Narrative Labs

What might become possible through the imagining, harvesting, crafting, and sharing of stories rooted in cultural wealth and possibility?

In this lab, we discussed how and why centering asset-based approaches in our storytelling and narrative practice is essential to strengthening our capacity to address complex social challenges, advance social justice, and facilitate healing.

What lessons , questions, and stories surface when we hold space for joy, critique, and celebration?

In this lab, we invite participants to engage in a deeper reflection about the stories, tensions, and possibilities the Benito Bowl revealed. The session explores the tensions of how joy can function as a form of resistance while also making room for critical analysis, layered interpretations, and meaningful dialogue about representation, culture, power, and asset-based storytelling.

How do we make meaning of AI and ethical storytelling?

In this lab, we create space for intentional reflection on the tensions emerging between AI and what is often termed “ethical storytelling.” We explore tensions around themes of agency, discernment, time, and thought. Rather than offering “solutions” or focusing on how to use AI tools to generate “impact stories,” we invite participants to engage in deep reflection as a way to surface insights about their narrative practice.

What do we really mean when we say “lived experience”?

Across the social sector, the term is coded language to describe individuals and communities directly impacted by systemic harm. But who gets to define how and when lived experience is acknowledged, engaged, or honored? These questions surface deeper tensions within the practice of what is often referred to as ethical storytelling. This lab is an invitation to critically examine how you make meaning of “lived experience” in your work.