FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Storytelling
When are story slams?
When and where are storytelling workshops being held?
How big are the workshops?
Who will be invited to the Story Slams?
Is there a specific type of story you are looking for us to tell since we have so many possibilities?
How will my story make an impact on statewide and county health services?
Who will be in my storytelling group with me – will they be my age, will they look like me?
If I want to stay involved after storytelling, what would my next step be?
What if I change my mind about wanting to share my story in public?
Beyond gaining skills in how to tell my story, what does participation in the project mean for me?
Every year 3-4 StorySlams are held across various locations! These events are the culmination of our storytelling workshops, where participants share their stories with the community. Stay tuned for the next StorySlam dates and locations—subscribe to our Instagram!
Workshops take place both virtually and in-person and are available in different regions. Sessions are offered in various storytelling formats such as spoken word, creative writing, photography, collage, etc. Specific dates and times are announced regularly, so fill out the survey to receive updates. We are continually expanding to new areas—subscribe to our Instagram!​
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Spoken Word Workshops
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Written Word Workshops
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Photography Workshops
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Collage/Fiche Workshops
Each type of workshop is limited to 10 participants to make sure group sizes are productive for everyone. Surveys help us learn what's most interesting to participants, to make sure everyone has a chance to join us in a way that fits them! Responding is not mandatory, but provides context that helps inform decisions that impact our community.
All storytellers are encouraged to invite family and friends to cheer them on! Leaders of organizations that serve people like you in your community will be invited to cheer on the storytellers as well. Neighborhood businesses that care about you and are offering thank you gifts for your stories will be invited, too. Finally, system leaders who help make decisions based on public funding to our community will be invited to witness our youth’s stories firsthand.
The most important thing is that participants have fun and learn from the experience to carry the power of each person's own voice and story forward into the world. Since the project is focused on learning about the lives of participants in the communities where they live, it’s a good idea to draw on broader hopes and fears for each person's future, loved ones, and others in the community. This spans everything to confidence in the future health and wealth, but also what each person has witnessed happening around them, and how that impacts day-to-date lives. As we work through the sessions of each storytelling activity, a series of ice-breakers, videos and breakout discussions unlock the story that is most important to tell!
It is said that art imitates life. Pair that with the fact that we are all dynamic beings and not defined by any one thing – always changing, growing, evolving. Stories inadvertently tell us things that might not be stated out loud otherwise – the so-called truth that lies beneath the surface. All of our examples in oration, writing, photography, videography, or fiche/collage materials show that a story that’s about one thing can actually be about a whole lot more than anyone would think at first. Our stories are brimming with potential for an attentive leader to take in and digest to better serve us all.
Our storytelling projects focus on a population, a geographic place, and a common challenge. Participants in the groups are selected based on randomization. While all participants will share some key identities, it will still a representative group. Each person has had different experiences that has made us who we are as individuals. Over the course of the sessions we have together it becomes apparent that we have a lot more in common than meets the eye on the surface! We will also see that there are key experiences and ideas that make us distinctly us. Our storytelling spaces will be safe spaces for all to explore their own stories through a process of sharing.
Following the StorySlam, a focus group unpacks the meaning of the stories. Participants in the focus group will receive a $100 honorarium, typical to market research. Only storytellers who attend all sessions of their storytelling activity may participate in the focus group. The focus group will explore common threads between stories in addition to where there are differences and disparities. Importantly, the focus group will develop suggestions to address the root cause to problems and spread excellence in the community.
Your story is YOURS. How you use it is completely up to you and no one will force you to share during the recital or to make any posts about your story. We are hopeful that you would still want to come and support your fellow storytellers during the StorySlam! As a part of the project, elements of your story will be incorporated into the materials that system leaders use to make decisions, but your story and your identity would not be published or accessible to the public.
Participants will receive up to $300 in cash and gifts for participating. Everyone who participates in the project will be offered a thank you gift ($60 value) from local businesses as a part of the fourth session of each storytelling activity. Storytellers will be invited to 30min debrief interview that pays a $35 cash honorarium. As a thank you for sharing their stories at the StorySlam, participants will receive a $100 cash honorarium. There are many people in the community who support you and people like you, including local businesses. They are proud to show their support and appreciation for you! Each storytelling activity has a different way to provide you with versions of your story that you can use for personal, professional, and academic purposes. As mentioned above, participants in the focus group will receive an additional $100 cash honorarium.