America’s Story

Perhaps it is President Obama’s inauguration, Black History Month, and the fact that February brings us Presidents’ Day that puts me in a patriotic mood and receptive to Americana. I was thus charmed by a site, America’s Story, from the Library of Congress. The site was designed especially with young … Continue reading

From Poverty Porn to Humanitarian Storytelling

Last fall, my Facebook friend Liz Massey of the blog Write Livelihood interviewed Roger Burks, a pioneer of what he calls “humanitarian storytelling.” The interview, Roger Burks, his company Pictographers, and Burks’ pioneering work in humanitarian storytelling all impressed me. I had especially not consider the negative and exploitative effect … Continue reading

12-Step Storytelling

As I read a piece by “Jennifer” on “the lost art of storytelling” (which I don’t believe is actually lost), it dawned on me that storytelling is a mainstay of 12-step groups. I have been sober for 26 years, after 10 years of problem drinking in my 20s, but I … Continue reading