VOW’s Jessica Fagen and Ela Banerjee lead an ethical storytelling workshop for school districts and communities.
In November 2025, Voice of Witness returned to Chicago for an engaging education conference.
Hosted by the Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators, and Illinois Association of School Business Officials, the Joint Annual Conference is recognized as one of the nation’s largest state education conferences and the premier training event for Illinois school leaders. VOW was invited to participate in the conference’s Equity Immersion, a unique professional development opportunity that allows school leaders to explore the narratives that define their districts and shape their communities. This year’s theme was “The Power of Us: Storytelling for Just & Joyful Schools.”
VOW Education Program Manager Jessica Fagen delivered the opening keynote, highlighting how schools and educators can harness the power of storytelling to build trust, foster belonging, and cultivate shared purpose. She was later joined by Community Partnership Manager Ela Banerjee to facilitate an intimate workshop on VOW’s ethical storytelling principles. Together with school leaders and educators, Jessica and Ela explored how oral history can be meaningfully adapted to strengthen classrooms, districts, and communities.
