Say It Forward: A Guide to Social Justice Storytelling

(Paperback)

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Oral history is a universal form of storytelling. For many years Voice of Witness, cofounded by Dave Eggers, has shared powerful stories of people impacted by in- justice with a broad audience of readers.

Say it Forward is an extension of this work: a guide for social justice storytelling that outlines Voice of Witness' critical methodolog y at the core of their evocative oral history collections. Expert editors and authors candidly outline how to harness the power of the personal narrative to expose larger issues of inequality.

An essential resource for empathetic oral historians, this guide addresses a lot of the ideas that many people aren't sure how to talk about, such as: How do I interview people who belong to a very different community than the one I'm from How can power dynamics impact a narrator's comfort How do I deal with secondary trauma when listening to difficult stories Say It Forward will support readers with everything from the initial planning phases to the deeper, more essential questions that examine the ethics of the practice.

Cliff Mayotte is the Education Program Director with Voice of Witness. He previously edited The Power of the Story: The Voice of Witness Teachers Guide to Oral History published in 2013 by Voice of Witness and McSweeney's.

Claire Kiefer is the author of Bear Witness, forthcoming from Big Pencil Press in Fall 2018. She is a Voice of Witness Curriculum Specialist.

Reviews

Stories are humankinds connective tissue, andSay It Forwardreminds us the process through which we document a story is as important and powerful as the story itself. Lauren Markham, author ofThe Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life Say It Forwardprovides not only a practical blueprint for storytelling methodology and approach, it does something more meaningfulit contextualizes and validates the purpose and multilayered nuances of capturing deeply personal accounts. Linda Sotelo, New Americans Museum Oral history changes lives. Claire Kiefer and Cliff Mayotte have made a profoundly clear, fluid, and accessible guide to doing your own oral histories, and teachers, students, and parents: I beg you to try it. Dave Eggers, Voice of Witness cofounder and author, The Monk of Mokha and What Is the What Say It Forwardis a useful guide for anyone new to recording the oral histories of vulnerable populations. Voice of Witness makes plain how to work with sensitivity, respect, and care. Danielle Jackson, cofounder, Bronx Documentary Center

Author Bio

Cliff Mayotte is the education program director with Voice of Witness. He previously editedThe Power of the Story: The Voice of Witness Teachers Guide to Oral History.

Claire Kiefer is the author ofBear Witness. She was a Voice of Witness curriculum specialist and currently works at the Georgia Capital Defender.