Diversity Articles

COVID: The Storytelling Solution

One of the most striking statistics to emerge from the COVID crisis was recently published in a study led by Susan Hillis, an epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control in the journal Pediatrics. It estimates that “For every four COVID-19 deaths, one child was left behind without a mother, father and/or a grandparent who […]

Honoring Juneteenth

By Danni Altman-Newell, Director of Operations Juneteenth recognizes the effective end of slavery in the United States. As the President signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act today, NSN is proud to show its respect for and honor the resilience of the Black community by including Juneteenth as an official company holiday to provide a […]

Teaching Us Wonder: Turkey embarks on cultural mission to preserve its folktales

Teaching Us Wonder: Turkey embarks on cultural mission to preserve its folktales “The oral folktales of the Anatolian plateau are a remarkable blend of storytelling motifs and traditions…” Now, an academic project is collecting and indexing stories for future generations. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jan/08/turkey-embarks-on-cultural-mission-to-preserve-its-fairytales?fbclid=IwAR0WU9zDRwRnLnitOUpFUBx-qs8O_MNfN-ZV9jZ5OdNJGhXn7RPZgXQw2f8

The Story of Storytelling – What the hidden relationships of ancient folktales reveal about their evolution – and our own

The Story of Storytelling – What the hidden relationships of ancient folktales reveal about their evolution—and our own “Once recorded, a story has the potential to live longer and spread farther than any other creature…Stories that earn the widest audiences over the longest stretches of time are exceedingly likely to continue surviving in one form […]

Seanchaí: The storytelling keepers of Ireland’s rich folklore heritage

Seanchaí: The storytelling keepers of Ireland’s rich folklore heritage “In ancient Celtic society, bards held a position of esteem, second only to kings. Their stories and songs “were often the only historical record.” Through the years Bards evolved into seanchaís’ or storytellers who carried those stories from town to town, bringing the stories from ancient […]

Middle Ages Merlin manuscript found in Bristol University library

Middle Ages Merlin manuscript found in Bristol University library “Seven hand-written fragments were found by the University of Bristol’s special collections librarian. Specialists analysing the pieces said they contained “subtle but significant” differences from the traditional story.” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-47062919

How Stories Connect And Persuade Us: Unleashing the Brain Power of Narrative

How Stories Connect And Persuade Us: Unleashing the Brain Power of Narrative “When you listen to a story, whatever your age, you’re transported mentally to another time and place.” Research has shown that while listening to a has proven that A growing body of brain science offers even more insight into what’s behind these experiences.” […]

How Indigenous Oral Tradition Is Guiding Archaeology and Uncovering Climate History in Alaska

How Indigenous Oral Tradition Is Guiding Archaeology and Uncovering Climate History in Alaska In south-central Alaska a chief named Łtaxda’x (EL-tax-da) once owned “a dish hewn from the horn of a giant moose.” When he died, his brothers fought over this ceremonial platter of the Raven clan. As the legend continues, one of the brothers […]

African-American folklore inspires meeting of the minds

African-American folklore inspires meeting of the minds Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar, Harvard scholars have co-authored “The Annotated African American Folktales,” that “illuminates and celebrates a narrative spirit both intimate and expansive…” The Harvard Gazette offers this wonderful article, a conversation with Gates and Tatar as they explain how storytelling motifs are […]

Story Now Interview: Michael Reno Harrell

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education.   STORY NOW! Interview Series Story Now! Now from the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts for change in every aspect of our […]

Story Now Interview: Mike Seliger

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education.   STORY NOW! Interview Series Story Now! Now from the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts for change in every aspect of our […]

Story Now Interview: Sherry Norfolk

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education.   STORY NOW! Interview Series Story Now! Now from the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts for change in every aspect of our […]

2020 Halloween Gala workshop: Creating Original Ghost Stories with Cynthia Rintye

Creating Original Ghost Stories with Cynthia Rintye How did I come to teach a workshop on ghost stories? Well, I certainly had no intention of becoming an expert on spooky tales or paranormal experiences. Then again, I had no intention of becoming the Queen of England, a professional Segway rider, or a teenage zombie trainer.  […]

HALLOWEEN GALA: The Adult Shows

HALLOWEEN GALA: The Adult Shows Some Reflections from JEFF GERE NSN Gala Planning Committee Alton Chung said it best: “I’m tired of going to spooky shows that are not spooky.” So here are the most twisted, supernatural, and disturbing tales we could fine. Lovers of horror, you will be pleased. Your guide on this journey […]

2020 Halloween Gala Kids Shows

HALLOWEEN GALA: The KIDS Shows Some Reflections from JEFF GERE NSN Gala Planning Committee KIDS SHOWS in the AFTERNOONS The committee agreed: start with preschool chills, and grow more scary and tense for the older kids. Oh yes, get more spooky, but be fun. I think we’ve succeeded with some really great performances here. So […]

NSN’s 2020 Halloween Gala Tellers!

The HOUR of REVELATION is HERE! The Programming Committee is thrilled to announce NSN’s 2020 Halloween Gala Tellers! Oct 30: MISCHIEF NIGHT Haunted Story Slam (6pm Central US Time) YOU! Prepare your best 5-min true personal “Haunted” story & throw your name in the hat! Storied Costume Contest (8pm Central US Time) YOU! (Again!) Don […]

Story Now Interview: Joe Herrington

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education. STORY NOW! Interview Series The theme of our 2019 annual conference was Story Now! Now! From the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts […]

Story Now Interview: Jerome Deroy with Narativ and Jules Ryan with J Ryan Partners, Be engaged at work

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education. STORY NOW! Interview Series The theme of our 2019 annual conference was Story Now! Now! From the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts […]

Storytelling is not just entertainment. It’s a fundamental part of being human

CBC.CA   March 29, 2020 Stories let us share information in a way that creates an emotional connection. They help us to understand that information and each other, and it makes the information memorable. Because stories create an emotional connection, we can gain a deeper understanding of other people’s experiences. That not only helps us to […]

Story Now Interview: Living Proof Advocacy, Tim Cage and John Capecci

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education. STORY NOW! Interview Series The theme of our 2019 annual conference was Story Now! Now! From the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts […]

Our fiction addiction: why humans need stories

BBC.com   May 3, 2018 Today, the average adult is still thought to spend at least 6% of the waking day engrossed in fictional stories on our various screens. From an evolutionary point of view, that would be an awful lot of time and energy to expend on pure escapism, but psychologists and literary theorists have […]

Kevin Cordi

Challenges to Those Who Respond with Story – A Call Out to Storytellers

By Kevin Cordi Challenges to Those Who Respond with Story – A Call Out to Storytellers One must continually reflect when they chose to take on the ‘mantle of storyteller’ or decide to use stories in their work and daily life. For over 25 years, I work to honor this mantle. This includes not only […]

Story Now Interview: Jackie & Papa Wright, Jr. – St. Louis, Missouri

At the National Storytelling Network, our mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy, and education. STORY NOW! Interview Series The theme of our 2019 annual conference was Story Now! Now! From the boardroom to the classroom, and the page to the stage, personal stories and folktales are catalysts […]

Special lunch connects refugees, Amish, and communities with storytelling

CBS 21  December 14, 2019 Lancaster City was named the 6th “Welcoming City” in the U.S. this past September. As part of the Pennsylvania Refugee Resettlement program, 401 asylum seekers now call Lancaster home. And while Lancaster has many Amish families who have lived there for many generations, there’s not a lot of mixing between […]

South Korea trains grandmothers to become professional storytellers

ABC News | December 28, 2019 By Hakyung Kate Lee The country has launched a program to nurture female seniors as storytellers. SEOUL, South Korea — Park Jeonghee, 64, donned a traditional Korean dress embroidered with tiny flowers and sat down in front of a class of preschoolers. Children gathered around her, their eyes twinkling […]

How Storytelling Can Help Young Doctors Become More Resilient

Harvard Business Review | October 16, 2018 by Jessica Zitter, MD, MPH I recently stood in front of a group of emergency room residents at my hospital and asked an unusual question. “Has any of you ever judged your attending physician for not trying hard enough to save a patient’s life?” Then I looked around […]

