Press Release
April 22, 2026
Talk Story in Action: 2025 Talk Story Grant Recipients’ Reports
We are excited to share the 2025 Talk Story Grant recipient reports. This year’s recipients are wonderful examples of how culturally grounded programs can connect families, strengthen identity, and celebrate community stories.
Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture is a family literacy initiative from the American Indian Library Association and the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association that brings American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families and communities together. Rooted in books, oral traditions, art, and hands-on cultural expression, the initiative supports meaningful programming that celebrates identity and strengthens intergenerational connections.
Through the Talk Story Grant, libraries and community organizations receive support to host programs and grow collections that uplift AAPI and AIAN voices. These grants help communities share their stories, preserve cultural knowledge, and inspire new generations of storytellers.
Below are highlights from the 2025 Talk Story Grant recipients and the creative, community-centered ways they brought these funds to life.
Farrington High School (Hawai’i) strengthened its students and families by fostering a deeper connection to their Samoan language and culture through Talk Story nights. They read Samoan books, practiced new vocabulary, and shared stories while engaging in hands-on activities, such as siapo patterns, weaving, and drawing tapa designs. These Talk Story nights built students’ confidence in reading, writing, and speaking Samoan. Now, the students are creating their own Samoan children’s books to read and share with younger students.
Farrington High School has created a sustainable ecosystem to continue sharing the Samoan language and culture. They plan to reuse the materials they created for Talk Story nights and to continue encouraging students to create Samoan children’s books for future generations to read and be inspired to write their own stories.
Program coordinator Evelyn Utai wrote, “The Talk Story grant helped my Samoan Language class bring our culture alive for our students and their families. Our goal was to help everyone feel proud of who they are through tala meaning stories, gagana meaning language, and faasinomaga meaning identity.”
Frankford Public Library (Delaware) The Frankford Public Library hosted a program entitled the Delaware First Nation Tales. As part of the library’s summer programming. An Indigenous storyteller, who is well known within the community, provided monthly programs to participants. The goal was to increase the knowledge and appreciation of the Delaware First Nation tribes (Nanticoke and Lenape).
Hortonville Public Library (Wisconsin) The Hortonville Public Library hosted a local presenter from the Oneida Nation to present on the history and culture, both past and present as well as share her familial and tribal stories within their our community. Many of their patrons consist of young families and guardians checking out books for children that are just starting out or are learning how to read. The collection development funding provided by the grant will help strengthen their collection and improve cultural awareness in the area.
Women of Wai’anae (Hawai’i) coordinated their first Back to School Keiki Reading Day, bringing together families to celebrate Hawaiian culture and promote literacy. Attendees engaged with Hawaiian-themed arts and crafts, bilingual Hawaiian–English readings, and local librarians to learn about library resources and services. Each child received a new backpack containing essential school supplies, as well as bilingual books, toys, clothes, and plants.
Back to School Keiki Reading Day took place at Leeward Community College’s Waiʻanae Moku campus, where many non-traditional students balance academics with parenting responsibilities. With support from the Talk Story grant, the Waiʻanae community came together to put on this event, including educators, librarians, storytellers, student volunteers, and local community organizations. Women of Wai’anae wrote, “This event not only celebrated literacy and education, but also honored the importance of culture, community, and shared responsibility. By creating a space where families felt seen, supported, and celebrated, we nurtured a sense of belonging and empowerment that will ripple far beyond this single day.”
Applications for the 2027 Talk Story Grant will open on the Talk Story website, and we encourage libraries and community organizations serving AAPI or AIAN children and families to apply. Eligibility, selection criteria, and application details can be found at the Talk Story Grant page.