​In 2018, Johns Hopkins University challenged its staff, students, and faculty to propose ideas to help people better communicate across differences.  As you know, this can be a big challenge at work and at home, but I've ​seen my students connect across differences. I wanted to bring some of the ideas and tools that have worked in the classroom to the wider community, and experiment with new ideas. I ​submitted a proposal (or 5) and was thrilled when the ​grant committee at the Johns Hopkins Idea Lab decided to fund my proposal to use stories to bridge differences. ​

Of course, it​ doesn't always work like that in our real ​neighborhoods and cities. As I reviewed research for this project, I was reminded that stories can connect us, but they can also​ divide us. My goal is to ​harness the power of stories for good to connect us​ ​through two events and one workshop.

My dream partners in this endeavor are the Baltimore based Stoop Storytelling​ and the national non-profit StoryCorps - two organizations who exemplify using stories to bring people together. ​

Laura Wexler and Jessica Myles Henkin, the founders of Stoop Storytelling, bring the village square to life in Baltimore through their Stoop events. They choose a theme for their events and then local folks share their stories that relate to that theme. And it works! If you’ve ever gone to a Stoop event, you know there is nothing like hearing your neighbors’ stories to open your mind and help you feel more neighborly and connected. They also have a podcast. We ​were partners in presenting the Thursday, Oct 25, 2018 Stoop Show Getting it Wrong: Stories about Mix-ups, Mistakes, and Misunderstandings. 

StoryCorps takes a different approach to sharing stories. They bring friends and family together in pairs and record them as they interview each other. They are geniuses at helping people get to know their loved ones even better as they share their stories.

For this project, I imagined using the know-how from StoryCorps to bring people together who disagreed, who perceived themselves as different from each other, and who might not know each other. I didn't know how I would sell this idea to StoryCorps. But it turns out that we were already on the same page. StoryCorps started a program this September (2018) called One Small Step. They are bringing people together who have political differences - friends, family, or strangers - to interview each other. We joined forces and they are coming to Baltimore this December 7-9, 2018. We are the last stop on their eight city tour.

Please sign up to ​participate in a recorded conversation with StoryCorps, and sign up to learn when Story Detective launches. Meanwhile, ask your neighbors some open-ended questions and open up those ears. Perhaps you and everyone you know is vaster than you currently imagine.

Copyright 2018, Story Detective