The economy could use more storytellers

Marketplace | October 21, 2019 by Bennett Purser and Kai Ryssdal College degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) are seen as lucrative, reliable path to a career. But an uptick in STEM majors since the financial crisis means English majors are down 25.5%, which appears to be worrying some economic leaders. That’s because […]

The Role of the Artist in the Age of Trump

The Atlantic   December 2019 by Lin-Manuel Miranda “ll art is political. In tense, fractious times—like our current moment—all art is political. But even during those times when politics and the future of our country itself are not the source of constant worry and anxiety, art is still political. Art lives in the world, and we […]

Moved by immigration crisis, mime opens up about his journey to Maine

Portland Press Herald, Maine    September 8, 2019 As an immigrant from Brazil and a US citizen for 18 years, storyteller and mime Antonia Rocha hopes to show people there’s nothing to fear. Rocha treats his stories as bridges of understanding, and tells school kids he works with, “When you encounter something different – an […]

How To Persuade An Audience That Thinks It Knows Everything

Forbes   September 8, 2019 First, acknowledge your audience’s point of view. People aren’t ready to hear anything disagreeable until they feel heard by having their ideas repeated back to them. Second, ask your audience to take you through the process of how they came to their point of view. This will probably reveal things they […]

New Podcast from Wayne State Features Stories of Iraqi Students Studying in Detroit

WDET Detroit’s NPR Station  Sept. 4, 2019 The storytelling podcast was part of the student’s three week leadership exchange program and gives an insight into the students’ world. Twenty one Iraqi college students came to Wayne State for three weeks over the summer to learn about American culture and democracy. They were here as part of […]

Many Faces – Many Stories returns to inspire community conversation

White Bear Press, White Bear, MN  Sept. 4, 2019 For the third year, the Many Faces – Many Stories collaboration returns to build community through storytelling. After exploring the history of the many groups of people who have called the White Bear Lake area home during the previous academic year, this year’s events will invite people […]

N.C. Black Storytellers enchant the audience at the National Black Theatre Festival

The Chronicle   August 9, 2019   Recently the N.C. Association of Black Storytellers event at the National Black Theatre Festival delighted their audience, from the  young children to the older adults. The North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers, Inc., (NCABS) a part of the National Black Storytellers Association, has the goal of keeping alive the […]

Teens Using the Gift of Gab for Action

Hemophilia New Today   June 21, 2019 A group of teens from a local bleeding disorders organization, HACA, (Hemophilia Association of the Capital Area, greater Washington, D.C.) , have stories to share as advocates for themselves or their siblings who have hemophilia. They worked with the StoryCorps app to bring their stories to life. StoryCorps gave them a […]

Blackfoot Oral Stories Database brought to life by ii’ taa’poh’to’p grant

UToday, University of Calgary   June 24, 2019 In the Blackfoot tradition, stories are shared as a way to document history and to teach important life lessons. Siksika Elder and Horn Society member Natóóhkitopi Fred Breaker tells us, “Our culture is centred around an oral tradition, and our people learn orally, through storytelling. The stories were […]

Program of teens’ stories focus of new book

Times Union, Albany, NY   May 24, 2019 Since 2006, Children at the Well (C@W  http://www.childrenatthewell.org ) has brought teens from the Capital Region of New York State together to share their stories. Now the group has published a book so other educators and organizations can incorporate storytelling into their worlds using the C@W method. “Our […]

At Gilead Church in Chicago, storytelling is central to worship

The Christian Century  April 9, 2019 Rebecca Anderson, a Disciples of Christ pastor, got an idea after attending a packing Moth event: ‘Do we not have a true story to tell in community?’” The former stand-up comic did her booming preacher impression when describing that epiphany. The insight eventually led to Anderson joining with her […]

Volunteers with an ear for stories sought

March 28, 2019  The Westminster Window, Englewood, Colorado Northglenn High School’s STEM program is looking for 14 volunteers from the community who have a knack for storytelling and the time to listen to a group of 10th graders’ tales. STEM Coordinator Leslie Foster said the volunteers will come into the school to help judge podcasts […]

Seniors took the stage at Gonzaga University’s third annual Story Slam

March 26, 2019   The Gonzaga Bulletin On March 25, Gonzaga University Story Slam presented six stories under the theme ‘loose change’ to a packed audience in Wolff Auditorium. The student speakers offered snippets of privilege, depression, danger and even a moment to reflect on bigger issues. Past storyteller GU senior, Ethan Kane from the ‘swoon’ […]

How Inuit Parents Teach Kids To Control Their Anger

March 13, 2019  NPR Back in the 1960s, a Harvard graduate student made a landmark discovery about the nature of human anger. At age 34, Jean Briggs traveled above the Arctic Circle and lived out on the tundra for 17 months. Briggs persuaded an Inuit family to “adopt” her and “try to keep her alive,” […]

Denver Launches an Office of Storytelling. Here’s the Backstory.

Westword | March 25, 2019 | by Kyle Harris What’s the story behind the Office of Storytelling? On March 21, Mayor Michael Hancock launched Denver’s Office of Storytelling, headed by the city’s new Chief Storyteller, who just happens to be a former Hancock aide. The move comes in the middle of election season, when a […]

Amplifying voices: The SEAD Project uses storytelling to capture history

MINNPost  February 21, 2019 In Southeast Asian Americans’ schools, the stories they heard from their parents and grandparents growing up were almost never noted in their history textbooks. The experiences of Southeast Asian communities are often forgotten,  particularly the history of the Vietnam War. “It seemed like, growing up, all of these stories that I heard […]

StoryCorps And TPR Invite You To Take ‘One Small Step’

Texas Public Radio  February 25, 2019 TPR is joining with StoryCorps to bring together folks on opposite sides of the political aisle to have a conversation to learn more about each other, and our hopes for the future. StoryCorps founder Dave Isay says, “Our dream, which is lofty, is to try and convince the country that […]

Ditch the grammar and teach children storytelling instead

The Guardian, New York, NY   May 19, 2017 By Tim Lott   Writing stories is a craft that is crucial for life. And if the government insists, you can test it, measure it and use it in commerce, too A report in the Times has quoted a secondary school teacher who complained that their year […]

What does membership provide?

By Patricia Coffie What does membership provide? Payback on what you invest. When members cease to invest time and talent as well as money, organizations die. I am currently a member of a family group, two historical societies, a storytellers’ guild, a regional storytelling organization (five states and the others too), a national storytelling organization, […]

Art and storytelling event gives voice to local homeless community

The Michigan Daily, Ann Arbor, MI    November 11, 2018   The Washtenaw Housing Alliance and Shelter Association of Washtenaw County hosted the second-ever Voices of Homelessness event Friday evening in Ypsilanti, inviting community members to share their experiences with homelessness through art and storytelling. The speak-out was intended to spread awareness about homelessness and connect displaced people to […]

Job skills gain as Bridgeport tells its stories

Stamford Advocate, Stamford, CT    November 13, 2018   Podcaster Dayna Lindo wants to change the narrative of her community, Bridgeport, CT. “The podcast is dedicated to telling the untold stories of Bridgeport and humanizing our collective experience,” Lindo said. “My goal is to increase Bridgeport citizens’ pride in themselves and our city by changing […]

You Are a Storyteller

The Epoch Times   October 26, 2018 By Jim Weiss   “I’d like to introduce you to two friends of mine. Their names are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.” That’s how I feel when I begin to tell a story. I consider these characters friends of mine, and I take great pleasure in introducing them to […]

Keeping art of storytelling alive

The Chronicle   November 9, 2018 By Rini Jeffers VERMILION — Since the beginning of mankind, the art of storytelling has been a tradition, a socialization, a teaching tool, entertainment and a means of keeping history alive. But it is an art that seems to be slipping away, says professional storyteller Donna Kuczynski. An Amherst resident […]

