Q&A with St. Kate’s alum working to amplify immigrant voices
Recent grad Andrea Duarte’s “Unheard Voices” project documents the stories of immigrants and their families in Worthington, MN.
Q: “Briefly describe your “Unheard Voices” project. What inspired it, what does it entail, and how would you like to see it grow in the future?”
A: “Stories from Unheard Voices came about in the fall semester of my sophomore year when I was applying for the Jay and Rose Phillips Scholarship. The summer before that year, I spent a week in Washington, DC with NETWORK: Advocates for Justice, Inspired by Catholic Sisters and Sister Simone Campbell — she taught students about storytelling advocacy, and what she taught us never left my mind. I was inspired to do a ‘stories’ project in my home community of Worthington and potentially bring the storytellers to the Minnesota State Capitol to lobby with their testimonies. Once I was selected as a Phillips Scholar, the project began to form into what it has become today: an oral history, a website featuring stories from Southwestern Minnesota immigrants and their children. I started [this project] with my Latinx community, but I hope to get some funding so I can bring along other young folks who are interested in storytelling and expand to immigrants from different parts of the world who reside in Southwestern Minnesota.”
Q: “Your work has recently been covered by MPRNews and MinnPost. How are you handling the publicity around this project?”
A: “Publicity has been helpful in getting the word out about this project — a project I didn't realize would even become this big! But, with what has been going on in my community and the national reports, I feel it has been great to have something positive come out of my hometown.
Q: “Who would you like this project to reach?”A: “Young people — especially from my corner of the state, who want to learn more about storytelling and justice work and don't know where to start!”
Q: “What role did your undergraduate education in political science played in the making of your project?”
A: “Funny story, I was working on my first draft of the Phillips application when I hosted a Political Science Club event in my Georgia apartment! So yes, I’d say political science has most definitely played a role in this project. The education I received, level 1000 to upper-level, provided me with the skills necessary to talk to people from different places and systems. When the storytellers talk about our community, I am able to think about whether or not my city works to provide undocumented immigrants, refugees, and people of color with access to resources.”
Q: Did your time at St. Kate’s inspire this project in any way?
A: “The [Abigail Quigley McCarthy] Center for Women provides students with the opportunity to apply for the Jay and Rose Phillips Scholarship, so once I became a finalist for St. Kate's, Sharon Doherty and Sia Vang dived into the application whole-heartedly. The resources and network they provided inspired bits and pieces of my project!”
Q: “How did your experience at St. Kate’s either differ from or parallel your experience in Worthington?”A: “Now that I have returned to my home community, I am realizing how powerful and a privilege it is to have done my undergrad at St. Kate's. While there is work to be done at St. Kate's, I acknowledge that I had far more allies and greater support from the St. Kate's community than what I have now in my Greater Minnesota community. I'm learning to again be in dominant white male spaces where I am the only young woman of color. At St. Kate's, I felt empowered to be a strong force as a woman of color. In Worthington, I can still be that strong person, but the empowerment doesn't come so often because I don't see Brown, Indigenous, or Black people in positions of power. While both communities are diverse, St. Kate's definitely welcomed and provided me with opportunities to have conversations around social justice.”
Q: “What would you like to see from St. Kate’s in the future? How can the university better serve Latinx students and amplify ‘unheard voices?’”A: “There are quite a few things I'd like to see more of from St. Kate's, including a more diverse faculty and staff, more inclusivity for all students, and encouragement for students to hone in on their creativity in classes or in other campus spaces. I would also like to see greater access to undergrad and recent grad scholarships. St. Kate's does a good job of standing in solidarity with marginalized communities, but to stand with 'unheard voices,' the university must break down barriers and re-examine institutional policies that harm students. For example, in what ways is St. Kate's providing time and space for individuals of the LGBTQ+ community or students with disabilities to speak with administrators who have the power to make St. Kate’s more inclusive and accessible?”
To read the many testimonies that constitute Andrea’s Unheard Voices project, or to nominate a storyteller or young person who may be interested in continuing Andrea’s work in their respective community, visit www.storiesfromunheardvoices.com.
