The Power of Stories
Intro:
A few months back, the GirlVentures' Youth Advisory Board held a community and panelist circle at 826 Valencia in San Francisco. Our theme, "Our Stories, Our Voice" focused on Womxn storytellers dedicated to expanding representation in literature/digital media and developing empathy through the sharing of experiences. The article below was written by Youth Advisory Board member, Anya Workman as she reflected on her experience.
———————————————
The Power of Stories
By Anya Workman
Photography by Eileen Roche, 2020.
Chandeliers swing from the ceiling, swaying with the rolling of the sea. Brass portholes reveal jellyfish floating serenely through aqua waters. A wooden ladder leans against the far wall, leading to the deck above. I have entered what must be a pirate's dream ship. Only, there are no rolling waves or jellyfish and I’m pretty sure the ladder leads only to storage (although you never know).
In fact, I’m not on a pirate ship at all, I’m in the backroom of 826 Valencia, a San Francisco nonprofit whose mission is to provide writing support to young people in the community, at 10 AM on a Sunday morning. I’m here for the March 2020 meeting of the GirlVentures Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Although GirlVentures mainly focuses on empowering young women through outdoor education and leadership, YAB also creates a space for older members of the community to explore topics such as career options and professional development, helping us become informed, confident individuals. In March, in honor of Women’s History Month, the theme is “Our Stories, Our Voices”. Today, we’re fortunate enough to be joined by a panel of three writers, Meera Sriram, Allison Landa, and Kristi Oloffson.
Before the panel begins, we play a get-to-know-you game, creating a relaxed and natural atmosphere that lasts throughout the morning. Once we’re all seated, the panelists introduce themselves and the questions begin. We learn that Meera discovered how powerful picture books are for storytelling when she was in her late twenties and how she “followed her heart,” and left her job as an electrical engineer to pursue a career in writing children's literature. She now has publications, both in the US and in India, that feature characters less often shown in children's books. Changing minds, she says, is what excites her about writing.
Allison tells us about how growing up she was told that she could never earn a living by writing. Yet, here she is, a writer whose work has been featured in Business Insider and The Washington Post among other publications, and who is currently working on her memoir, Bearded Lady, about having congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Kristi shares how she was originally a journalist but had a change of heart and became a videographer. She describes working with Mercy Ships, a hospital ship providing free healthcare, and living in Madagascar for a year. She talks about volunteering at a prison and seeing the horrible treatment of inmates. This inspired her to begin producing mitigation films of incarcerated individuals in her spare time. These films are shown in court to build empathy through storytelling.
I can hear the passion these storytellers have for their craft in the way they speak, the way they smile as they explain the journeys they have taken to get to where they are. They tell stories that they know will make a difference, even if it is as simple as allowing a child to see themselves represented in the books they read.
Photography by Eileen Roche, 2020.
Not only do these women share how they began storytelling and what it means to them, but they also advise us on telling our own stories. A common theme they share is to believe in the power of stories and that we all have a story to tell. As a storyteller and lover of stories myself, I feel the truth of these statements.
We close the panel and the first part of the YAB meeting with a share out of what we have gained from our time together. As we go around the circle, I think to myself how lucky I am to be part of a community that so values each of our voices and that creates a space for young people to explore the power that we all can harness through storytelling. I know that I will take what I have learned to heart. I will continue to use my voice to tell my own story, and I will make space for others to tell theirs because I know the power of stories.
Learn more about the Youth Advisory Board here!
Photography by Eileen Roche.