Digital Storytelling Brings Language and Culture to Life at UTA 

In the heart of UTA’s Central Library, something powerful is unfolding, a partnership helping students find their voices while celebrating the vibrant cultures that shape our community. 

The Mi Comunidad project came through a collaboration between UTA Libraries and Dr. Sonia Kania, Professor of Modern Languages, shows how digital storytelling can transform the learning experience, build confidence and nurture deeper cultural connections. 

"I know many people who teach what I teach, Spanish for Heritage Speakers, have incorporated digital storytelling into their courses," Kania shared. "It was something I’ve wanted to do for years. I’ve been incorporating experiential learning in my classes, and this just felt like something students would love." 

Language in Action: A Project Rooted in Experience 

Kania’s Spanish for Heritage Speakers course is anything but a traditional grammar class. Designed for students who grew up speaking Spanish at home, the course strengthens reading, writing and grammatical structure skills, but this project takes it even further, bringing language out of the textbook and into the real world. 

Students were tasked with creating short, three-to-five-minute videos telling the story of a place, such as a neighborhood, piece of art, event space or business, within the local Hispanic community. Through interviews, scriptwriting and adding closed captions, students practiced their Spanish skills in dynamic and meaningful ways. 

UTA Libraries: Helping Vision Become Reality 

When it came time to bring this vision to life, UTA Libraries became a crucial partner. Through the Experiential Learning Faculty Fellowship (ELFF) program, Kania worked with Libraries’ staff members to transform her idea into a full-fledged experiential learning project. 
 
Experiential Learning Librarians Morgan Chivers and Yuliana Nguyen were instrumental in guiding the curriculum design process. They supported Dr. Kania’s vision and coordinated with CSS to teach students essential video production and editing skills, even loaning them cameras and microphones to help bring their stories to life.  

"The video project excited me because, with Latinidad and Hispanidad, there are so many communities in the area that deserve to be highlighted," Nguyen said. "Many of us who are part of the community take it for granted or don’t realize it’s there. It’s great to have a video showcasing this mural or that shop or this person. I was a Spanish language minor in college, so it’s cool to see something like this added to the curriculum and to see students in classes I once took create something impactful." 
 

Student Stories: From the Classroom to the Community 

For many students, the project was more than an assignment; it was a journey of personal and professional growth. 

Sandra Martinez, for instance, chose to spotlight Ballet Folklórico, a colorful and deeply rooted tradition in Mexican culture that has been part of her life since childhood. 

"My family is Mexican, and my dad is good at storytelling and sharing everything related to Mexican culture," Martinez said. "Anytime mariachis were performing, or folkloric dancers were on stage, we loved to go and see them. For my video, I interviewed the owners of a small dance studio in Grand Prairie, where they teach traditional folkloric dance. It’s beautiful, and I wanted to share that with others." 

The experience also sharpened her Spanish skills beyond the classroom. 

"Going out and interviewing people in Spanish helped me a lot because I’m only used to talking in Spanish in the classroom or with my parents," she said. "Talking to others helped me learn different sayings and words. This experience expanded my knowledge because I got to speak with people from different parts of Mexico and other countries." 

Jonathan Anguiano focused his project on a local bakery, a nostalgic nod to the panaderías he remembered from his Houston neighborhood. 

"The filming helped me learn more about the community," Anguiano said. "Normally, I wouldn’t go out and talk to people because I’m kind of introverted. This project pushed me to interact with more people in the Spanish-speaking community. It’s been really beneficial and opened doors for me." 

Building Bridges for the Future 

Projects like Kania’s demonstrate how UTA Libraries’ support helps faculty bring innovative ideas to life, providing students with meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for success beyond graduation. 

"It was so helpful having the Libraries’ support," Kania said. "Their expertise made my idea possible and gave my students a unique experience." 

Thanks to this collaboration, these student-produced videos will be preserved in MavMatrix, UTA Libraries’ Institutional Repository and Archival Hub. This ensures that the stories and the students’ hard work will remain accessible for years to come as valuable resources for students, faculty, staff, researchers and the public. 

These videos are more than class projects; they are a celebration of language, identity and heritage. Each one preserves a piece of local Hispanic culture while giving students the creative and professional skills to share their stories with the world. 

Be sure to explore the digital exhibit “Mi comunidad” website and experience the incredible stories our students have brought to life.