Yeager symposium features Adam Booth to talk about Appalachia

The Parthenon   October 18, 2018 By Douglas Harding World-renowned storyteller, musician and West Virginia native Adam Booth participated in a Yeager Symposium and open dialogue with Marshall University students and Huntington residents Wednesday, Oct.17 at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center Playhouse. Booth discussed Appalachian dialects and accents and how they can enhance storytelling. An […]

The power of story

Isthmus   October 18, 2018 By Catherine Capellaro Nestor Gomez says he is the last person you’d expect to see sharing personal stories in front of a large crowd. “I used to stutter badly,” says Gomez, one of 10 storytellers who will perform at the annual Moth GrandSLAM Championship on Oct. 19 at the Barrymore Theatre. “My mother […]

Here:Say brings storytellers, community together

Traverse City Record Eagle   October 12, 2018 By Brooke Kansier TRAVERSE CITY — A few minutes idling in the driveway end Matthew Soderquist’s daily commute. They’re the most gripping part of his week. The Vanderbilt resident and avid listener of “The Moth,” a storytelling radio program, can’t get enough of a good tale. It’s what drew […]

The Art – and Power – of Storytelling

EverythingBrevard.com   October 12, 2018 By Lee Nessel Storytelling is powerful. It is among our earliest forms of communication, the original encyclopedia and the first form of school. To this day, it’s how we share history, exchange ideas and stimulate our imagination. Storytelling has evolved, yet stayed the same. Surely you’ve heard about the importance of storytelling […]

Pulitzer-Prize Winning Author Speaks about Oral Tradition in Storytelling

The Dickinsonian   October 11, 2018 By Cristian Tineo Dickinson and Carlisle community members danced in a circle to the beat of a drum at the behest of Pulitzer Prize-winning author N. Scott Momaday, who gave a talk on campus about the importance of oral tradition. Momaday‘s talk on Saturday, Oct. 6 explored themes of imagination and […]

The lone storytelling ranger, Retired Forest Services worker recounts days gone by

The Mining Journal   October 10, 2018 By Corey Kelly MARQUETTE — Pete Griffin, the Storytelling Ranger, spoke in front of a warm fire to a crowd in the Heritage Room of the Peter White Public Library Monday evening. Griffin told stories about the natural world, and the human one, by incorporating his experiences of growing up […]

Tales well-told, Taos Storytelling Festival launches 19th season of great fables

The Taos News   October 11, 2018 By Tempo staff The way a story is told makes all the difference. It can simply entertain or help put a toddler to sleep, but when a story grabs you and pulls you into its world, engrossed in all its drama, comedy or pathos, it’s a story well- told. Stories […]

Novel approach to medical care? Docs trained in storytelling

WTOP   October 10, 2018 By Rachel Nania WASHINGTON — There is no denying that cutting-edge equipment and pharmaceutical breakthroughs can help save lives — but so can a doctor trained in storytelling. Dr. Rita Charon is a Harvard-trained internist who practices general medicine. She is also a literary scholar who earned her Ph.D. studying the works […]

International Meeting Gathers Storytellers From The World

Telesurtv.net   October 9, 2018 Spoken word narrators from eight different countries will gather in Lima, capital of Peru, in the VII International Meeting of Oral Storytellers “Blessed be the word”, informed EFE referencing the North American Peruvian Cultural Institute (ICPNA), organizer of the. “Blessed be the word” will go from the 13th to the 20th of […]

“Women Speak” Immigrant Stories: In Their Own Words

Saratoga.com Saratoga Springs, NY October 30, 2018 This month’s immigrant storytellers share one thing in common: they’re all women. Coming from different areas of the globe, with widely divergent traditions and expectations, they have all made a new life in the United States. The personal stories they’ll share tonight will reflect on how being a woman shaped […]

The storytellers of Vermont

CBS News   April 23, 2018 By JEREMY BRADLEY Slow down. Talk. Listen. In a world of partisan politics and viral videos these concepts can feel like relics of a bygone era. But something’s happening in Vermont. In the hip art houses of Burlington, at serene coffee shops outside Montpelier and in cozy wooden theaters of rural […]

Kids have a howling good time at library

Port Clinton News Herald  September 10, 2018 MARBLEHEAD – The story of four aging farm animals who run away to become musicians came to life on Saturday when children got to play the parts of the animals —a rooster, cat, dog and donkey — in an interactive storytelling presentation of “The Bremen Town Musicians” at […]

Why adults are telling stories on stage

Times of India   October 7, 2018 Written by Ketaki Desai Priti Mutha was already struggling with post-partum depression when her father passed away unexpectedly. Her mind was full of thoughts she wanted to share but she had no one to talk to about. That’s when she came across The Narrative, a live and personal storytelling show based […]

Story Slam Grand Finale Coming to Meaford Hall

The Meaford Independent   October 3, 2018 Written by Bill Monahan On November 3, the Meaford Culture Foundation will be presenting “an authentic entertainment experience ranging from the heartwarming to the hilarious,” with the Georgian Bay Story Slam Grand Finale. It represents the culmination of a series of Story Slams that have been held in small venues around […]

‘Suitcase Stories’ Puts Resettled Refugees On Manchester Stage

New Hampshire Public Radio  September 28, 2018 A live storytelling event called “Suitcase Stories,”organized by the International Institute of New England, which resettles refugees in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, will have seven NH refugees telling their own stories. One of them, Ageth Okeny, who fled Sudan with her kids to a refugee camp in Egypt before coming […]

Living Books Tell Their Stories On Saturday at Fayetteville Public Library

Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette  September 7, 2018 18 local residents will be part of the first Human Library event in Northwest Arkansas, based on programs run twenty years ago in Denmark. Organizer Katherine Ganoung says that the Human Library is a chance to bring “storytelling power back to those who lived out their story every day […]

Storytelling connects children with history, families and each other

Miami Herald     August 31, 2018 Summary Few things bond a family more than shared tales and experiences. Not only is storytelling fun — who doesn’t love hearing about the good-natured scrapes a parent got into when they were their age or what life was like in the “olden” days for grandma — but the […]

‘Circle Round’ Receives $30,000 Grant From The Henry Luce Foundation

August 16, 2018 WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, has received a $30,000 Henry Luce Foundation grant to support Circle Round, a storytelling podcast for children ages 4 to 10. The funds will support the creation of multiple episodes of the podcast’s second season. “Across centuries and geographic boundaries, traditions of storytelling have created connection, preserved history and […]

Back of the Yards residents want to tell positive stories of their neighborhood

Chicago, IL  August 3, 2018 Mayra Hernandez (Center-Left) and Gina Ramirez (Center-Right) tell personal stories about the Back of the Yards neighborhood | Manny Ramos/Sun-Times | Manny Ramos/Sun-Times Mayra Hernandez glowed with pleasure when she remembered flying a plastic grocery bag kite from her bedroom window as a little girl. “I would throw it out the […]

New ACLU Storytelling Program at TSU to Train Advocates for Criminal Justice Reform

Houston, TX  August 2, 2018 The ACLU and Texas Southern University (TSU) are joining together to tackle criminal justice reform by fostering storytellers — a first of its kind storytelling bureau in the U.S.A. The program will train students who have been impacted by the criminal justice system how to tell their stories in public forums such as the state […]

Dastangoi: Art of ancient storytelling finds a new audience

The Times of India     August 12, 2018 Summary At a small eatery in the city, a niche group has gathered to hear stories. A dastango is spinning yarn with subjects as ddiverse as love, philosophy, wars, deceit or just fantasy. This is the world of Dastangoi — the art of storytelling which was popular in […]

The danger of a single story

TEDGlobal 2009     July, 2009 Summary People and cultures are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

‘Born This Way’ storytelling event in northern India

Bhopal, Utter Pradesh, Northern India,     July 9, 2018 Summary Bhopal Pride at Baithak – The Art House created a safe space for people to express themselves re. their sex, gender sexuality and the difference between them. A participant Chandni said, “Defining humans is the worst thing we can do. Let’s not look at anyone with the […]

New York State Fair holds first storytelling competition

WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY,     July 7, 2018 Summary For the first time, the New York State Fair will have a two-day storytelling event, on Friday and Saturday, August 31 and September 1. Friday night’s event will be a competition called The Great New York State Story Slam, in which 10 people will be chosen randomly.  They will […]

