Your Story, Your Voice Workshop Series: Texas Veterans Tell Their Stories

Posted by clockwood on Jun 25, 2021

Texas Folklife held a “Stories for Creative Forces, Your Story, Your Voice!” virtual workshop series April 15th through May 20^th, 2021. Over 30 Texas veterans, active-duty military members, and their adult family members signed up to to learn oral storytelling as a method of expressing their stories about military experiences, interests, and traditions. This six-session workshop took place for 90 minutes each Thursdays evening. Veterans and family members logged into Zoom each week to learn and to connect and socialize.

During the first two sessions participants received instruction on the fundamentals of story telling and interviewing for storytelling. There was lots of laughter as veterans and family members learned and practiced the fundamentals in break-out sessions. The third session focused on the technical aspects of recording, editing and publishing stories, using smart phones, computers, apps and software programs. Sessions four and five featured organizations that feature veteran voices, as well as showcasing veterans who use their voices professionally. Finally, during session six, several workshop attendees were asked to provide training and information to their fellow participants. Each session concluded with social time, door prizes, and more story sharing.

The veterans and family members were challenged to complete a 3-5 storytelling or interview. Submitted stories will be showcased on the Texas Folklife Stories for Creative Force Soundcloud Channel: Stories for Creative Forces | Texas Folklife. Texas Folklife plans to offer more Stories for Creative Forces workshops and trainings to our veterans. This Creative Forces program was made possible by a city of Austin, GTOPS grant and the Texas Folklife board and members.