Stories of Struggle, Hope, and Inclusion (SSHI)

Stories of Struggle, Hope, and Inclusion (SSHI) was born from the belief that civic spaces and communities across East Asia and Southeast Asia are leading the way in struggles for inclusion and hope in our region; and the stories of these efforts need to be told and shared more widely. 

In 2022, I4C-EA provided 9 activists and/or artists with resources and support to produce and present stories about (and sometimes, in collaboration with) diverse Asian communities, whether based in physical or digital spaces. The storytellers combined diverse backgrounds and approaches in telling these community stories. They worked in a range of mediums (from rock songs to comics to photojournalism), on different issue areas (e.g. disability and indigenous rights), and altogether, represented 7 countries: ⁠Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

The project had no fixed definition of a community story and no specifications on content, form, and context. Storytellers could explore and determine their own directions, and I4C-EA could learn from different ways of working and unfamiliar subcultures. 

Maintaining the integrity of individual voices within this mix while crafting a collective body of work was both challenging and stimulating. As we undertook this journey with storytellers, their communities, and their collaborators, we learned to listen to and honor the deep work they were doing. Stories and the process of storytelling are doorways to the heart, sparking relationships of care and lines of action.  We hope that you will find something and someone new to care about as you hear the Stories of Struggle, Hope, and Inclusion. 

With gratitude,