“Teníamos Hilo, Teníamos Tela, y Hacíamos Cosas”: Translingual Writing and Making in an Intergenerational Library Workshop

Abstract

This study explores the translingual writing and making practices of bilingual mothers and their children in a library-based storytelling workshop, where writing and language were positioned as two of many materials that could be used to share stories. Situating this work within literature that positions libraries as “pockets of hope” for Latinx families and drawing on qualitative case study methods, we documented how mothers and their children composed multimodal depictions of memories across national borders, remixed media and materials to highlight the present, and shared in ways that resisted monolingual ideologies. Ultimately, we highlight the power and potential of bringing together translingual writing practices and making activities, discussing how, when combined, these perspectives can amplify opportunities for expression and intergenerational learning. We conclude with implications for practice and research.