Relational space and community cultural wealth in a multimodal storytelling camp: experiences of refugee-background youth

Students with refugee backgrounds face multiple challenges within the U.S. education system. Many also have limited access to relational spaces supporting care, guidance, and opportunities to explore sense of self and community. Drawing on Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth framework, this study examines how storytelling in a non-formal educational setting can create space for refugee-background youth to navigate their sense of self and community. Focusing on a storytelling summer camp for youth in Clarkston, Georgia, the study draws on nine semi-structured interviews, as well as student artifacts and written reflections. Findings suggest that the storytelling camp functioned as a relational space where participants connected through shared experiences, affirmed and claimed ownership over their stories, and developed a sense of pride and responsibility toward their communities. At the same time, students pointed to the limitations of storytelling practices within formal school settings.