Four Tips on How To Use Storytelling In Your Work
Tips from the Unbelievably Resilient team on how organizations can leverage storytelling in their work with authenticity, while honoring storytellers with lived expertise in navigating various systems.
In the Seen Out Loud podcast, we often host guests who are open to sharing their personal experiences on involvement with child welfare and other systems. Through their stories, listeners can hear about experiences that many families face from perspectives that aren’t often shared. Stories like these can build empathy and understanding and open the listener up to new ways of thinking.
While storytelling is essential for influencing personal, social, and systemic changes, we’ve learned through the process of talking with our guests that not all storytelling puts the storyteller in the driver seat. It’s imperative that when engaging those with experience navigating various systems that we value the storyteller for their expertise and create an open, welcoming environment for their voices to be heard.
On Season 2, Episode 5 of Seen Out Loud Keri Hope Richmond, who spent time in foster care and now works as a manager of child welfare policy for the American Academy of Pediatrics and as the Executive Director of Unbelievably Resilient, talks about her experience as a storyteller with lived expertise. She reflects on the times she felt empowered by telling her story and times she felt tokenized and unvalued.
In 2020, Keri and other young adults who have spent time in foster care founded Unbelievably Resilient (formerly FosterStrong), an organization with aims of changing the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding youth in care through storytelling. We asked her and her fellow members of Unbelievably Resilient for tips for organizations and practitioners interested in engaging those with lived expertise and using storytelling as a strategy in their work. Here’s what they said.
Seek authenticity over agenda
Engage storytellers with lived experience in a trusting relationship versus a transactional one, and give them the freedom to share their experiences in their own words.
Keri Hope Richmond
“I always felt like I had to have a picture-perfect response because I’m speaking to people in the community. I realize that I just need to tell my story and be true to what I feel. And some people might not like it and maybe some people will, but at least I’m being honest.”
Maraide Green
Create a safe and supportive environment
Be thoughtful with the storyteller and the audience in preparing for the storytelling experience.
“This sort of collateral damage can be avoided by asking questions like: What is the purpose and goal of telling the story? Is the storyteller comfortable sharing what they are sharing? Is the platform and the storyteller aligned on the goals of sharing? How is the organization or platform creating a safe place for the storyteller to share? And how is the organization or platform supporting the storyteller after they have shared their story, and giving space to honor what a gift it is for someone to embrace vulnerability and share these pieces of themselves?
“When we ask better questions, we can get clear on expectations, and share stories in a way that contributes to the change we hope to see in the world.”
Keri Hope Richmond
Lino Peña-Martinez
Ivy-Marie Washington
Value storytellers for their expertise
Understand what the storyteller is re-experiencing by telling their story, respect them as experts, and compensate them for their time.
Keri Hope Richmond
Slam Anderson
Respect the Storyteller’s Intentions
Ask the storyteller why they’re telling their story to ensure alignment on expectations, and keep an open mind to what their stories have to teach us.
Keri Hope Richmond
Tori Hope Petersen
Maraide Green
Connect with Unbelievably Resilient for consultation on storytelling opportunities
For more information on how to engage storytelling and lived expertise, connect with Unbelievably Resilient for consultation and learn more about their work.