Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Global atrocity and conflict has dramatically increased the number of displaced persons, refugees, and asylum seekers looking for resettlement opportunities. Throughout history, the United States has resettled the most refugees despite lack of public approval. In recent years, xenophobia has been exacerbated by vehement attacks of refugees by the media and people in power. The Story of Us set out to study the use of storytelling as an intervention method for toxic cycles of xenophobia. The event was held in Manchester, NH, a city with a long history of immigrant and refugee presence which has faced recent backlash. The event was free and open to the public. It utilized storytelling and an art gallery to demonstrate the vivacity and diversity of refugee experiences in the United States. The results of The Story of Us suggested that storytelling is an engaging way to educate people about the experiences of refugees in the U.S and raised questions about how it can contribute to the development of more inclusive and welcoming communities.