Building Empathy is a project of PEF and PUSD, with support from the California State Library and California Humanities

Featured Memoirs

At Pasadena High School, students interviewed a family member to write a memoir, then created an accompanying illustration. (Click on an illustration to open the memoir it was made with.)

Memoir Art Tina G

“I Love You More than You Know”
by Tina G.

Memoir Art Alwand M

“Memoir”
by Alwand M.

Memoir Art Alyssa B

“Servando Banuelos”
by Alyssa B.

Memoir Art Kyla D

“Mom”
by Kyla D.

Memoir Art Jessica L

Untitled
by Jessica L.

Memoir Art Viviana M

“Yo Estoy Cansada”
by Viviana M.

Memoir Art Arianna R

“LOVE”
by Arianna R.

What we hear!

 

“I had already known pretty much most things about the [Japanese American concentration] camps because my grandmother was interned at those camps…”

Leo, ninth grader, Pasadena High School

 “I wasn’t very aware of the Japanese concentration camps, so I learned with the students. I think it’s important to learn about issues that happen in our neighborhood, and this is really relevant.”

– Mayte Hernandez, English instructor, Pasadena High School