Dr. Patricia Pasick - author, therapist, trainer in family therapy and transitions.

Stories For Hope

Summary

Hapa: The Private History Of Asian-American Roots Stories For Hope is a 2008-2009 project to record important family stories for Rwanda's next generation. These youths have lost, not just their relatives, but their positive legacies. The stories from elders, especially in a post-genocide context, may disappear entirely ("you must not ask about your grandmother") , be distorted ("your uncle was an evil person"), or in other ways become too narrowly focused on the genocide. A mobile unit will make stops around Rwanda, over the course of a year, to guide and collect stories from volunteer elders in the company of younger family members. Stories will be archived for the family, the community, and the nation. Research shows that:

When story-telling is guided and supported, it can be therapeutic. If the stories are told and listened to respectfully, reconciliation and integration among potentially conflicting persons is enhanced.
The re-telling of stories, especially when storytellers are guided to talk the positive memories about their ancestors' strengths and beliefs, provides another opportunity for recovery from trauma and loss.

News

Dr. Pasick is accepting new clients, after a leave of absence to work in Rwanda.

Pat applies to deliver a workshop on Helping Parents Understand Ethnic Identity at the 2009 APA conference.

Collaborators at Eastern Michigan University, and the University of Michigan, meet with Pat to apply for grants to help fund Stories For Hope (SFH).

The Ministry of Sports and Culture (Rwanda) signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Stories For Hope, and agrees to fund start-up costs.

Pat's new book project, Preparing the Way: Raising Strong Children in a Still-Racial World, is shopped among publishers.

In NYC Pat meets with her new literary agent, Anna Ghosh, partner at Scovil, Gavil, and Ghosh.

A column "Lessons from Rwanda" is published. click here

Pat expands her professional network, joining the Asian-American Psychological Association, and the National Assoc. for Multicultural Educators.

Stories For Hope-Rwanda (SFH)is certified by Rwanda, to be an International Non-governmental Organization (INGO).

The New York Times publishes Pat's Letter to the Editor: click here

SFH sets up an office in the Remera sector outside Kigali.

SFH hires Evas Kyomugisha as in-country director, and John Bosco Bugingo, as attorney.

On a fourth visit to Rwanda, Pat obtains a Letter of Agreement from the Ministry of Sports and Cultur, to conduct the pilot of Stories For Hope.

An Emmy award-winning producer begins talks with Pat about a documentary of her work in Rwanda.

Pat begins a writing collaboration with the brother of a Rwandan genocide victim.

On a fifth trip to Rwanda, Pat obtains fund for the pilot of Stories For Hope.

Pat meets Dave Isay, founder of StoryCorps, and makes her own tape with son Daniel, in Lower Manhattan.

The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, receives Pat's draft of "The Origins of Leadership: Personal Stories from the Top 100 Leaders in Rwanda.

"Re-Storying Rwanda" The Republic of Rwanda considers Patricia's proposal to bring a mobile storytelling unit around the country, to help Rwanda's first generation to be born after the genocide.

Patricia makes a third visit to Rwanda, delivering over $4500 in donations to 15 school children needing tuition assistance, penpal letters from three Michigan schools, and a mental health proposal to the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture. Work on leadership stories continues.

Presentation to Northville Public Schools on The College Transition

Visit to StoryCorps headquarters in New York.