Stories Toward The Beloved Community
Stories TowardThe Beloved Community
This program is a professional development enterprise of storytelling and theater-based practices to help organizations build more empathetic and just working and learning communities.
These interactive engagements, in a variety of forms, allow participants to practice stepping up, using empathy, active listening, and making conscious choices. We utilize interactive theater, drama-based strategies, and experiential learning to address complex DEIJ issues and foster meaningful change.
LifeLong Learning
Story Circles
Drawing from the storytelling technique developed by John O’Neal, co-founder of the Free Southern Theater and the Junebug Productions theater company, Story Circles provide a participatory process that encourages individuals to openly share personal stories and experiences within a safe and supportive environment. This process requires trained facilitators in a 10:1 participant ratio.
Forum Theatre
Also referred to as theater of the oppressed or participatory theater, forum plays offer an interactive platform where audience members actively engage in the exploration and resolution of social and political issues. Developed by Brazilian theater practitioner Augusto Boal, forum plays turn spectators into “spect-actors” who not only observe but actively participate in the performance.
Interactive Simulations
These simulations serve as a platform for participants to refine their empathy and trauma-informed skills when interacting with individuals who have experienced trauma or are confronted with challenging decisions. This component particularly focuses on interview techniques that prioritize empathy and sensitivity, catering to the unique needs of first responders, forensic interviewers, and medical residents.
Support for Stories Toward The Beloved Community
“Thank you again for a fantastic workshop on Friday! Many of the students told me that it was a gift to have a space where they could be so vulnerable and feel so cared for, and several have emailed me over the weekend to say that they’ve tried to hold on to those feelings as they go about their days—something only possible because of the care you both put into setting the energy of the space and modeling openness and empathy.”
Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, UConn Storrs
Adult Training/Facilitation
Book our trained actors for scenario simulations or staff for moderating large and small group discussions.
Actor Simulations allow participants to practice empathy and trauma informed approaches when dealing with adults and youth that have experienced trauma or have to make tough decisions.
Educators and teachings artists participated in a facilitated story circle workshop following a remount of “My Children! My Africa!” at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown, CT.
For more information or to customize your own training experience, send us an email using the contact form on the bottom of the page.