MUSKEGON, Mich. — In 2022 the Muskegon Area District Library recorded 15 people from diverse backgrounds telling their stories. The project was called Humans of Muskegon. On Monday they announced that the program was back with 15 new people to hear from.
“My mother grew up in a very wealthy household in Japan but was born in Seoul, Korea.”
The stories are very different...
“We met at the only gay nightclub here in Muskegon Heights.”
...but similar.
They're telling their personal life stories and struggles.
Muskegon Area District Library Program Director Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga says, “It really is a way for us to elevate lesser-told stories of our neighbors in Muskegon County, and then through those stories to kind of break down stereotypes and really reduce division and increase empathy and understanding in our community.”
The Humans of Muskegon project encourages people not to judge a book by its cover. Many people have great stories to tell, and this project is a chance for others to hear them.
Rinsema-Sybenga continues, “These things we may have come in contact with before, and maybe there's topics and issues that we've not been exposed to before."
One participant this year is Jeff VanDyke. He has cerebral palsy and works at the Disability Network of West Michigan. He welcomed the invitation to participate and tell others about his life.
“In a world where there's a whole lot of stigmas around differences and things, the more you can shed light on those differences, the more you can start chipping away at those stigmas and, you know, hopefully create a more cohesive world where we all belong and are treated as we should be.”
The project was a collaberation between MADL, Muskegon Community College and the Hackley Library. Not only are these stories for today but they will be a historical archive.
Sarah and Jeff say, “Here's an opportunity to really connect with somebody who's lived experience is kind of their title. ... Our stories might be different, but they're not that different. We all connect in some way. And this book project kind of brings it all together and reminds us of all that differences are everywhere. ... It doesn't mean that we're worse. And we all have something in common that we can come back to celebrate each other.”
If you want to watch, all the videos are on madl.org. On Feb. 17 the participants will be at the Egelston branch so you can hear from them in person.
