Our Story

My name is Thi Bui and I teach art at Oakland International High School, an alternative public high school for English Language Learners (ELLs) in Oakland, CA. Ours is one of only two such schools in California, even though California has the highest concentration of ELLs in the country. One in four California students is an ELL!

Every year, on top of learning English, students in my art class learn the language of comics in order to write and draw their experiences as immigrants. My students look like like average urban teenagers, but they come from all over the world - countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Eritrea, Liberia, Yemen, Nepal, Burma and China. Every one of them has gone through a huge change of environment, and on top of that most of them have survived war, persecution, poverty, danger, separation from parents, and incredible journeys to be where they are today.

Through funding from donors, we publish their immigration stories as a graphic novel every year. The students are eager to read their stories together, and proud to take home their own copy of the book.

This year, we would like to publish their stories for the general public. We envision a handsome, well-designed coffee table book containing the best comics of the last four years. This book will become part of the collection at the downtown Oakland Public Library, which will host an art show and book launch for us in February 2012.

The stories are heartbreaking, both funny and sad. They give a voice and a face to an often misrepresented population. They open doors to understanding other cultures and world events. They are a snapshot of what immigration in the U.S. looks like today.

The Impact

Publishing a book is a major accomplishment for most adults. Publishing a book, especially a well-designed book that will be read by the public and acknowledged by a major institution, could be a life-changing accomplishment for a teenager. I hope it will inspire my students to keep finding ways to express themselves and create things that can inspire and educate others in turn.

What We Need & What You Get

We need $1000 to print 100 copies of our book, WE ARE OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL. If we raise more money, we can print more books. All proceeds from book sales will go directly back to the school, to continue projects like this.

We need an additional $500 to print a for-students book, so that every student who completed a story this year can take home a book with their work in it.

We need another $100 for materials for our art show and book launch.

Any contribution of $30 or more will get you a copy of the book, along with other exciting perks!

Other Ways You Can Help

Please help us get the word out and share this campaign with your friends, coworkers, and family!