See a photo of Sarah, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&APart 2.
Q&A with Sarah White (Question 4):
Q: What’s your favorite story about a transformation that came about through a story or storytelling act?
A: In 2006 I was asked to help a community center preserve the stories of the people it serves. Not sure how to begin, I founded a “History Club” and began inviting people to join us for reminiscing about neighborhood history. Young homeowners came to learn the history of their houses and the streetscape around them. Older residents past and present reunited with childhood friends. The fun was contagious. We began capturing their stories and images of the mementos they brought — scrapbooks, old menus, high school trophies — you name it! In 2008 the community center agreed to fund a publication, and “An East Side Album” was the result — over 160 pages of stories, photos and recipes from over 100 contributors, of which I was the lead organizer and editor. Sales benefit the community center but the real story here isn’t about fundraising — it’s about “fun-raising.” We created a venue for a kind of socializing that hadn’t existed before.