‘Stories on the Square’ returns in July

Tahlequah Daily Press,     June 30, 2018 Summary Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism is offering free, family-friendly storytelling events on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in July. Stories on the Square attendees get free admission to the Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum, Cherokee National Prison Museum, John Ross Museum and Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum after the program. Click […]

Storytelling event connects community across cultures

Moab Sun News,     June 28, 2018 Summary Five local storytellers share diverse performances at Moab Valley Multicultural Center’s (MVMC) brand-new event “Dialogues of Diversity: Multicultural Stories of Strength.” Each will share their stories of ‘being new’ — coming to Moab or the United States from a foreign country. “I hope that their stories offer […]

Story Summit: A Night of Gainesville’s Best Storytelling

Gainesville Scene,     June 4, 2018 Summary There are three storytelling organizations in Gainesville which produce monthly personal storytelling events: Self Narrate, the Conch and Guts & Glory While people often assume these groups are in competition with each other, Self Narrate’s director Brandon Telg said: “We all want to see each other succeed, and we all believe in what each […]

BBC Ouch wants your stories for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

BBC News      May 21, 2018 Summary For the third year, BBC is asking people with disabilities to submit their personal stories for possible telling at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Those selected will work with a top comedy script producer, then perform their story at the Festival. The topic this year is “Going Out”. […]

Pen in Hand: Storytelling with Luther Girado: the last male fluent speaker shares his language

Tehachapi News      May 6, 2018 Summary There are only two fluent Nuwä (Kawaiisu or Paiute)  speakers left on Earth:  Luther Girado and his sister Lucille Girado Hicks.  the Girados are the last people who will ever be raised in an Indian household were Nuwä is the only language spoken. They grew up in Walker Basin […]

We Survive by Telling Stories

On Being      May 14, 2018 Summary   Generational storytelling is survival. It is a preservation of history and a dire act as we witness erasure in textbooks and watch our history recounted by those who tell our stories but have never lived in our skin or embodied the blood of our stories.

Meridian-area teachers learn the power of storytelling

The Meridian Star       February 20, 2018 By Robbie Ward Summary Laughter, smiles, gestures and other connections sparked during a storytelling program Tuesday will likely result in more of the same. Much of the storytelling came from Wisconsin storyteller, author and musician Stuart Stotts, also a certified teaching artist with the John F. […]

Stories of Immigration – A Public Storyteller Special

WLRN       April 25, 2018 Summary South Florida — The Public Storyteller is a radio show sharing  true stories of life in South Florida as well as featuring  performances by professional storytellers. It airs Sundays, 4 pm EST on www.wirn.org or 91.3 FM and 91.5 FM in South Florida. The hosts are Caren S. […]

Story Works Alaska allows youth to find their voice

KTVA.com The Voice of Alaska    April 9, 2018 Summary ANCHORAGE, AK — Since 2014, more than 1,500 students at high schools in Anchorage and Unalakleet have learned to tell their personal stories as part of Story Works Alaska.     “The students get to work on and share these stories,” Bartlett High School English teacher […]

Artist Collects Stories From the Hearts of Syrians

Al-Fanar Media   April 8, 2018 Summary LONDON — Since 2013, Spanish artist and filmmaker Juan delGado has been collecting and publishing the personal stories of Syrian people, both those still in Syria as well as those who have fled. The goal of the project—whose Arabic name, Qisetna, means “our stories”—is to create a record of the experiences of […]

Indigenous storyteller at Vancouver Public Library shares city’s lesser known tales

CBC News   March 30, 2018 Summary   Since 2008, Vancouver Public Library has had an Indigenous storyteller in residence who uses storytelling to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. This year, T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss, an artist and ethno-botanist, who studies plants and their traditional uses, has been selected. Wyss plans to research her own family’s heritage as […]

Revealing a Personal Story

Worcester Polytechnic Institute   March 23, 2018 Summary Dear World visited Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) this week. At WPI, approximately 180 students, faculty, and staff participated in personal story workshops, first solo writing, then pairing together to distill each story into a few significant words. Those words were then written on the person’s skin. Then a portrait […]

Residents invited to share stories of discrimination to begin change

My Statesman   March 17, 2018 Summary Using storytelling to help heal racial discord, the Truth and Reconciliation Oral History Project invites Austin residents of color to share their personal experiences of racial discrimination in a safe place. A goal is to elicit compassion via these stories. State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, shares his experience at […]

TED Talks on Storytelling

This list was created by Marilyn McPhie . She will include it as part of her upcoming workshop in San Diego in April on “How to Do a TED Talk.” This workshop is  based on her many experiences: giving a TEDx talk, presenting at a TEDx Salon, being part of a TEDx organizing committee, and attending more […]

What everyone can learn from immigrants’ personal stories

Boston Globe Magazine   March 7, 2018 Summary   Cheryl Hamilton, co-director of Massmouth and director of partner engagement at the International Institute of New England, a refugee resettlement agency, launched Suitcase Stories, a traveling live performance series and social media campaign, in March 2017. Her goal is to offer opposing information about immigrants and refugees, […]

In a digital era live storytelling is bringing people closer together

Boston Globe Magazine   March 7, 2018 Summary Nine monthly storytelling events in the greater Boston area plus the new PBS World Channel / Massmouth TV production “Stories from the Stage” are highlighted in this article. Some of these shows sell out. Massmouth co-founder Norah Dooley explains this popularity: People come because “story is an essential […]

Homeless shelter director starts a storytelling group

The State Journal-Register  February 25, 2018 Summary Last year, Erica Smith, executive director at Helping Hands of Springfield homeless shelter and an actress in local community theater, created a storytelling group in Springfield, IL. She stated her initial goals: “I would like to have regular performances with high quality stories and involve as many people […]

African-American folklore inspires meeting of the minds

The Harvard Gazette  February 5, 2018 Summary “The Annotated African American Folktales,” is a collaboration between Harvard scholars Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar. Published by the Norton imprint Liveright in November, the book was recently honored with an NAACP Image Award for outstanding literary achievement. The authors were interviewed together, discussing their collaboration as well […]

Beyond Labels: Bridging Differences Through Storytelling

TEDxWilmingtonSalon  December 2017 Summary When Israeli-born Noa Baum moved to the U.S. and unexpectedly formed a friendship with a Palestinian woman, she realized the importance of listening to the story of the “other” – even if that other is the enemy. She discovered that storytelling transforms perceptions, and from that epiphany Noa shares how she […]

Detroit’s first chief storyteller says city’s narrative must be diverse, inclusive

 Detroit Free Press   August 13, 2017 Summary Appointed earlier in 2017 by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, former journalist Aaron Foley is Detroit’s first chief storyteller. He has edited a new book,  The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook, a collection of poems, essays and a short story written by past and present Detroiters. Its goal is to introduce readers to many neighborhoods in […]

The Crying Hour: In an Unorthodox Team-Building Exercise, Bills Players Share Their Life Stories

Sports Illustrated  December 1, 2017 Summary: Last spring, the new Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott started a new tradition: ending many team meeting with a player telling a personal story about his upbringing, his motivation, his influences, what’s most important to him. The first player to tell his story, veteran tackle Jordan Mills said, “It’s […]

Storytelling program helps teens overcome adversity

Chicago Tribune,   December 24, 2017 Summary: Story Squad, a storytelling program of the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s Youth Safety and Violence Prevention (YSVP) initiative, empowers youth to channel their experiences through personal stories that are shared within their community and throughout the world. After a public showcase with about 100 friends and family members of program […]

Storytellers Project wins top honors at INMA World Congress

Storytellers Project wins top honors at INMA World Congress USA TODAY (McLean, VA) , May 25, 2016 Summary: On Tuesday, Megan Finnerty walked across a stage at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum to pick up an award for the storytelling program she helped found at the Arizona Republic four years ago. The Arizona Storytellers Project […]

Learn About Storytelling Project ‘We Listen’

