Revising the narrative: mobilizing storytelling to transform diaspora identities in Chicago

We argue that in the last decade diaspora museums have emerged as a significant institutional formation. Mobilized by communities, within these institutions storytelling is deployed to complicate discussions of identity and migration. These museums are particularly prominent in Chicago, a city known for its diversity, as well as a place where migration is contested and politicized. Our study examines how storytelling functions within three Chicago diaspora museums: the National Hellenic Museum, the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, and the Haitian American Museum of Chicago. Through these case studies we demonstrate how diaspora museums strategically employ storytelling to challenge missing stories, revise dominant narratives about diaspora, and advance social justice. Ultimately, we argue that these institutions use storytelling to facilitate and enhance connections between diaspora communities, as well as across cultures. Emphasizing the importance of diaspora stories, we argue that this memory work can advance empathy and new approaches to migration.