Conceptualized by then 15-year-old Yee-Yee Li in the summer of 2025, Learn Through Local (LTL) started as a way to unite her three greatest loves: history, writing, and human connection.
 

After organizing an event that commemorated Zachariah Walker, a lynching victim from a nearby town, and reflecting on the experiences of her own immigrant family, Yee-Yee realized that the stories of many within her vicinity were untold. Due to factors including historical oppression, language barriers, educational inequality, and lack of opportunity, the histories of individuals within marginalized communities were forgotten. Yee-Yee wanted to change that.

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Thus, LTL came to be. After interviewing local individuals about their experiences, Yee-Yee converts their oral history into something more tangible: memoir-style short stories. By expressing these individuals' journeys through a uniquely creative lens, Yee-Yee hopes to generate interest for local and marginalized history within younger generations. She hopes that LTL may help others realize that they have a right to teach others the lessons they have learned, a right to voice themselves, and a right to a legacy. Every individual deserves to have their stories told and heard by their communities.