Launching the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora

Launching the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora

Palina Louangketh | 2020

Abstract

Founded in 2018, the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora (IMID – pronounced ‘eye mid’) was established as an independent non-profit in February 2019 in the state of Idaho and became a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in September 2019. Diaspora – the displacement of people from their origin homelands (Cohen, 2008) – is the foundation that represents sacred narratives of domestic and global voices of the human struggles. Issues concerning displaced peoples, families, and children often manifest from human decisions that have profound implications on the lives of the disadvantaged. The IMID is a nascent project with incredible energy to bring international communities together in special ways. Its innovative approach as a multipurpose museum will not only preserve the realities of the human journey through stories and art but will also bring together people from all cultural backgrounds to celebrate diversity in very unique ways through strategic and global partnerships.

The human migration will continue into the future throughout the world and create shifting narratives that evolve over time as told by different voices. These powerful narratives through innovative learning platforms will enable the IMID to influence a positive community transformation and inspire a movement of additional international museums in countries that have diaspora resettlement. The IMID has identified 113 countries of origin and distinct peoples into Idaho over its history. As the steward of the world’s collective cultural heritage, the IMID becomes the anchor institution for preserving the integrity of the human journey stories on an international scale. It will provide rich and authentic information to multigenerational learners of all backgrounds not just in Idaho and across the U.S., but around the world.