Upcoming Events
Community Voices Initiative: Fall 2025
Virtual
In this intimate and interactive course, participants will take a deep dive into oral history and ethical storytelling, guided by experienced VOW staff and community guest speakers. Participants will learn about project planning and methodology and be guided through conducting and editing oral history interviews with a narrator from their community or organization. Participants will finish this course with a completed oral history narrative ready to share, as well as insights into ethics-driven storytelling and how to incorporate these strategies into social justice work, community building, fundraising efforts, advocacy, narrative change, and more.
Ask An Oral Historian: Trauma-Informed Interviewing
Virtual
Ask An Oral Historian consultation hours are your chance to dive into the intricacies of oral history and learn alongside fellow storytellers. Whether you’re wrestling with a current project or just curious about the craft, these monthly 60-minute working sessions are your space to grow and ask questions in an intimate, small-group setting.
In October, we’re exploring trauma-informed interviewing! It’s essential, it’s nuanced, and it’s at the heart of ethical oral history practice. Together, we’ll navigate the complexities of creating safe spaces for difficult conversations—and more importantly, how to support your narrators while gathering meaningful stories that honor their experiences. You’ll walk away with concrete strategies for recognizing trauma responses, techniques for building trust and establishing boundaries, and the confidence to conduct sensitive interviews with both compassion and professionalism.
Ask An Oral Historian: Ethical Storytelling
Virtual
Ask An Oral Historian consultation hours are your chance to dive into the intricacies of oral history and learn alongside fellow storytellers. Whether you’re wrestling with a current project or just curious about the craft, these monthly 60-minute working sessions are your space to grow and ask questions in an intimate, small-group setting.
In November, we’re tackling ethical storytelling! It’s fundamental, it’s complex, and it’s what separates responsible oral historians from mere collectors of stories. Together, we’ll examine the moral dimensions of sharing someone else’s narrative—and more importantly, how to navigate consent, representation, and power dynamics while creating stories that serve both your narrators and your audience. You’ll walk away with a solid framework for making ethical decisions throughout your project, practical tools for addressing representation challenges, and the insight to handle even the most morally complex storytelling situations with integrity and care.
