Say Your Piece – A Storytelling Workshop
DATA ALONE DOESN’T PERSUADE PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION.
Memorable stories told by people who have lived experience can have a tremendous impact. Say Your Piece believes that storytelling helps build power and strengthens movements for social change.
Over seven sessions, participants select an experience to turn into a story, learn the elements of good storytelling, and practice, practice, practice! By the end of Say Your Piece, each participant will have the tools and experience to tell their story in a compelling, authentic way.
Say Your Piece is a do-it-yourself workshop. We give you everything you need to host a course in your community. We make it easier to bring storytelling lessons to your community with video lessons, participant handouts, a facilitator’s guide, and hosting tips.
Memorable stories told by people who have lived experience can have a tremendous impact. Say Your Piece believes that storytelling helps build power and strengthens movements for social change.
Over seven sessions, participants select an experience to turn into a story, learn the elements of good storytelling, and practice, practice, practice! By the end of Say Your Piece, each participant will have the tools and experience to tell their story in a compelling, authentic way.
Say Your Piece is a do-it-yourself workshop. We give you everything you need to host a course in your community. We make it easier to bring storytelling lessons to your community with video lessons, participant handouts, a facilitator’s guide, and hosting tips.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
This storytelling workshop aims to empower ordinary people – those most affected by oppression and inequality – to tell stories in compelling, creative, and intimate ways. Lifting up the voices of those experiencing injustice and inequity helps build movements to improve conditions that shape health, safety, and security, including those related to housing, education, health care, employment, income and wealth, physical environments, immigration policy, criminal justice, food security, transportation, voting rights, and more.
Storytelling is a powerful tool. When the people who most need social change tell powerful stories, they can win hearts and minds in ways that policy experts cannot. The universal emotions that lie at the heart of these stories create intimate connections with audiences, humanize the storytellers, and bring their issues to life. Say Your Piece helps people tell stories about how real-life challenges affect them on a daily basis.
Download the one-page overview
This storytelling workshop aims to empower ordinary people – those most affected by oppression and inequality – to tell stories in compelling, creative, and intimate ways. Lifting up the voices of those experiencing injustice and inequity helps build movements to improve conditions that shape health, safety, and security, including those related to housing, education, health care, employment, income and wealth, physical environments, immigration policy, criminal justice, food security, transportation, voting rights, and more.
Storytelling is a powerful tool. When the people who most need social change tell powerful stories, they can win hearts and minds in ways that policy experts cannot. The universal emotions that lie at the heart of these stories create intimate connections with audiences, humanize the storytellers, and bring their issues to life. Say Your Piece helps people tell stories about how real-life challenges affect them on a daily basis.
Download the one-page overview
Background + Overview
The facilitators’ guide explains the origin and purpose of the storytelling workshop and provides guidance for planning and hosting the workshop.
Facilitator Guide, background and overview
Video overview matrix
SESSION 1
Orientation to the Workshop
In this session, you will get an idea of what to expect from the workshop and start to understand the basics of storytelling.
Facilitator Guide, Session 1
Assignment 1
SESSION 2
Understanding Storytelling Basics
This session will get you comfortable with speaking in the present tense, using descriptive language, and thinking about your story focus for the remainder of the workshop.
Facilitator Guide, Session 2
Assignment 2
Photos for Activity 3
SESSION 3
Choosing Your Story
During this session, you get used to performing and think about what story you want to focus on for the rest of the workshop.
Facilitator Guide, Session 3
Assignment 3
SESSION 4
Creating Story Scenes
During this session, you will focus on your story’s scenes, timeline, and settings.
Facilitator Guide, Session 4
Assignment 4