What We Hold is the fifth, and largest, in a series of Contemporary Jewish Museum installations highlighting youth voices. For this project, teens considered what pieces of themselves reflect influences from their cultural inheritance and family life. The youth were then asked to interview a family member or loved one and go further in their reflection. What resulted are these compelling recordings offering a snapshot of what they uncovered, a rare window into youth perspectives today, and a place for youth to shine and share their voice.

Featuring Voices From:

• Contra Costa Midrasha
• Jewish Community High School of the Bay
• National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago
• Oakland School for the Arts
• The Contemporary Jewish Museum’s Teen Art Connect program

All of the recordings can be found on soundcloud.com/jewseum.

These recordings were created by freshman at Contra Costa Midrasha (CCM), a pluralistic Jewish supplemental educational, mentorship and leadership program serving Contra Costa County for teens in grades 8-12. The students reflected on significant elders and/or moments in their lives and the impact of those narratives on their personal identities. With thanks to Julie Rubenstein and Devra Aarons. For more information, visit ccmidrasha.com.

These recordings were created by juniors at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay, a pluralistic Jewish High School serving the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The students reflected on the characteristics of their Jewish identities that have been transmitted to them by family members then recorded these stories to capture those memories. With thanks to Dr. Jonathan Ayres, Barbar Roether, Michael Mirelman, Evan Wolkenstein, and Robin Gluck.

These recordings were created by youth audio storytellers of Yollocalli Arts Reach, the youth initiative of the National Musem of Mexican Art in Chicago. Yollocalli offers youth ages 13-24, free visual arts and digital media programs and events. Yollocalli's audio storytelling and radio program provides an outlet for bilingual and bicultural youth to share their own voice and represent their community through reporting and storytelling. With thanks to Vanessa A. Sanchez, Yollocalli Arts Reach Director. For more information, visit yollocalli.org.

These recordings were created by teen writers in the School of Literary Arts at the Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) during the fall semester 2017 course, "Oral Histories: On Mythologizing & Creating Dangerously." During the semester-long class, OSA students read, discussed, and wrote in response to narratives based in origin myths and oral histories, culminating in interviews with community members. Then, students responded to their interview(s) in a creative piece, mythologizing their own personal and familial histories. With gratitude to Melissa Sipin, OSA Faculty. For more on the School of Literary Arts at OSA, visit: www.oakarts.org/school-literary-arts.

These recordings were created by Teen Art Connect program at The Contemporary Jewish Museum. Teen Art Connect brings together high school students from diverse backgrounds to explore, connect, and imagine in a creative museum setting. Through reflections on music, food, journeys and more, these young voices share core stories that ground and unite them with past generations. With gratitude to PJ Gubatina Policarpio, Youth Programs Manager and Elizabeth Mak, multimedia producer.

Teen Programs are made possible by major support from the Koret Foundation, The Covenant Foundation, and U.S. Bank Foundation, and are part of the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Initiative with support provided by the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund and the Jim Joseph Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Ira A. Roschelle M.D. Family Foundation.