The Goldin Institute believes that one of the most effective ways to further our mission and bring greater awareness to the global community issues we are working towards solving is to make use of the best tools that today’s technology has to offer.
Much of our work is done on a personal and direct level through partnerships with community leaders around the world. In our effort to share our experiences and to help our global community of colleagues and supporters gain a better sense of our work, we have been exploring the use of a process called Digital Storytelling.
The Digital Storytelling process offers our partners a chance to share their personal story, in their own words and with their own images to make up a vibrant and compelling narrative of who they are, what they do, and why they are committed to grassroots driven social change.
We have been pleasantly surprised to find that in addition to being a vehicle to share the powerful stories of our colleagues, those involved in the Institute’s Digital Story Project also come away with a shared bond with others who have gone through the process. As one recent associate told us after completing her story:
[quote]I had no idea how emotional, but cathartic this process was going to be … and there are those back in my community who do not know this part of my story at all – sharing it with them will make me a better advocate for the culture of peace and nonviolence.”[/quote]
– Dr. Susana Anayatin (Global Associate – Philippines)
Our working model for the Digital Story Project came about from intensive instruction completed by two of our Chicago-based associates at the DePaul University. Led by Lisa Dush, Professor in Media Studies, we learned the process from start to finish and the importance of passing on our training by instructing and assisting others to do the same. We envision a growing ‘bank’ of digital stories made up of powerful individual stories that are linked together by a shared commitment to grassroots partnerships for global change.
We are confident that bringing together our vast global network through such stories will advance discussions and lead to the exchange of new ideas and resources on the issues that are most central to our mission and work.
Please follow this link to some of our finished digital stories and tell us what you think – if you have your own story to tell and would like to be included in the process, contact us for further information.