Penn State Beaver (Monaca, PA), January 27, 2016 Summary: Penn State Beaver is launching the university-wide storytelling project called We Listen. We Listen creates intentional spaces for members of the Penn State community to share their stories of lived experiences and listen to the experiences of others. The stories are then recorded, collected and shared. […]

Learn about storytelling project ‘We Listen’

Penn State Beaver (Monaca, PA) , January 27, 2016 Summary: Penn State Beaver is launching the university-wide storytelling project called We Listen. We Listen creates intentional spaces for members of the Penn State community to share their stories of lived experiences and listen to the experiences of others. The stories are then recorded, collected and […]

Arizona High School Students Forge Special Bonds With Seniors Through Storytelling

KJZZ.ORG (Tempe, AZ), December 22, 2015 Summary: As Christmas approaches many Valley seniors find themselves alone and detached, but at one local high school students are pairing up with seniors to tell their stories and link the generations in a unique learning experience. A group of 15 students were paired with senior companions as part […]

Arizona High School Students Forge Special Bonds With Seniors Through Storytelling

KJZZ.ORG (Tempe, AZ), December 22, 2015 Summary: As Christmas approaches many Valley seniors find themselves alone and detached, but at one local high school students are pairing up with seniors to tell their stories and link the generations in a unique learning experience. A group of 15 students were paired with senior companions as part […]

Twisted storytellers partner to bring stories that tackle race

Atlanta Daily World (Atlanta, Georgia) , September 8, 2015 Summary: One Macomb and Welcoming Michigan will partner with The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers (TSSOTS) to tackle race and cultural diversity through the art and craft of storytelling. TSSOTS is a winner of the Detroit Knight Arts Challenge, which funds projects that engage and enrich […]

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survivors Pass Their Stories to a New Generation

The New York Times (New York, NY), August 5, 2015 Summary: HIROSHIMA, Japan — Hiromi Hasai was being trained to make machine gun bullets when the flash from the atomic bomb that destroyed his city lit up the already bright morning sky. Just 14, he had been pulled from school a week before to help […]

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survivors Pass Their Stories to a New Generation

The New York Times (New York, NY), August 5, 2015 Summary: HIROSHIMA, Japan — Hiromi Hasai was being trained to make machine gun bullets when the flash from the atomic bomb that destroyed his city lit up the already bright morning sky. Just 14, he had been pulled from school a week before to help […]

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survivors Pass Their Stories to a New Generation

The New York Times (New York, NY) , August 5, 2015 Summary: HIROSHIMA, Japan — Hiromi Hasai was being trained to make machine gun bullets when the flash from the atomic bomb that destroyed his city lit up the already bright morning sky. Just 14, he had been pulled from school a week before to […]

Storytelling is Now Part of the International Day of Peace

Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation (New York, NY) , October 1, 2014 Summary: We are pleased to introduce you to Ms. Velma Mukoro, 24, of Nairobi, Kenya, and her award-winning story presented at the International Day of Peace this year. Our thanks go to the International Storytelling Center Executive Director, Kiran Singh Sirah and Ms. Mukoro […]

Oral Fixation project brings stories by immigrants to stage at the Dallas Museum of Art

Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX), June 17, 2014   Summary: Eight people will be performing at the special Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) Late Night edition of the storytelling series “Oral Fixation (An Obsession With True Life Tales).” The show is sold out, but Stewart expects some seats to become available that evening. Videos of […]

Oral Fixation project brings stories by immigrants to stage at the Dallas Museum of Art

Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX) , June 17, 2014 Summary: Eight people will be performing at the special Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) Late Night edition of the storytelling series “Oral Fixation (An Obsession With True Life Tales).” The show is sold out, but Stewart expects some seats to become available that evening. Videos of […]

The Tale of Two Schools

New York Times Magazine (New York, NY), May 4, 2014 Summary: Fieldston and University Heights are in the same borough but worlds apart. How much understanding between their students can a well-told story bring? University Heights High School is on St. Anns Avenue in the South Bronx, which is part of the poorest congressional district […]

The Tale of Two Schools

New York Times Magazine (New York, NY) , May 4, 2014 Summary: Fieldston and University Heights are in the same borough but worlds apart. How much understanding between their students can a well-told story bring? University Heights High School is on St. Anns Avenue in the South Bronx, which is part of the poorest congressional […]

Scientists Study Why Stories Exist

Wall Street Journal (New York, NY), April 4, 2014 Summary: We human beings spend hours each day telling and hearing stories. We always have. Why? At a fascinating workshop at Stanford last month called “The Science of Stories” scientists and scholars talked about why reading Harlequin romances may make you more empathetic, about how ten-year-olds […]

Scientists Study Why Stories Exist

Wall Street Journal (New York, NY) , April 4, 2014 Summary: We human beings spend hours each day telling and hearing stories. We always have. Why? At a fascinating workshop at Stanford last month called “The Science of Stories” scientists and scholars talked about why reading Harlequin romances may make you more empathetic, about how […]

The new Jews of L.A.: A Muslim-Jewish partnership breaks new ground in Los Angeles

Haaretz (Tel Aviv, Israel) , March 5, 2014 Summary: Even in the easygoing, laid-back environment of modern-day Los Angeles, bringing Muslims and Jews together to talk about the Arab-Israeli conflict is viewed as playing with fire. For decades, “the Muslim-Jewish dialogue that existed in L.A. only took place at the leadership level, among a handful […]

The Tin Can Tales

Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL), November 14, 2013 Summary: Tin Can Tales, a new series of intimate storytelling events featuring community members including University of Alabama students, faculty members, writers and others, begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Bama Theatre’s Greensboro Room. Each tale-teller will share experiences in first-person narrative, with each installment of the […]

The Tin Can Tales

Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, AL) , November 14, 2013 Summary: Tin Can Tales, a new series of intimate storytelling events featuring community members including University of Alabama students, faculty members, writers and others, begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Bama Theatre’s Greensboro Room. Each tale-teller will share experiences in first-person narrative, with each installment of […]

Digital Storytelling Workshop Records Passions for Justice

The Denver Post (Denver, CO), October 5, 2013 Summary: There were no placards or megaphones at this civil and human-rights workshop, just people telling the stories that galvanized their passion for justice. “In working together and knowing each other’s stories, that’s how we can effect change,” said Gabriela Flora, Project Voice regional organizer at the […]

Digital Storytelling Workshop Records Passions for Justice

The Denver Post (Denver, CO), October 5, 2013 Summary: There were no placards or megaphones at this civil and human-rights workshop, just people telling the stories that galvanized their passion for justice. “In working together and knowing each other’s stories, that’s how we can effect change,” said Gabriela Flora, Project Voice regional organizer at the Denver […]

Digital Storytelling Workshop Records Passions for Justice

The Denver Post (Denver, CO) , October 5, 2013 Summary: There were no placards or megaphones at this civil and human-rights workshop, just people telling the stories that galvanized their passion for justice. “In working together and knowing each other’s stories, that’s how we can effect change,” said Gabriela Flora, Project Voice regional organizer at […]

Community Storytelling Project: Building Relationships Through Stories

Twin Cities Daily Planet (Minneapolis, MN) , August 15, 2013 Summary: This fall, there will be a series of informal storytelling sessions happening in Seward based around themes such as cooking, gardening, and identity. The sessions, organized by the Seward Neighborhood Group and the Twin Cities Media Alliance in partnership with Common Bond and Spokes […]

NPR’s Mobile Storytelling Unit Makes a Stop in Boise

Idaho Statesman (Boise, ID), June 11, 2013 Summary: Marilyn Shuler, 73, told the story of her life Monday to a NPR recording team that travels the country, allowing people to create a lasting record of the events of their lives. The StoryCorps mobile recording unit, set up in an Airstream trailer, will sit outside of […]

NPR’s Mobile Storytelling Unit Makes a Stop in Boise

Idaho Statesman (Boise, ID) , June 11, 2013 Summary: Marilyn Shuler, 73, told the story of her life Monday to a NPR recording team that travels the country, allowing people to create a lasting record of the events of their lives. The StoryCorps mobile recording unit, set up in an Airstream trailer, will sit outside […]

