Storytelling is a powerful way to build community and advance justice through education and advocacy. Over the past 20 years, Voice of Witness (VOW) has developed an ethics-driven oral history methodology that documents first-person narratives and amplifies the experiences of people directly impacted by—and fighting against—injustice.
We’ve adapted this approach into a skills-building workshop series for advocates, educators, artists, and organizations interested in using storytelling to advance a project or mission.
This engaging three-part series provides introductory training, helping you or your organization reflect on best practices, gain skills, and plan to document community voices. VOW staff and guest facilitators will explore the ethics of story-gathering, discuss key processes, and share tips on how to create impactful narratives.
While we strongly recommend signing up for all three sessions for a comprehensive experience, each workshop is a stand-alone opportunity and participants are welcome to sign up for just one or two.
Workshop 1: Narrator Experience + Storytelling Ethics
This session provides an introduction to our ethics-driven, empathy-based approach to oral history storytelling, with a focus on trauma-informed practices and centering the needs and experiences of narrators throughout the project. We’ll create space to collectively reflect on important ethical questions, and a VOW narrator will share their perspectives on telling their story through the oral history process.
The workshop will be facilitated by VOW staff and Zaira Arvelo Alicea, a narrator from Mi María: Surviving the Storm, Voices from Puerto Rico.
When: July 9, 2025 at 2:00pm PT / 5:00pm ET
Register for Workshop #1 here.
Workshop 2: Exploring the Interview Process
This session provides an introduction to interview practices, focusing on the role of respect, reciprocity, curiosity, trauma-informed approaches, insider/outsider power dynamics, consent, and more. We’ll explore case studies and create space to discuss challenges that may arise during the interview process.
The workshop will be facilitated by VOW staff.
When: July 23, 2025 at 2:00pm PT / 5:00pm ET
Register for Workshop #2 here.
Workshop 3: Building Narrative Editing Skills
This session provides an introduction to VOW’s oral history editing style that combines journalistic integrity and a literary approach to honor narrators’ voices and highlight complex issues through personal story. We’ll share concrete tips and skills and provide an opportunity to practice on a sample transcript from an oral history project.
The session will be facilitated by VOW staff.
When: August 6, 2025 at 2:00pm PT / 5:00pm ET
Register for Workshop #3 here.
