Our Story, Our Voice: Animated Stories of Belonging and Inclusion

This project will adapt twelve stories from Busayo Disu’s book Our Story, Our Voice into short animated videos for children ages 5 to 10.

The original book, written for older readers (from grade 5 upwards), shares the real and emotional experiences of African immigrant children growing up in Alberta, exploring themes of identity, culture, friendship, and belonging. The new animation series will make these stories accessible to younger audiences through vibrant visuals, narration, and relatable storytelling.

Each 2–3 minute episode will help children:

• Understand the challenges immigrant children face adjusting to new cultures such as adapting to new schools, foods, accents, and cultural norms.

• Learn healthy ways to build confidence and celebrate their identity.

• Discover how to be empathetic, inclusive, and supportive classmates and friends.

This project builds on my existing community work promoting inclusion through storytelling. My book is already used by teachers, and I am also in the process of completing a video documentary on similar themes.

The animated series will be shared with schools, libraries, and community groups across Northern Alberta, helping young children appreciate diversity, embrace empathy, and foster stronger, more inclusive communities.

This project will benefit young children, families, educators, and communities across Northern Alberta.

The primary audience is children ages 5 to 10, both immigrant and non-immigrant. For immigrant children, especially African and other racialized youth, the animations will provide positive cultural representation, helping them feel proud of who they are while learning healthy ways to adapt and build confidence in a new environment.

For non-immigrant children, the videos will serve as an empathy-building tool, teaching them kindness, respect, and inclusion toward their immigrant classmates. They will learn to celebrate differences and support others who may look, sound, or live differently from them.

Teachers and parents will also benefit through the inclusion of short discussion guides, making it easier to introduce topics like diversity, friendship, and belonging in classrooms and homes.

By sharing these animated stories through schools, libraries, and community centers, the project will reach hundreds of children and families, promoting understanding and inclusion across Northern Alberta. In the long term, it will help nurture a generation that celebrates diversity, practices empathy, and builds stronger, more connected communities.