Yvonne Orji’s Docuseries, First Gen: First-Generational Narratives and the Impact on Audiences’ Community Cultural Wealth

The following chapter, applying community cultural wealth, examines Yvonne Orji’s docuseries, First Gen, and audiences’ responses to the narratives presented within the media text. Utilizing qualitative discourse analysis the chapter examines media content, as well as over 350 user-generated online comments. Findings reveal that media centered on first-generation Americans encourage and cultivate various forms of social and cultural capital among audiences. These narratives and the subsequent audience comments, offer critique regarding intercultural differences and navigating the dual task of honoring familial sacrifices, including migration to the United States. These outcomes challenge dialogue addressing what it means to be "othered" in Eurocentric (i.e., white) spaces. Likewise, findings affirm the narratives of first-generation Americans, acknowledging how media depictions centered on first-generation Americans supports audiences’ various forms of cultural capital.