When Stories Are What's Left 📖 🌍 ❤️

This week’s newsletter highlights some of my reflections from Juneteenth and focuses on storytelling as a tool for social change. Join me in exploring the importance of hearing one another’s stories to inspire awareness, empathy, and action. 🌍 ❤️

⭐ A story I told

Last week, on Juneteenth, I shared a video that I filmed in 2022 that still feels relevant today. While it’s important to recognize Juneteenth as a new federal holiday, we must also acknowledge that a holiday isn’t enough to challenge the deep-rooted structural racism that still exists in our society.

Systemic racism affects the lived experiences of marginalized communities every single day. While a federal holiday recognizes the significance of Juneteenth – the day that news of Emancipation reached Black people in Texas in 1865 – there is still considerable work to be done in dismantling the structures that perpetuate inequality in the United States.

In the post, I invited us to collectively use this time as a catalyst for action:

📚Educate yourself about the historical context of Juneteenth and the ongoing fight against structural racism. 

💬 Engage in conversations that challenge and question the status quo.

🎗️Support organizations that are actively working to create a more just and equitable society.

🎙️Advocate for policies that address systemic racism.

The struggle for equality goes beyond a single day of celebration. As a storyteller, I’m committed to actively amplifying the voices of those who have been previously marginalized. 🌍 ❤️

⭐ A story that inspired me

When we speak about systemic injustice it also applies to people who may not live within our borders. Last week, I came across a post by theslowfactory that highlighted a series of archival photos from 1975 the start of the Lebanese war and 1985 — showing that all that is left is one small shoe box of pictures and proof of life of a time during a devastating war and siege of Beirut by the Israeli Occupation. They write: 

When all has been lost due to displacement, bombing of homes burnt during invasion.

When stories are what’s left to make sense of ongoing occupation, violence, uncertainty and environmental collapse due to military occupation, our stories and our families’ tales hold a powerful lineage for understanding our past and rebuilding our present.

Stories are what’s left and sometimes all we have. As I read this and looked through these photos, I found myself thinking there are so many stories we need to hear and so much we need to accomplish.  From the racial injustice here in the United States to the violence inflicted on people of Gaza, there is a tremendous need for action and more voices that need to be heard.

View the full post here that archives from Céline’s only box of memories.

⭐ A storytelling tip

📖 You can also share your story to inspire change. By sharing your experiences and perspectives you can raise awareness, create empathy, and inspire meaningful action. We all have a story to tell and many of us often don’t know where to start.

This week, I'm excited to share three key steps from the Moments Method®—a five-step process I developed to help people access and share their stories.

Whether it’s a story for change or a defining life event, everyone has a story worth telling.

You can view the tips here to get yourself prepared to share your story.

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