How might a strength-based approach to civic participation empower the often un-heard voices of refugees while building understanding across traditional cultural barriers in diverse urban neighborhoods? Built on experience working with the East African refugee community in Seattle, WA, USA, this project identifies the advantage of a strength-based approach. From an intergenerational story-telling project, involving three generations of members of refugee families, there emerges an inclusive community-wide conversation. AI provides a formative context for the celebration of the richness of diverse traditions, cultures, languages and life experiences. This approach requires the courage and trust to listen to unheard and disempowered voices, the humility to let wisdom and understanding emerge organically from a community conversation, and the ability to step outside preconceptions of what an AI process ought to look like.