NPR’s Mobile Storytelling Unit Makes a Stop in Boise

Idaho Statesman (Boise, ID) , June 11, 2013 Summary: Marilyn Shuler, 73, told the story of her life Monday to a NPR recording team that travels the country, allowing people to create a lasting record of the events of their lives. The StoryCorps mobile recording unit, set up in an Airstream trailer, will sit outside […]

NPR’s Mobile Storytelling Unit Makes a Stop in Boise

Idaho Statesman (Boise, ID), June 11, 2013 Summary: Marilyn Shuler, 73, told the story of her life Monday to a NPR recording team that travels the country, allowing people to create a lasting record of the events of their lives. The StoryCorps mobile recording unit, set up in an Airstream trailer, will sit outside of […]

The Power Of Storytelling – How Telling Stories Created A Great School

Forbes (New York, NY) , October 15, 2012 Summary: At Prospect Sierra, a Changemaker School, storytelling is a tool for inclusion and a way to foster a great culture for learning. Britt Anderson and her colleagues at Prospect Sierra (PS) created This PS Life, a storytelling project for students, teachers, and staff at the San […]

The Power Of Storytelling – How Telling Stories Created A Great School

Forbes (New York, NY), October 15, 2012 Summary: At Prospect Sierra, a Changemaker School, storytelling is a tool for inclusion and a way to foster a great culture for learning. Britt Anderson and her colleagues at Prospect Sierra (PS) created This PS Life, a storytelling project for students, teachers, and staff at the San Francisco […]

Sikh Woman Balpreet Kaur Turns Cyber Bullying Incident into Inspiration

Yahoo.com, September 27, 2012 Summary: After someone snapped a photo of her and posted it on online, Balpreet Kaur was ridiculed for following the tenets of her Sikh faith. The photo was taken apparently without Kaur’s knowledge while she was waiting in line at the Ohio State University Library. In the photo, Kaur’s hair is […]

Sikh Woman Balpreet Kaur Turns Cyber Bullying Incident into Inspiration

Yahoo.com , September 27, 2012 Summary: After someone snapped a photo of her and posted it on online, Balpreet Kaur was ridiculed for following the tenets of her Sikh faith. The photo was taken apparently without Kaur’s knowledge while she was waiting in line at the Ohio State University Library. In the photo, Kaur’s hair […]

It’s Just Stories: Online Racial Justice Storytelling Festival Connects People Globally

NewCity Stage (Chicago, IL) , August 2, 2012 Summary: For Susan O’Halloran, professional storyteller and Chicago native, storytelling and racial justice have always been intertwined. O’Halloran grew up on the South Side in a time when public consensus still considered segregation a good thing. Her worldview, though, was crucially shaped by an early involvement with […]

Promoting Multiculturalism in Our Homes and Schools: It Starts with a Story

Huffington Post (New York, NY) , July 18, 2012 By John McCormick Summary: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, minorities represent almost one half of America’s population under the age of 5. This statistic portends a more ethnically diverse America, with new and growing populations playing more significant economic, social and political roles. Perhaps it’s […]

Promoting Multiculturalism in Our Homes and Schools: It Starts with a Story

Huffington Post (New York, NY), July 18, 2012 By John McCormick   Summary: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, minorities represent almost one half of America’s population under the age of 5. This statistic portends a more ethnically diverse America, with new and growing populations playing more significant economic, social and political roles. Perhaps it’s […]

Telling Folk Tales in Class Can Inspire Learners to Share Their Own Stories

Guardian Weekly (London, UK) , April 10, 2012 By David Heathfield Summary: Ten years ago I went from being a full-time English language teacher to becoming a professional storyteller and part-time teacher. Helping teachers to become classroom storytellers is a significant part of my work. Recently a teaching colleague had a go at telling a […]

Telling Folk Tales in Class Can Inspire Learners to Share Their Own Stories

Guardian Weekly (London, UK), April 10, 2012   Summary: by David Heathfield Ten years ago I went from being a full-time English language teacher to becoming a professional storyteller and part-time teacher. Helping teachers to become classroom storytellers is a significant part of my work. Recently a teaching colleague had a go at telling a […]

USA Network Catches ’em Young: Characters Unite Program Tours Los Angeles, Teaches Diversity

Variety (Los Angeles, CA) , February 13, 2012 Summary: USA Network has gone well beyond public service announcements with its Characters Unite initiative, which aims to promote tolerance and acceptance of people from diverse backgrounds. This year’s campaign has incorporated a national storytelling tour featuring notable figures, including some USA stars, sharing stories of their […]

Birmingham Mother Becomes Storytelling Laureate

Birmingham Mail (Birmingham, UK) , January 16, 2012 Summary: Katrice Horsley, aged 47 and from Kings Heath, had speech therapy lessons as a child. She is now a professional storyteller, with a repertoire of more than 350 stories from around the world. “I went from a childhood of being isolated because of a lack of […]

Birmingham Mother Becomes Storytelling Laureate

Birmingham Mail (Birmingham, UK), January 16, 2012   Summary: Katrice Horsley, aged 47 and from Kings Heath, had speech therapy lessons as a child. She is now a professional storyteller, with a repertoire of more than 350 stories from around the world. “I went from a childhood of being isolated because of a lack of […]

Dakota Have Stories to Tell, Culture to Share

The Free Press (Mankato, MN), January 8, 2012   Summary: The Blue Earth County Historical Society is presenting 12 monthly events aimed at helping southern Minnesota learn about Dakota culture. “Am I doing OK?” asked Joe Whitehawk, a Dakota, speaking to an almost exclusively white audience at the first event. Dave Larsen, a Dakota, said […]

Dakota Have Stories to Tell, Culture to Share

The Free Press (Mankato, MN) , January 8, 2012 Summary: The Blue Earth County Historical Society is presenting 12 monthly events aimed at helping southern Minnesota learn about Dakota culture. “Am I doing OK?” asked Joe Whitehawk, a Dakota, speaking to an almost exclusively white audience at the first event. Dave Larsen, a Dakota, said […]

Dakota Have Stories to Tell, Culture to Share

The Free Press (Mankato, MN), January 8, 2012 Summary: The Blue Earth County Historical Society is presenting 12 monthly events aimed at helping southern Minnesota learn about Dakota culture. “Am I doing OK?” asked Joe Whitehawk, a Dakota, speaking to an almost exclusively white audience at the first event. Dave Larsen, a Dakota, said he, […]

Vancouver Island Inuit Storyteller Inspired by Kids

The Victoria Times Colonist (Victoria, BC, Canada) , November 12, 2011 Summary: Before books, or even reading, should come the story, says Inuit storyteller and children’s author Michael Kusugak. It should be told in person, with lots of repetition, facial expressions and feedback from listeners, he says. “You can take these stories and write them […]

A Shared Humanity

Metroland (Albany, NY) , September 8, 2011 Summary: The mention of teen and tween YouTube videos likely conjures thoughts of hairbrush karaoke or daredevil stunts. It probably doesn’t evoke visions of a poised, charismatic young woman unfurling an evocative creation myth for a rapt audience composed of all ages, races and faiths. And yet, it’s […]

The Psychological Power of Storytelling

Psychology Today (New York, NY) , January 16, 2011 Summary: Stories are authentic human experiences. Stories leap frog the technology and bring us to the core of experience, as any good storyteller (transmedia or otherwise) knows. Our brains still respond to content by looking for the story to make sense out of the experience. No […]

All Life’s on Stage: Students, Residents Spin True Tales in College Series

Addison County Independent (Addison County, VT) , April 22, 2010 Summary: Professor Linus Owens tells a story about his family during a Middlebury Moth storytelling event last Thursday night. Middlebury Moth is inspired by The Moth Radio Hour, a nationally broadcast radio show that features true stories told by real people without scripts. Participants shared […]

New Take on Storytelling

Lancaster Guardian (Lancaster, UK) , February 11, 2010 Summary: A NEW scheme to bring books to life is being launched in Lancaster next week. The Living Libraries in Lancashire scheme gives visitors to the city’s library the chance to ‘borrow’ living books. The ‘books’ – who are actually volunteers from the district – will give […]

