In BIPOC families, elders hold more than memories—they carry the stories, traditions, and practices that root us in who we are. Learning from them means gaining access to a living archive of resilience, creativity, and cultural pride. Whether it’s through oral histories, recipes, music, or rituals, elders pass down traditions that remind us of our collective strength and the journeys of those who came before us.
When we sit with our elders, we aren’t just hearing lessons—we’re experiencing culture firsthand. Simple acts, like learning to prepare a family dish, hearing a lullaby in an ancestral language, or practicing a craft handed down through generations, become moments of connection and continuity. These traditions are often survival stories wrapped in beauty, showing how communities endured and thrived despite hardship. They remind younger generations that culture is not just preserved in museums—it’s alive in daily life.
The beauty of learning traditions from our elders is that it gives us the tools to shape our future with roots firmly planted in the past. For BIPOC families, this knowledge ensures that identity is not lost but carried proudly into new spaces. By listening, learning, and practicing these traditions, we keep our cultures vibrant and evolving, honoring the sacrifices of our elders while building bridges for the generations to come. In this exchange, we discover that tradition is not just about the past—it’s a gift for the future.
Jarrelle (杰遨) Barton
