Storytelling and Oral History Projects

It’s not just about the story – it’s about HOW the story is gathered. This is our specialty. We are proud and humbled to have worked with communities and organizations across the USA to help lift up voices of community members, cultural leaders, and people from all walks of life, in order to preserve important traditions and wisdom, pass on organizational knowledge, and inform and motivate action. In the process of collecting stories, we help you expand and strengthen your community and leaders. Based on oral history, our process also includes archiving so you can access and utilize the stories in many ways for years to come.

  • Land Stories: Farming and Kaua`i Culture

    “When you care for a cultural site, you must learn to ask the people of the past to open the door for you to the future.” – Rupert Rowe, po’o, Kaneiolouma

  • Oakland Griots 2024

    The griots are back! Ten years after the phenomenal success of the Griots of Oakland project, we are back in action, lifting up stories and wisdom about what it’s like to be a young black man in Oakland.

  • Talk Story Radio Kaua‘i

    In 2023, we launched a new partnership with a local radio station to bring our special take on storytelling to the airwaves. The show, called Talk Story Radio Kaua’i, focuses on Hawaiian culture, traditions, good works, and the people behind it all.

  • Reconnecting Youth Campaign

    In the US, there are almost 5 million “Opportunity Youth”: young people between the ages of 16-24 who are not in school or the workforce. In partnership with the Forum for Youth Investment, we lifted up the stories of former and current Opportunity Youth, their employers and partners to illuminate their experiences and needs.

  • Civicorps 40th Anniversary Project

    Civicorps provides young adults with educational support and career skills while providing them with wrap around supports and the most important elements: care, love and hope.

  • The R.O.O.T.S. of Sunflower County

    “This project is showing that youth voices DO matter. Our team is already changing the narrative and policy; they are the subject of ongoing positive media attention and have already informed a new policy about dress code in their school district – and we are just beginning,” ~SHINE Project participant.

  • The Griots of Oakland

    “It is not often that a project can so accurately capture the voices of a traditionally voiceless people with such creative authenticity.” – School-Based Behavioral Health Consultant

  • Listening Campaign: ACOE

    On Election Night, 2016, we gathered in the media room at REACH Ashland Youth Center to do something revolutionary: Listen to one another.

  • Youth-led Broadcasts

    We produced a series of live-stream, youth-led conversations between young people and leaders in the political and environmental fields to highlight youth perspectives and build connections between leaders and their younger constituents

  • HEAL Stories Campaign

    SFA trained Concord community members on how to interview their neighbors about their health, specifically eating and exercising. Participants then proposed recommendations on ways to improve their community’s health. Interviews were collated into a data report and presentation.

  • The Shine

    “The SHINE program gave me numerous opportunities to find the leader in myself, working collaboratively with others to achieve a goal worth fighting for. I enjoyed my shine experience as I saw myself come out of my shell by telling my story and being unafraid and unashamed to do so. The Shine let’s me shine on!” ~SHINE participant, Robert B.

  • Hayward Health

    “This class taught me more about people and how to treat them better. I also got to use new technology and record interviews. This class was a lot of fun!” ~SHINE participant.

  • REACH Ashland Youth Center Oral History Project

    “The video and timeline you created for us are awesome. I use them all the time in my PR work with community members, partners and funders.” – REACH PR team member

  • #HealthistheNewBlack

    The #HealthistheNewBlack Campaign centers personal health and well being as fundamental to building and sustaining healthy communities, highlighting the ways community members think and act regarding matters of health.