Through the telling of their own stories, participants of Story Circles discover how different individuals experience the world based on who they are and the groups they belong
to, hence, creating a greater understanding and appreciation for the diverse communities in which we live and work.
Story Circles meet once per week for 4 weeks. Each week every participant (4-6 persons) tells their own story based on a theme.
Themes:
Circle 1: Mi Tejido: The threads, colors, and texture of my life.
Bring a story that illustrates the nature of your childhood.
It could be about your family culture, school experience, neighborhood
experience, etc. Choose a story that has strong meaning for you.
Circle 2: Rain, Mirrors, and Eye-glasses: How I view the world &
how the world views me. This story should be about some aspect of
your social identity. Social identities relate to race, ethnicity,
gender, sexual orientation, physical and psychological ability, religion,
etc. It could be positive or negative.
Circle 3: Teeter-Totter: Understanding your personal and professional identities.
Bring a story about the intersection of your professional and personal identities.
The US culture seems to focus so much on "what we do" rather than "who we are".
The first question we ask others is "and what do you do?" - meaning "what profession
are you in?"How does our profession impact our personal life and vice versa.
How do we balance these two identities?
Circle 4: Zenith Quest: Our challenges, changes, and charge.
Write your own future story. What challenges do you see yourself
meeting in 5 years? 10 years? How do you see yourself changing?
What imprint would you like to leave on those you come in contact with?