Senior Center Invites All: Come and Share Your Stories

The Herald of Randolph (Randolph, VT) , February 4, 2010 Summary: What’s more enjoyable than sharing your stories? And what’s a better way to build community than to hear other people’s stories? That’s the idea behind a new series of storytelling programs, called “Talking With,” sponsored by the Randolph Senior Center for the general public. […]

Red Feather Woman Weaves Native American Christmas Story for Eager Crowd at Museum

Estes Park Trail Gazette (Estes Park, CO) , December 11, 2009 Summary: “Storytelling is customary in the wintertime,” Red Feather Woman said. “There`s more time. Imagine this is my teepee. You`ve come together as a community to hear stories and songs. We`re all connected, everything — places, animals, people.” Rose Red Elk (Red Feather Woman) […]

Project Tells the Digital Story of Latino Culture

Spartan Daily (San Jose State Universtiy, CA), September 9, 2009 Summary: Students and members of the community gathered Wednesday night on campus to watch personal stories of triumph as part of the Latino Digital Storytelling Project. One of the stories was that of Maria Perez, an ex-first generation gang member. Her story described life growing […]

Project Tells the Digital Story of Latino Culture

Spartan Daily (San Jose State Universtiy, CA) , September 9, 2009 Summary: Students and members of the community gathered Wednesday night on campus to watch personal stories of triumph as part of the Latino Digital Storytelling Project. One of the stories was that of Maria Perez, an ex-first generation gang member. Her story described life […]

Cherokee Storyteller Shares Culture, Faith

Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas) , August 14, 2009 Summary: Kathy Lynn Copeland’s ancestors were Cherokee royalty, and her culture and her faith are something she has made it her life to share. “I feel like all my life it’s led up to this,” she said. “To many people you have two sides. It’s part of who you […]

Telling Stories, Building Bridges

Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest (IL) , June 2, 2009 Summary: Multi-cultural exchanges, such as a Kwanzaa celebration from a few years back, are common at Unity Temple. Interfaith dialogue is again on tap for this Saturday. Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), recalled that the […]

Oral History Class Preserves History, Promotes Community

Arizona State University News (Phoenix, AZ) , May 21, 2009 Summary: Save Our Stories (SOS) is a new Communication Studies degree course in Arizona State University’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. Designed to preserve the stories of a diverse community while teaching students communication skills and research applications, the SOS course is directed […]

Festival Connects Storytelling, Peace-building

Winnipeg Free Press (Winnipeg, Canada) , May 6, 2009 Summary: Yarns, myths, folk tales, legends, fables, historical narratives and just plain stories are being shared today through Saturday at the fourth annual Winnipeg International Storytelling Festival. The free festival is presented by the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice at St. Paul’s College, […]

Youngsters Enjoy a Special Story

The Shields Gazette (South Shields, UK) , April 15, 2008 Summary: As part of celebrations to mark World Storytelling Day, youngsters from St Bede’s RC Primary School, in Harold Street, Dunn Street Primary, in Staple Road, and Jarrow Cross CofE Primary, in Borough Road, were invited to Jarrow Library. Library assistant Carol Hall, the storyteller […]

Asian Pacific American Student Association Event Aims to Change Perceptions

Daily Trojan (Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA), March 4, 2008 Summary: The Asian Pacific American Student Association invited community members to speak about social justice and their struggles at “Stories from our Community” on Monday night. Daniel Wu, a sophomore majoring in international relations and APASA’s community chair, said […]

Storytelling Can Make a Difference in Conflict

The Times of India (New Delhi, India) , October 1, 2007 Summary: Sarah Kyankya is a writer- publisher at Fountain Publications, Kampala, Uganda’s largest publishing house. She was asked, “There is an ongoing conflict situation in Uganda. Can storytelling make a difference?” Kyankya replied, “The war has meant that the north of the country is […]

Literacy Project Involves Students, Community

The Appalachian (Appalachian State University, Boone, NC), September 13, 2007 Summary: The Blue Ridge Family Literacy Project, formerly known as the Appalachian Storytelling Project, recognizes the power of personal history and is using it as a tool to do so. Housed in the Reich College of Education, the program is now embarking upon its third […]

One Way to Close Culture Gap? Telling Tales

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL), September 6, 2007 Summary: Arif Choudhury is recounting a story from his childhood, a funny tale of what it was like to be the only Bangladeshi child growing up in his leafy neighborhood north of Chicago. Choudhury, age 5, is in a sandbox when a boy suddenly asks him, “Are you […]

Storytelling Added to Lakota Nation Invitational

Rapid City Journal (Rapid City, SD), July 23, 2007 Summary: A Lakota/Dakota storytelling competition has been added to the 31st annual Lakota Nation Invitational scheduled at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Dec. 19-22. “Holding the event during the LNI in December is particularly appropriate because among Indian tribes throughout America, winter is storytelling time,” […]

Stories Bring the World to City Fair

Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME), June 3, 2007 Summary: Indonesia native Ina Demers, who came to the United States in 1974, was one of eight individuals presenting “Journey Stories” as part of the first-ever Bayside International Fair and Market. She described to the crowd the oppression her family faced, being Chinese in Indonesia in the […]

Storytellers Tackle Modern Woes with Old Tales

Reuters.uk (UK), May 24, 2007 Summary: Ancient stories first told by the Aztecs and Sumerians are helping businesses and people in the age of the Internet to make sense of modern life. Professional storytellers like Dez Quarrell are using tales culled from cultures around the world to explain the conundrums of modern life for technology […]

Brown Bag Lunch Series Presents Traditional Stories and Storytelling

East Valley City News (Phoenix, AZ) , March 6, 2007 Summary: “Talking about Traditional Stories and Storytelling,” will be the topic at the free Faces of Diversity Brown Bag luncheon series noon to 1 p.m. Friday, March 16, at the Phoenix City Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson St. Kathy Collins will share traditional stories from Hawaii: stories […]

Building Community One Story at a Time

New Haven Independent (New Haven, CT), February 27, 2007 Summary: The Jamestown Project at Yale is holding storytelling sessions from now through June that will allow New Haveners to tell their stories, in hopes of building trust and community. Storyteller Catherine Conant created a warm and welcoming circle for those who came to the two-hour […]

New Experiences Created Through Old Tribal Stories

The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), March 19, 2006 Summary: Tim Terry Jr. dragged a white-painted finger from the corner of his eye to his cheek, hair feathers twirling in the breeze, as he told the ancient Pima story of creation. “We don’t have a word for love in our language,” Terry, a 40-year-old Pima, shared […]

Latino Vets of WWII Share Stories

The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), March 11, 2006 Summary: Ralph Chavarria sat next to his teenage grandson. The 91-year-old leaned on a cane and talked about his experiences as a World War II firefighter and crash-crew worker in the Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific. Ralph and 17-year-old Sean are close in large part through […]

Gathering Local Stories From Residential School Survivors

Opinion250 News (Prince George, British Columbia, Canada), March 11, 2006 Summary: Between 1892 and 1969, residential schools operated in Canada through arrangements between the Government of Canada and the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, United and Presbyterian churches. Although the Government was no longer officially involved after 1969, a few schools and hostels continued to operate […]

National Museum Expands Academic Frontiers

National Indigenous Times (Australia), March 8, 2006 Summary: The unknown stories of intermarriage, domesticity and the acts of cooperation – and conflict – that form the global frontier experience will be revealed in a ground-breaking conference at the National Museum of Australia in August. Narrating Frontier Families in Australia and North America on 4-5 August […]

Storytelling with String Games: Navajo Teen Shares Ritual at High School

The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), March 8, 2006 Summary: Crafting a bird’s nest using 2 feet of string is difficult for Alhambra High School student Isaiah Nelson. The Navajo teenager helped bring the winter storytelling and string games last month to his campus in the Phoenix Union High School District. The student-sponsored event was designed […]

Event Offers Peek into Tribal Culture

The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), March 7, 2006 Summary: The theme of this year’s Southern California Indian Storytelling Festival is “Bridging the Pacific with Story & Song,” and the event featured young and old storytellers from several tribes, including the Cahuilla, Kumeyaay, Chumash, Yokuts, Serrano, and Ohlone, as well as Owana Salaza, a Hawaiian who is […]

