April 12, 2025
Crafting Identity
From October through April this school year, high school students from across Irvine came together to critically examine local histories, document their stories, and explore how love, community, and resilience have shaped moments of contestation and coalition-building. At our culminating event for this year’s program, community members listened to our stories, viewed student-produced artwork, and engaged in an interactive presentation to learn about how youth of color negotiate their identities. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported our mission and hope to continue sharing youth perspectives on challenges faced by our community while cultivating empathy among people of all ages and backgrounds.
April 13, 2024
2024 Exhibit
This year, our virtual program served 12 IUSD high school students. Using Photovoice, a method of photographic storytelling, they shared their stories of love, community, and resilience at our physical exhibition on April 13, 2024. OC Focus President & Founder Lauryn Chew was awarded two Certificates of Recognition from Mayor Farrah Khan and City of Irvine Councilmember Tammy Kim for her work. Focus is incredibly grateful for the support we have received from Asian American Youth Leaders, especially Dr. Tony Hwang, Professor Judy Wu, Mary Nguyen, and Phuc To, as well as the South Coast Chinese Cultural Association, the UCI History Project, Girl Scouts of Orange County, Councilmember Tammy Kim, Mayor Farrah Khan, and all of our participants and their families. This program would not have been possible without their commitment to investing in youth leaders.
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