# Acitvism Through Storytelling with Code
The project “Activism Through Storytelling with Code” was created by Niki Ito as a part of the Google Summer of Code 2021. Google Summer of Code is a global program that pairs students with mentors to develop a 10-week programming project and learn about open-source software development.

For this project, she worked with the Processing Foundation to help develop and expand Processing and p5.js to be more accessible and inclusive for artists, designers, educators, and beginner coders. With guidance from her mentors Elgin-Skye McLaren and Grace Kwon, Niki developed this project which focuses on art, coding, and identity/community. The project includes a visual narrative website “about Me You & Us,” a Project Handbook, and this GitHub Repository with all the project files.<br>

Go to this <a href="https://github.com/niki-ito/activism-through-storytelling-with-code" target="_blank">project repository</a> to view and access the project files.
## Examples
p5.js sketches: <br>
Example 1:<a href ="https://niki-ito.github.io/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/example-sketches/example-1.html" target = "_blank"> Still-Life </a><br>
Example 2:<a href ="https://niki-ito.github.io/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/example-sketches/example-2.html" target = "_blank"> Key Pressed with Sound</a><br>
Example 3:<a href ="https://niki-ito.github.io/Artist-Activists-Interactive-Portrait/" target = "_blank"> Interactive Portrait </a><br>
Example 4:<a href ="https://niki-ito.github.io/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/example-sketches/example-4.html" target = "_blank"> Visual Narrative Draft</a><br>

## Visual Narrative Website
![Website Screenshot](https://github.com/niki-ito/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/blob/main/assets/images/handbook/visual-narrative-website.gif)<br>
### <a href = "https://niki-ito.github.io/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/" target = "_blank">About Me, You, & Us</a><br>
The visual narrative website includes audio-based p5.js sketches that showcase intimate narratives collected from conversations within the Japanese diaspora in the United States.

## Project Handbook
![Website Screenshot](https://github.com/niki-ito/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/blob/main/assets/images/handbook/handbook.jpg)<br>
### <a href = "https://niki-ito.github.io/activism-through-storytelling-with-code/handbook/index.html" target = "_blank">Activism Through Storytelling with Code: a step-by-step guide</a><br>
The handbook is organized into two main chapters: concepts and technical strategies for the visual narrative website “about Me You & Us.” The concepts chapter includes the purpose, struggles & solutions, and research. The technical strategies chapter includes visual strategies such as audio, photography, illustration as well as coding strategies within the p5.js editor and on the website. 

## Getting Started
To run the code locally:
- Download this project repository.
- Use Visual Studio Code and download the <a href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ritwickdey.LiveServer">Live Server extention</a> to view the website on your local development environment.

## Acknowledgments
I feel very grateful to have had such amazing support during the development of this project. First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to my mentors Elgin-Skye McLaren and Grace Kwon who have been extremely helpful from start to finish. Every time after meetings with my mentors, I felt so inspired and motivated to move forward. 

Furthermore, I would like to thank Japanese American photographer HATSUE and Japanese American art historian Joe who volunteered their time and thoughts to my project and became a part of the recorded conversations and visual narratives. I would also like to thank Japanese ceramic artist Miwa Neishi who introduced me to my new HATSUE and supported me from the very beginning. Additionally, I would like to thank professor Sherry Muyuan He who would spend long meeting sessions with me to support and inspire me when I felt unsure. I would also like to thank photographer Kestin Mica who contributed his amazing photography skills and became a partner in this project. Finally, I am extremely grateful for my programming professor Stalgia Grigg who introduced me to creative coding and Google Summer of Code.  

I am very appreciative of this wonderful experience provided by Google and my mentor organization, The Processing Foundation. I look forward to continuing my contribution to open-source and the processing community.
