For the last several months, The Griots of Oakland exhibit has been housed at the Alameda County Office of Education headquarters in Hayward, CA. Day after day, educators, administrators, and many others have paused in the hallway to view the exhibit, watch the videos, peruse the book, and reconsider their perceptions of young African American men. […]
Greetings of IMANI (faith) Esteemed GOD (desses)S, May our Divine Mother-Father Creator of and in All – and Beloved Ancestors from yesteryear and yesterday – find you and (y)our extended family in healing Spirit. As Harriet Tubman, Health Conductor “#777,” I am so honored for being extended an invitation to participate in our “#HEALTHistheNEWBLACK” initiative, […]
What an amazing honor. A few weeks ago, I flew to Wisconsin to accept the Vox Populi Award, granted to Story For All for our design and implementation of the African American Oral History Project. This award is one of the highest honors in the oral history world. Vox Populi means “Voice of the People;” […]
Story For All’s latest book, The Griots of Oakland: Voices from the African American Oral History Project, has been nominated for the In the Margins Book Award. A national award, In the Margins strives to find the best books for teens living in poverty, on the streets, in custody – or a cycle of all […]
Our most recent book, The Griots of Oakland: Voices from the African American Oral History Project, is making its way into the national consciousness. Just in time! Here’s a reference to our book made in a great article by Wyatt Closs in the Huffington Post: There’s a recently published book called The Griots of Oakland, […]
Today we honor the life, and death, of my husband’s grandfather. Father of five, war veteran, husband of 70+ years, this man offered so much to his family in every stage of his life. Now that he is gone, we all feel something is missing. Maybe this sounds familiar to you. Perhaps there is an […]
People have been telling stories for as long as we could make sounds and draw on cave walls. But it has not been until recently that the world of science has gotten interested in what makes stories special. Why do we tell them? How do they affect us? In his article The Science of Storytelling, Leo Widrich […]
Everyone wants a healthier community. We just can’t seem to agree on exactly what will improve our quality of life. From nutrition to curriculum to neighborhood parks, there are countless examples of well-intended programs that don’t achieve their intended results, as well as programs that have a profound effect on their community. What is the […]
At the Eastmont Health Fair in September, we were fortunate to meet Debora Gordon, educator and writer for Oakland Voices, a web component of the Oakland Tribune. Debora interviewed Story Bridges ED Angela Zusman and visited the African American Oral History Project, interviewing several interns. Her article on Story Bridges has just been published on […]
The dominant perspective of young black men is not always favorable. In Oakland, California, this perspective is being challenged by a group of young men who’ve set out to re-think the prevailing myth that young Black men are inherently dangerous. The African American Oral History Project is a partnership between Story Bridges and African American […]
Over last 10 months, Story Bridges has paired with Alameda County Health Services to capture the unique history of the REACH Ashland County Youth Center in a traditional oral history project. The story behind the REACH Ashland Youth Center, or AYC for short, is inspired – envisioned and spearheaded by a group of young people […]
It is around 8:30 in the morning and it is Friday. I have just arrived at Lincoln Continuation School in San Leandro, CA. This is, as of this year, my place of work. I am here to facilitate a class for the students in the ACE program at Lincoln. The theme of this class: Success. […]
We are thrilled and very grateful to announce that we have been offered a grant from the prestigious Panta Rhea Foundation.As part of their Social Imagination, Arts and Education Program, Panta Rhea “supports community-based organizations that help young people develop multiple literacies through engagement with the arts. We believe that encounters with the arts can […]
We’d like to call your attention to an amazing storytelling project underway in Europe right now, called Firebrace. Firebrace is an interactive documentary about the life of an Aboriginal storyteller, and the importance of storytelling in todays world. Francis is one of Australia’s most original indigenous storytellers and an Aboriginal Elder. Ever met one of […]
