literacy Services Center in Fresno, California. The center is a part of the Central Branch Library within the Fresno County Public Library System. Although it is part of the Central Branch Library, it has its own collection, programming, budget, and staff. Yer discusses the Family Literacy Storytelling Project that she developed for Hmong families. It is an expansion of the center’s Family Literacy Program, where families receive education and resources to help with school readiness. The Family Literacy Storytelling Project is a registration-based program where Hmong families work closely with Yer to improve their literacy through storytelling and games such as BINGO. The program is designed to reflect Hmong values and provide free books so families can build their own library collections at home.
Literacy programs for non-English speaking families provide a safe space for families to gather, improve their literacy, and get connected to information like citizenship, driver’s education, and other community resources. Does your library offer something similar for the diverse demographics in its community? Come hear Yer speak more about the history and implementation of the literacy project. If you have any follow up questions or would like to connect with Yer, you can reach her at yergurt08@gmail.com.