Objects of War: A Storytelling Circle

From Jovita Hernandez

As I prepare for and reflect on facilitating the upcoming Story Circle with “Many Fronts,” I am drawn to my own experiences within Story Circles and the impact they have had on my work and community. As a recently retired educator, I first brought Story Circles into my classroom as a way to build connection and trust. Over time, this practice expanded into the broader staff community, where it continued to foster reflection, empathy, and deeper understanding.

Story Circle, for me, is about creating intentional space for connection and healing. Shared stories invite us to slow down, to listen more deeply, and to recognize the complexity of one another’s experiences. They remind us that understanding begins not with answers, but with presence.

I am especially grateful for the opportunity to share stories alongside Veterans and civilians in this circle. In doing so, I hope to contribute to Many Fronts’ work “to disrupt commonly held stereotypes, unearth less visible narratives of war and the human experience, and help bridge the military–civilian divide.” It feels meaningful to be part of a space where listening itself becomes an act of care, courage, and connection.

From Pang Foua Xiong

War does not end when the fighting stops. It continues in the objects we carry, the stories we protect, and the memories passed through generations. I am a first-born generation Southeast Asian Indigenous Hmong woman, born and raised in my beloved Rondo-Frogtown community in Saint Paul, Mni Sota Makoce | Minnesota. As a daughter of refugees displaced by the American CIA Secret War during the Vietnam War in the mid 1970-1980 and cultural bearer, I am deeply moved and honored to share in stories and lived experiences on the impact of war to the “Objects of War” gathering with the Minnesota Humanities Center — an evening rooted in community, care and courage.

In my work as a Story Circle facilitator with the Minnesota Humanities Center and in my community, it’s been an honor to listen and to learn about what important stories are being told at home from friends, family, and neighbors that may help better understand the world and the impact of war that has deeply impacted me, my family, and others. As we gather in community and share experiences and memories — a folded photograph, an old pot, or a song carried across borders — these items are not just artifacts, they are witnesses. They hold grief, resilience, and the quiet decisions people made to survive and protect what mattered most. It’s been incredibly wholesome to hold space where these stories are honored, not rushed, and where listening becomes an act of collective healing. It’s been, often times, for me — stories and shared experiences that made me feel more at home, seen, heard, and understood.

It’s a deep honor to share through stories, memories, and experiences that help us better understand the human impact of war beyond headlines or history books. In sharing, I am inspired to remember and be reminded of the courage that lives in the small things we choose to carry forward — that carries us to a deeper place of love and care for ourselves and for others.

If you are ready to share, we look forward to hearing your stories at “Objects of War: A Storytelling Circle,” on Thursday, February 26 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Minnesota Humanities Center. This event is free to attend, but registration is required. Dinner will be served.