Assistant Professor Jungmin Kwon is a recipient of a Racial Equity Research Grant from the Spencer Foundation for her project, “Youth as Storytellers and Educators: Asian Americans Remaking School Curriculum.” The study will empower Asian American youth to challenge stereotypes and reshape school curricula through oral history and digital storytelling.
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in the United States, according to Pew Research, yet their histories remain largely excluded or misrepresented in K-12 education, Kwon said. Partnering with 10 Asian American high school students in Michigan, she will lead efforts to document family and community histories, develop curriculum materials and advocate for the inclusion of Asian American studies in schools.
“Asian American children and families hold rich stories and knowledge that are invaluable resources for teaching and learning,” said Kwon, an assistant professor of language and literacy in the Department of Teacher Education. “In my research, I position them as storytellers and experts who can broaden others’ understanding of migration, histories racial justice and more.” Kwon is collaborating on the study with scholars Min Yu (Wayne State University), Roland Sintos Coloma (University of Utah) and Wenyang Sun (University of Utah).
Community-centric research
The study is guided by Asian American Critical Race Theory and Youth Participatory Action Research and emphasizes storytelling as a tool to challenge dominant narratives and amplify marginalized voices.
From May to September 2025, students will participate in workshops on oral history methods, video production and storytelling techniques, led by Michigan-based multimedia experts and oral historians. After gathering oral histories, they will work with researchers to design curriculum guides, integrating their findings into K-12 educational materials.
The public launch of the digital archive is scheduled for May 2026, in partnership with Rising Voices, a nonprofit organization dedicated to Asian American education and advocacy. The event will give students a platform to present their research to educators, researchers, policymakers and community members, promoting advocacy for Asian American studies in schools.
The Spencer Foundation’s Racial Equity Research Grants support projects that investigate systemic inequality in education and propose solutions for a more just society. Kwon’s research aligns with this mission by promoting culturally responsive teaching practices and positioning students as active participants in knowledge creation.
In addition to the digital archive and curriculum dissemination, Kwon and her team will share findings at academic conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals to contribute to broader discussions on racial equity and student-led curriculum transformation.