Preserving Our Stories: Starting Your Family Archive
This project was developed as part of my capstone for the Master of Professional Studies in Arts and Cultural Leadership at the University of Minnesota.
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It shares my methodology, research findings, and practical approaches to support and encourage others in preserving their own family histories.
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Download the Family Archive Inventory Template here.​
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Download the Family Archive Action Checklist here.
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Download the Preservation Resources List. This list does focus on the Twin Cities area as well as Hmong culture but can easily be adapted and features helpful resources.
Organizing your photographs
The way you organize your photographs is a personal choice. If you are just starting out, take time to find a system that works best for you. Personally, I found it helpful to organize mine by eras—specifically, based on the different homes my family lived in. This approach has worked well for me, at least until I have more time to further refine the organization.
All Products
May 1st - May 27th, 2025
XIA Gallery & Cafe
422 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55103
This exhibit comes from sorting through the things my father left behind.
After he passed away, I began asking questions I had never asked before:
What do we keep? Who decides what matters? How do we remember stories that were never written down?
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I am a 1.5-generation Hmong American daughter of refugees from Laos. In our home, history lived in memories, everyday objects, and spoken stories. There were no official records—just things passed down and held onto.
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This project shares items from my family archive: photographs, documents, and belongings that tell stories of my father’s life, and of my own.
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These pieces may seem small, but they hold deep meaning. They help me understand where I come from—and what it means to remember.