Many students are professional storytellers. Some spin yarns to get out of class, and others wax creative with an excuse for not doing homework. However, the students involved in the “My Own Story” workshops are telling their true tales for an entirely different reason.
The students said the intent behind their autobiographical stories is promoting cultural understanding. The group will celebrate with an evening of performances and monologues this evening at 8 p.m. in the Fir Room of the Erb Memorial Union.
The free event is sponsored by the ASUO Multicultural Center, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Office of Student Life/Diversity Programs and the UO Counseling and Testing Center.
Los Angeles-based performance artist, Yolk magazine editor in chief and workshop director Alex Luu said this is the third year he has undertaken the six-week project at the University. Luu, who has lead similar workshops everywhere from Orange County to Thailand, said the celebration gives people from different backgrounds the rare opportunity to share their trials and tribulations with others.
“I just wanted to be able to provide a safe space where people of color can come into it and look at stories and really dig deep,” Luu said. “It’s pretty dynamic because participants get to go into the space and, no holds barred, explore things that they may not have thought about before.”
Luu said he leads nine to 10 official workshop sessions, where the students spend at least two and a half hours doing various exercises and composing their autobiographical stories in what he called “soul-baring writing prompts.” Luu spends the last two weeks of his residency meeting with the participants and helping them revise their creations.
“It’s a pretty intensive process,” Luu said.
Anything goes with these stories. They range from humor to despair, but more often are a mixture of both. The monologues are based on each writer’s real-life experiences, and the themes range from misguided cultural perceptions to sexuality to families and beyond.
“A lot of it is difficult stuff to look at,” Luu said. “But a lot of it is empowering, so it sort of covers both ends of the spectrum.”
The students shared their stories one last time Wednesday night, greeting each other with smiles and hugs at the beginning of the session — the last official workshop before today’s performance. They also talked about their experiences while working on “My Own Story.”
Sophomore history and ethnic studies major Mark Padoongpatt said he got involved because he wanted to find out more about himself.
“There are a lot of things in my life that haven’t really been served justice,” he said.
Padoongpatt added that he wants to share his story with all different kinds of people.
“The celebration is for everybody,” he said. “It is a workshop for people of color, but it’s empowering for white people, too, because it’s an opportunity for them to relate to us.”
Sophomore Quinn Chiotti said she joined the workshops after she saw last year’s performance.
“It was really inspiring,” she said.
Chiotti said she was adopted and wants her monologue to speak to this subject.
“Through being involved, I would like to make people more aware of international adoptions,” she said. “The trials and drama — all the other stuff that comes with it.”
Sophomore ethnic studies major Hanna Persson said she enjoyed becoming friends with the other participants.
“Getting to know everyone definitely has been my favorite part,” she said.
Persson added that the most difficult aspect of the workshop was revisiting painful past experiences.
“It’s definitely about vulnerability — becoming vulnerable so that people can feel you and get to know you,” she said.
Lilee Hua, Rashree Parsad, Jennie Pai, Darlene Espinoza Dadras, Jason Floyd, Solana Sawyer and Michael Cruz will also celebrate their stories.
Luu said each time he leads the workshop, he is astounded with the results.
“I’m amazingly blown away, touched, entertained, profoundly inspired … by all of your stories,” he told the students.