Storyteller Initiative
About
The Storyteller Initiative is a new fellowship program from Voice of Witness that supports artists, oral historians, storytellers and story gatherers, documentarians, and multidisciplinary changemakers from historically marginalized communities. VOW will assist participants to plan, develop, and activate a project of their choosing. While the projects do not need to be presented in oral history form, the work should be rooted in oral history methods and ethical storytelling.
This initiative will provide institutional support and mentorship to a cohort of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or otherwise underrepresented narrative changemakers working to uplift stories from their own communities. Grassroots storytellers have deep insight into the issues facing their communities—and yet, they often struggle to carry out projects due to lack of funding and resources. This program aims to provide this support; expand and democratize the kinds of stories that get told; and contribute to narrative change efforts.
The Storyteller Initiative will provide funding for up to two years, depending on the project, with a $10,000 stipend per year. In addition, fellows will receive oral history training (so don’t let an unfamiliarity with oral history methodology discourage you from applying!), editorial guidance, and networking opportunities. VOW will draw from our 15+ years of experience conducting ethics-driven oral history, documentary, and human rights storytelling work to offer guidance and amplify the fellows’ work. Staff will share insights on project planning and development, relationship building, holistic and trauma-informed interviewing, narrative editing, and more.
Purpose
Narrative change is the strategy of shifting the patterns, ideas, and themes embedded within the stories we tell. The Storyteller Initiative aims to transform the harmful patterns in dominant narratives shared about marginalized communities by recentering storytelling from within those communities themselves. The fellows in this program will illuminate critical issues through dynamic, impactful storytelling. We hope the projects generated will deepen our collective understanding of the issues they explore, build community, advance public knowledge, and drive social equity.
Timeline
Applications opened on October 24,2024 and closed on the December 1st deadline. The fellowship will begin on March 3, 2025. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X) to stay updated on dates and details.
The application is now closed. Applicants will be notified in January-February.
Fellowship Scope
The VOW Storyteller Initiative will provide comprehensive support to each fellow and their project, including regular 1:1 coaching, group training, and skill-building workshops. Fellows selected for the program will also benefit from co-working sessions, guest speakers, and revision guidance. In addition, the program will tap into VOW’s expertise in publishing to offer various resources and access to peer and mentor support. The program concludes with an online public showcase, where fellows have the opportunity to present their work to oral history professionals, multidisciplinary artists, editors, and the general public. This multi-faceted approach is designed to develop your skills and project, connect you with others exploring similar work and questions, and provide opportunities to share your stories with a wider audience.
More Info + FAQs
For details about the program, read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
A virtual info session took place on November 7th, 2024. The recording can be viewed here. We also updated the FAQ page with key questions that came up during the session. If your question isn’t answered, email editorial@voiceofwitness.org.
Expand the Storyteller Initiative
We need your help to raise $10,000 – the cost of the annual fellowship stipend – to add another fellow. Every dollar raised will go directly towards supporting them as they bring their community’s stories to life. Donate today and deepen our impact by sharing this campaign with your network.
Pilot Case Studies
In preparation to launch the full Storyteller Initiative, VOW piloted two fellowships in scaled-down iterations.
Country Queers
Voice of Witness worked with Country Queers, a multimedia community-based oral history project documenting rural and small-town LGBTQIA2S+ experiences. We supported founder Rae Garringer in drafting an impactful book proposal and production plan featuring the stories collected by the ongoing project. With VOW’s support, Rae produced a book proposal, mapped out its development and production, and was successfully accepted for publication by Haymarket Books.
NYC Trans Oral History Project
VOW worked with Aviva Silverman of the New York City Trans Oral History Project, a community archive devoted to the collection, preservation, and sharing of trans stories. VOW provided mentorship, editorial guidance, and support for an educational resource that will combat the erasure of trans lives.
Hear from the Pilot Fellows
I can’t quite explain how grateful I am to have the support of Voice of Witness. In addition to supporting me in the practical steps of drafting and submitting a book proposal, this pilot Storyteller Initiative also connected me to experienced oral historians and editors with whom I share ethical and political approaches to the work.
Rae Garringer, founder of Country Queers
The mentorship of VOW will enable our collective to create a substantive historical and educational resource on trans life in the voices of trans people that currently does not exist. Our partnership draws together the powerful mission to not only preserve the stories of those marginalized but make an actionable social and political tool for fighting the ongoing erasure of trans life.
Aviva Silverman, NYC Trans Oral History Collective
