FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the story slam?
When and where are the workshops being held?
What if there isn't enough space to accomodate everyone's first choice?
Who will be invited to the StorySlam in June?
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?
We host 3-4 StorySlams per year across NJ! We are currently planning for a May storyslam at Gordon Theatre in downtown Camden and a June storyslam at the Central NJ Performing Arts Center! Stay tuned for more details!
Southern New Jersey Workshops (Camden County)
Spoken Word Workshops
VIRTUAL 1hr sessions for Spanish-speaking women
Stay tuned for dates and times that will be posted by March 2024
Written Word Workshops
VIRTUAL 1hr sessions for Spanish-speaking women
Stay tuned for dates and times that will be posted by March 2024
Photography Workshops
IN-PERSON 1hr sessions for Spanish-speaking women
Stay tuned for dates and times that will be posted by March 2024
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Collage/Fiche Workshops
IN-PERSON 1hr sessions for Spanish-speaking women
Stay tuned for dates and times that will be posted by March 2024
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Central New Jersey Workshops (Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon Counties)
We are in the midst of planning these as of February 2024 and will update the page soon!
Each type of storytelling activity is limited to 10 participants to make sure group sizes are productive for everyone. We are asking for other interests and whether you are totally not interested to help make sure everyone has a chance to join us in a way that fits them! We are using a survey to help us learn what's most interesting to you. The survey is not mandatory, but will help provide additional information to system leaders for them to make 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 you have fun and learn from their experience to carry the power of your voice and your story forward into the world. Since the project is focused on learning about the lives of our youths in the communities where they live, it’s a good idea to draw on your broader hopes and fears for your future and those you love in your community. This spans everything to your confidence in your future health and wealth, but also what you have witnessed happening around you and how that impacts your day-to-date lives. As we work through the four sessions of each storytelling activity, we have a series of ice-breakers, videos and breakout discussions to unlock inside of you 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. If you happen to look at any of our example oration, writing, photography, videography, or fiche/collage materials, you’ll notice that a story that’s about one thing is actually about a whole lot more than you 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 being selected based on randomization. While all participants will share some key identities, it will still a diverse group. We have had different experiences who have made us who we are as individuals. You will see over the course of the 4 sessions we have together 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, we will host a focus group to unpack the meaning of the stories. Participants in the focus group will receive a $100 honorarium, typical to market research. Only storytellers who attend all four 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.
Beyond gaining skills in how to tell my story, what does participation in the project mean for me?
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.