Leveraging a community-forward approach to solve problems
​Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful ways to share human experience. At My Voice Our Stories (MVOS), storytelling is a tool for empowerment, connection, and change. Through spoken word, writing, photography, and visual arts, individuals turn their personal experiences into narratives that shape public understanding and inform decision-making.
​
By transforming stories into actionable insights, MVOS connects members of communities, policymakers, corporate leaders, and researchers, creating a pathway for real-world impact. Our storytelling process doesn’t just raise voices—it turns those voices into drivers of change.
Oration
Built on the principles of the MOTH podcast, learn how to clearly and effectively communicate complex information about what it’s like to be you, be a part of your community, to experience the American dream of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.
This group meets virtually for their sessions. Through these meetups you’ll be personally supported in putting your story together and you’ll work together with other storytellers to help strengthen each other’s stories and messages. In the end, participants will receive a video file of their story for personal use and sharing.
Writing
Rooted in established best practices to crystalize specific stories out of endless possibilities, participants will work through a series of exercises to build out their written works. Written works can be structured or free-from - the creativity already lives inside of you!
Through the sessions you’ll work with others and will receive personal support to strengthen your written story and its messages. You don’t have to consider yourself to be a good writer to join this group. This is a great group for abstract thinking, or to tell a story without the pressure of public speaking. This group will meet virtually for all four sessions.
Photography
Photography is fun, but is a complicated technical field with a great deal for aspiring photographers to learn. Participants in this activity will work together and with trained professionals to build their skills. This group meets in-person for all sessions. Each participant will receive two disposable cameras and all film developing costs will also be paid through our project staff.
Through the sessions, participants will learn about lighting, objects, exposures, color, and will receive individual support as they develop their pictures, or as we like to call them “photo voices”. Throughout the project, there will be a special hashtag for sharing photovoices in social media.
VIDEOGRAPHY
Making and sharing videos has never been easier with tools like YouTube, Instagram Live, and Tiktok. Participants in this workshop will work together and with trained professionals to build their skills virtually. This group meets virtually for one hour for all sessions.
Through the sessions, participants will learn about layering images and motion, sound effects and music, and will receive individual support as they develop their videos, or as we like to call them “video voices”. Throughout the project, there will be a special hashtags for sharing videovoices in social media.
COLLAGE AND BOOKMAKING (FICHE)
Artist and educator Kristina Bivona will lead a hybrid multi session workshop on the practice of collage. The course will involve several mixed media processes like stenciling, decollage, chine colle, and sewing to enhance the collage medium. Kristina will introduce design foundations like repetition of form, perspective, texture, and color palette as well as guide participants in concepts and narrative. The course will reference Wangetchi Mutu, Lorna Simpson, Betye Saar, Allison Saar, Noah Davis, Deborah Roberts, and Mickalene Thomas.