Mission – Vision – Values – Cultural Equity –
History
A Compass: A Valuable Guide
Art Courtesy of Angela Lloyd
Mission
The National Storytelling Network is a member-driven organization whose mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy and education.
Vision
A world in which all people value the power of storytelling and its ability to connect, inspire, and instill respect within our hearts and communities.
Values
Responsive Innovation: Continuous adaptation of our work in response to changing and community needs.
Cultural Awareness and Engagement: Sensitivity and respect for diverse individuals and communities
Inclusion: Advancement of equity by elevating underrepresented voices.
Collaboration: Employing the power of storytelling as a way to support the missions of our partnering organizations.
Integrity: Acting with transparency, honesty, and sincerity.
Cultural Equity
The National Storytelling Network believes that everyone deserves the chance to live a full and creative life. We commit to supporting practices of cultural equity that help build a nation where all voices are welcomed, included, and valued.
“Cultural equity embodies the values, policies, and practices that ensure that all people—including but not limited to those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion—are represented in the development of arts policy; the support of artists; the nurturing of accessible, thriving venues for expression; and the fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources.”
– Americans for the Arts
What We Recognize, What We Believe
In order to live out our mission, we begin by recognizing the realities that shape our world and affirming the values that guide our storytelling community.
● Throughout history some voices have been lifted up while others have been silenced. As storytellers, we thrive to recognize the current and historical systems of power and privilege. These inequities still exist and must be recognized, challenged, and changed.
● Cultural equity is essential for storytelling to thrive, because every culture’s stories carries wisdom, truth, and value.
● We hold ourselves accountable to creating space for voices that have been overlooked, knowing that true change comes through listening, sharing, and building together.
● Every individual deserves the opportunity to tell and hear stories that reflect the fullness of human experience; this is vital to a healthy, connected, and democratic society.
● Storytellers help us imagine new possibilities and confront injustice. By centering diverse stories, we illuminate inequities and inspire alternatives.
Growing Through Story & Practice
To live into our values of cultural equity, we commit to modeling them in how we work, listen, and tell stories. We recognize that this is ongoing work, and we approach it with humility and care.
● We acknowledge that we are all learners. We do not know what we do not know, and we commit to curiosity, reflection, and growth as individuals and as a community.
● We recognize that each of us carries responsibility for the impact of our words and actions. While harm is rarely intended, we hold ourselves accountable when it occurs and strive to repair and learn from it.
● We seek to improve our communication skills—listening deeply, speaking honestly, and telling stories with respect—so that together we can grow as a stronger, more inclusive storytelling community.
● We commit to examining and addressing inequities in our policies, systems, and programs, and to sharing our progress openly.
● We dedicate time and resources to ensure that our leadership reflects the many voices and stories that make up our society.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Story
To ensure that equity is not just an ideal but a lived reality, we commit to nurturing growth across the storytelling community:
● We encourage ongoing learning and reflection so that storytellers and audiences alike can expand their cultural awareness and foster practices that welcome every voice.
● We strengthen the storytelling pipeline by supporting programs, opportunities, and leadership that reflect the true diversity of our communities.
● We advocate for policies and partnerships—public and private—that uplift cultural equity and ensure all stories have space to be told and heard.
● We believe progress happens when we listen to one another, hold space for different experiences, and create opportunities for future generations of storytellers to flourish.
At the National Storytelling Network, cultural equity is not just a principle—it is part of how we live our mission, vision, and values. Guided by our belief in the power of storytelling to connect, inspire, and build respect, we commit to advancing cultural equity in every aspect of our work. This means lifting up underrepresented voices, engaging diverse communities with care, collaborating with integrity, and adapting to meet the needs of a changing world. By practicing cultural equity, we ensure that storytelling remains a vital, inclusive, and transformative force for all people.
Our History
On a crisp October day in 1975, in a small town in Tennessee, people gathered to hear and to tell stories and took them back to their own communities. Kathryn Windham, a journalist, and storyteller slapped down $5 and said, “We need a membership organization, and I’m the first member.”
Initially named the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling, the early focus centered on producing that annual festival in Jonesborough. But, as membership expanded they created festivals and events all over the country. Storytelling spread to schools, libraries, national and state parks, corporations and non-profits, churches and places of physical and psychic healing, coffee shops and nightspots.
Renamed in 1998 the National Storytelling Network is an international community of storytellers. Today, over 1,000 individuals and affiliated organizations comprise the National Storytelling Network with our virtual office located in Kansas City, Missouri.
NSN continues to support individuals, organizations, and communities that foster the growth of storytelling in education, arts performance, organizational communications, healing arts, and beyond. Our creative and innovative members are the bedrock of our organization, sharing wisdom and expertise, encouraging excellence, and exploring new paths in storytelling. We believe in the transformative power of story. We value diversity. We are the National Storytelling Network: We grow storytellers.