Some thoughts on inclusive digital storytelling

supports voices that are otherwise not heard within a community (due to disability, different approaches, etc.)
allows connection with others with similar experiences
- to recognize systemic issues
- to organize together for change
story as sanctuary: hearing part of your story in someone else's
- insight/reflection through others' stories
foster digital literacy, self-awareness and reflection amongst participants
can provoke empathy
makes issues "real" - real people, real problems, therefore real solutions that work
allows dissemination of stories to those who often can't access them
captures the history of a community/organization
captures a point in time
- could be used to self-assess one's own progress or changes over time
helps with funding and outreach
engages people who might not otherwise be able to participate
facilitates a contribution to something larger - an issue, a collective experience, etc
One of the ways we get to know new people is by telling stories about ourselves and hearing stories from them
Some barriers to storytelling
- Language
- Culture
- Modality

Consider wordless stories such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBCA3iX3bKc or http://www.shauntan.net/books/the-arrival.html
Stories are also subject to misuse - propaganda, "fake news", politics
- The story as a weapon
- Stories and cultural appropriation
Questions

How to make it easier for everyone to tell stories?
How to make it easier for everyone to hear stories?
How to make it easier to record stories for everyone?
How to make it easier to share stories with everyone?

Some things that might be applicable or interesting to explore on this theme
- Translation
- Transformation
- Captioning
- Nonverbal communication
  - ASL
  - Picture symbols
- Speech synthesis
- Speech recognition
- Augmented / virtual reality
Guidelines for inclusive storytelling?

(Digital) Story Collections

Story-gathering Projects & Resources

Collaborative Story-Gathering Template

Cripping Narrative: Storytelling as Activism - Kim Collins

Storytelling, Imagination and Activism - podcast from Resiliance.org

Aging Activisms - We take up intergenerational activist storytelling as a research methodology and as a way to bring community activists together across generations and movements to share, receive, and record diverse stories of activisms.

Storytelling and Social Change - Panel talk from Stanford Social Innovation Review (January 2020)

Storytelling and Social Change

Department of Imaginary Affairs

Canadian Museum for Human Rights - Share Your Story

I Have Something to Say - Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Ontario

Rooted in Rights

Community Story Collective

Community Story Strategies

Canadian Museum for Immigration at Pier 1 - Digital Storytelling Project