The Institute for Diversity and Civic Life’s Migration Narratives Project is a rapid-response grant-making program to fund the work of scholars, activists and artists who are exploring the stories of immigrants and refugees in Texas through narrative, oral history and other interpretive storytelling methods.

We’re pleased to invite proposals for this program. A full CFP and online application form can be found here. The proposal deadline is March 1, 2021.

This program aims to support narrative and storytelling work that 1) highlights the experiences and voices of individuals and communities that have been impacted by migration, 2) amplifies lesser known stories, 3) disrupts conventional narratives or rhetoric about immigration, and 4) contributes to the public understanding of immigration and refugee experiences. Proposals may be academic or research-oriented, but they may also attend to more practical concerns or be grounded in local communities. We have particular interest in projects with a connection to Texas and the southern borderlands as well as projects that explore intersections between migration and religion in some way– i.e., religious identities, religious activism, religious communities, religious experiences. Potential types of projects might include, but are not limited to oral history projects, documentary and multimedia projects (e.g. video, photography, journalism, digital mapping and storytelling), and art projects (eg. visual, literary, theatre).

Potential topics might include but are not limited to:

• Xenophobia, racism and other forms of discrimination
• LGBTQIA/queer experiences and migration
• Gender and migration
• Indigenous experiences of migration
• Disability and migration
• Assimilation and migration
• The relationship between climate change and migration
• Experiences of DACA recipients, undocumented and mixed status families

In addition to receiving funding, grantees will be part of a cohort that will meet virtually over the course of the project to network and share resources and insights. Grant recipients will also share the findings of their work via a multimedia digital exhibit hosted on the IDCL website.

We will hold a Zoom Q & A session on February 4 at 12pm CST to share more about the program and answer questions about the application process. You can register for the session here.

Support for the Migration Narratives Project is provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to enrich public discourse by promoting innovative scholarship, cultivating new leaders, and fostering international understanding.