King’s Legacy Alive and Well

Union-Tribune (San Diego, CA), January 15, 2006 Summary: Wearing a ceremonial hat from the Ga people of West Africa, storyteller Alyce Smith Cooper captivated a crowd at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day multicultural festival. “There is a mystique that storytellers have, that draw people in,” said Jacki Taylor, coordinator of the festival. “This is […]

Saving Tay Nguyen Epics

Viet Nam News (Hanoi, Vietnam), January 15, 2006 Summary: The people of Tay Nguyen have been reciting epic narratives for generations, but as oral storytelling starts to die out with the village elders, this ancient tradition is slowly starting to dissappear. A VND17 billion (US$1 million) State-funded project is being undertaken by the Folklore Study […]

Stories Give Crowd a Lift

Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN), December 4, 2005 Summary: “Storytelling enlightens our community and makes people aware of our history,” said Deborah Asante, director of the Asante Children’s Theatre and host of Saturday’s 4th annual Haughville Story Fest. Saturday’s storytelling attracted about 100 people and featured three components: a speech from the Rev. Douglas Tate Sr. […]

African Diaspora Celebration

The Journal News.com (Westchester, NY), July 10, 2005 Summary: In the African tradition, libations were poured to the north, south, east and west to begin the second annual African Diaspora Festival yesterday at the CEJJES Institute. The event, presented by the institute in conjunction with Naomi’s Program of Excellence, celebrated the arts of Africa. “What […]

Never Stop Learning

The Battalion – Texas A&M (College Station, TX), June 20, 2005 Summary: Children should be encouraged to accept all aspects of different cultures, and teachers should strive to eliminate bias in education, said reggae musician Alafia Gaidi and Texas A&M history professor Ernest Obadele-Starks. Gaidi and Starks gave presentations Thursday as part of The George […]

London Through Refugee Eyes

Open Democracy (London, UK), June 20, 2005 Summary: Moving Lives is one of PhotoVoices’s most recent programmes. It was screened on 19 June in London at the Celebrating Sanctuary Festival, the annual free festival celebrating the art of London’s refugee communities. PhotoVoices is an international charity based in London. Moving Lives, a photography and digital-storytelling […]

Stories Celebrate Juneteenth Day

Auburn Citizen (Auburn, NY), June 16, 2005 Summary: The Auburn Human Rights Commission brought the message of Juneteenth Day to a new generation on Wednesday with a celebration featuring storytellers. The commission’s annual commemoration of Juneteenth Day, which marks the day the last slaves were freed in 1865, brought students from area schools to the […]

Juneteenth Speaker Passionate about Storytelling, Education

The Battalion – Texas A&M (College Station, TX), June 15, 2005 Summary: Juneteenth, traditionally celebrated on June 19, recognizes the day the Emancipation Proclamation was first read in Texas, freeing slaves. Alafia Gaidi’s presentation, “Freedom’s Legacy: Africa’s Gifts,” will be a part of the George Bush Presidential Library’s Storytellers Guild and educators’ seminar celebrating Juneteenth. […]

Juneteenth Tradition in Clover Park Celebrates the End of Slavery in U.S.

Marina del Rey Argonaut (Marina del Rey, CA), June 17, 2005 Summary: Juneteenth is the unofficial holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States. More specifically, it stems from the message Union General Gordon Granger relayed to slaves on June 19th, 1865 in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War had ended and […]

Israeli-developed Coexistence Education Project Awarded International Prize

Israel 21C – A Focus Beyond the Conflict (Cupertino, CA), June 5, 2005 Summary: Last week, the project Learning Each Other’s Narrative was awarded the prestigious the inaugural Victor J. Goldberg IIE Prize for Peace in the Middle East, of the Institute of International Education. The organization, “commends your commitment to overcoming the barriers that […]

Holmes Pupils Find Home in ‘Name and Place’

Wednesday Journal (Oak Park, IL), May 10, 2005 Summary: The issues of “name” and “place” help young students and their parents better understand traditions, histories and cultures that make up their backgrounds and their communities. It helps them appreciate difference and similarities in people. It also helps them understand and appreciate maternal and paternal heritages; […]

Storytelling Project Aims to Help New York City High School Students Deal With Racial Issues

AScribe – The Public Interest News Wire (Oakland, CA), May 5, 2005 Summary: An innovative program to help high school students understand and deal effectively with racial issues through stories and storytelling, has received a second grant of $100,000 in support from the Third Millennium Foundation. The Storytelling Project, developed by Barnard College Professor Lee […]

Disagreement in America: What’s Your Story?

The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA), April 25, 2005 Summary: Meaningful civil disagreement — the kind that fosters understanding, opens minds, locates common ground, undergirds democracy — requires meaningful personal engagement across the divide. “It’s incredibly hard work,” says Bob Perkins, a Seattle carpenter who believes that the country would prosper if more of us took […]

Storytelling Festival Aims to Break Down Barriers

Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales, UK), April 18, 2005 Summary: THE art of the storyteller is set to be reinvigorated with the launch of a new festival in West Wales today. And it is hoped the event will help introduce families who have recently moved to the rural areas of Ceredigion, to the breadth of culture […]

Ukiah Players Theatre Kicks Off New Community-Based Theatre Project

Willits News (Willits, CA), April 08, 2005 Summary: One of the hallmarks of a rural community are the shared stories of place. Which of us doesn’t have a story to tell about the courthouse, the Palace Hotel, the cemetery, Montgomery Wards or our own backyard? It is this notion that led Ukiah Players Theatre (UPT) […]

Ukiah Players Theatre Kicks Off New Community-Based Theatre Project

Willits News (Willits, CA), April 08, 2005 Summary: One of the hallmarks of a rural community are the shared stories of place. Which of us doesn’t have a story to tell about the courthouse, the Palace Hotel, the cemetery, Montgomery Wards or our own backyard? It is this notion that led Ukiah Players Theatre (UPT) […]

Lore of the Past: Sussex Women Relive History

Sussex Post (Sussex County, DE), March 31, 2005 Summary: When Native American storyteller Raggatha Rain Calentine is telling a story, people sit and listen. They listen and they watch as the Selbyville resident becomes fully engrossed in her tale, sometimes to the point that she feels she is a part of it. “Sometimes I don’t […]

Tellin’ Tales about Women

Holmen Courier (Holmen, WI), March 18, 2005 Summary: there will be some serious storytellers at the Onalaska library Saturday for “Threads Through Time,” the program celebrating women’s history. A trio of members from the Bluff Country Talespinners, an area storyteller’s guild, will take turns telling stories at the Onalaska library from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. […]

Charette Advocate for Many

Billings Gazette (Billings, MT), March 15, 2005 Summary: Any conversation with Reno Charette can quickly turn into a history lesson, and she’s not talking about Christopher Columbus. Though Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s newly appointed Coordinator of American Indian Affairs holds a master’s degree in history, she wants to tell history the way she sees it – […]

Traditional Storytelling Celebrates Life, Nature

The Missoulian (Missoula, MT), January 23, 2005 Summary: Rob Collier’s grandmother was the storyteller in his life. She shared tales every day, at every opportunity. Now Collier is sharing what he learned from her and other members of his Nez Perce Indian tribe. On Saturday, at Travelers’ Rest State Park, he told nine tribal stories, […]

African Storytellers Know the FUNdamentals of Learning

Providence Journal (Providence, RI), January 20, 2005 Summary: The seventh annual Funda Fest: A Celebration of Black Storytelling is under way. It began Tuesday in schools around Rhode Island and continues tomorrow through Sunday with public performances in a variety of venues, from Woonsocket to Providence, and in New Bedford. In all, there will be […]

Memories of Sandtown

Waco Tribune Herald (Waco, TX), January 19, 2005 Summary: Sandtown, a place that exists only in the hearts and minds of its former inhabitants and their ancestors, was brought back to life for an evening through the recollections of some 100 people from the defunct neighborhood who gathered Tuesday night for a program by the […]

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