Telling My Story is a non-profit organization that breaks down walls between socially isolated individuals and their communities through collaborative creative engagement. We use theater and the arts as a medium for social reflection and relationship building. Our programs develop self-awareness and communication skills with populations behind visible and invisible social walls such as those created by incarceration, addiction and poverty. Through writing and performing, people behind walls are empowered to reclaim their own voices and strengths.
Telling My Story also collaborates with people “on the outside” to break down stereotypes and build understanding between groups that would not otherwise interact. By working and creating together, program participants from both “inside” and “outside” can understand what they have in common and discover opportunities to shift deep patterns of social exclusion. The performance resulting from each collaboration opens a space for public discussion about the root causes of seemingly intractable social issues and the impacts on individuals, families and the larger community.