Story Swap is an innovative educational program that uses storytelling, creative writing, and the visual arts to generate understanding between various groups of diverse individuals. Author Colum McCann founded this  program with the Aspen Writers’ Foundation where kids from all over come together to tell each other their own stories as a tool for understanding other people. In an interview with NPR’s Neal Conan,  McCann says:

I think one of the biggest political failures and the biggest social failures over the past few years has been the failure of empathy, not being able to look at the other person down the street. And we sit inside, we draw the curtains, we close down, we put on the plasma television, and we say, we are the important ones. And really, what’s important is what’s happening down the road. And if we can understand what’s happening to others, then we can finely, sort of, understand what’s happening to ourselves because there’s really loneliness in not being able to tell your story.

In September, 2011 The Aspen Writers’ Foundation and Global Nomads Group partnered to bring Arab and Jewish youth of Israel Together.

“Story Swap is powerful precisely because it harnesses storytelling — the most accessible and universal of all human activities — to open the doors of communication that might otherwise be closed,” said Lisa Consiglio, executive director of the AWF. “It works because when listening to stories, we suspend argument, engage our imagination, and, walking in the shoes of another, build compassion.”

A quick Google search brings up many other organizations that are hosting Story Swaps. The League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling sponsors regular free Story Swaps. They choose themes such as “Buddy Can You Spare A Dime,” “Hot Tub Stories/” and “Save Room for Pie” (which included bringing and sharing pies).

The Pioneer Valley Folklore Society of Western Massachusetts presents a Song and Story Swap on the first Saturday of every month. They feature a guest performer and then have an “open mic” for the public. Ottawa StoryTellers host a First Thursday Story Swap at the Library and Archives of Canada.

The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum in Chicago expands the concept by having a Seed and Story Swap where you can exchange seeds and presumably stories too.

Listen to each other! Hear and tell stories! The world will be a better place because of it.

On Saturday, March 31 from 5 – to 5:45 p.m. at the Women’s Plaza outside Centennial Hall on the UA campus, Tucson teachers will share stories about life in the trenches, what made them want to become teachers, significant moments in their teaching careers, and experiences with influential teachers.

“Tales of Tucson Teachers” is a free UApresents Patio Performance pre-show event before the ticketed Ben Vereen: “Thanks for the Memory.” The Ben Vereen performance is a fundraiser for the UApresents Education and Outreach programs and a celebration of teachers in our community.

“Tales of Tucson Teachers” is a partnership between Odyssey Storytelling, UApresents, Tucson Values Teachers and Teachers Voices.  Teachers Voices is a series on Arizona Public Media

The series consists of two to four-minute pieces modeled after the highly successful NPR StoryCorps. These conversational segments feature teachers, students, superintendents, business leaders and parents in a range of combinations. They emphasize the high levels of professionalism that teachers bring to the classrooms, the amazing programs at the University of Arizona that are benefiting area classrooms, and the alchemy between teachers and students that is part of how students learn.

Segments are produced by Arizona Public Media’s Jim Blackwood, Sr. In addition, the Host of Arizona Spotlight, Mark McLemore, contributes to the quality and success of the segments.

Come celebrate teachers and their stories!

The University of Arizona Art Museum and Odyssey Storytelling have teamed up for a special evening of storytelling, “(Neither) Here Nor There: Stories from Life on the Borderlands, presenting an impressive lineup of eight volunteer storytellers: retired educator, Clark Atkinson-Gastelum; German professor, Dr. Albrecht Classen; documentary filmmaker, Austin Counts; sound artist, Glenn Weyant; classics professor, Bella Vivante; ceramic art professor, Aurore Chabot; Tohono O’odham native, Christine Myers; and artist Paco Velez.  You can read their bios here.

The theme is truly international in scope and the diverse stories cover a lot of ground. They will range from our Mexican and Canadian borders, across European countries and even touch on our own backyard.

The evening’s entertainment opens with a reception and free refreshments at 5:30 on Thursday, March 1. The show begins at 6 p.m. at the University of Arizona Art Museum, 1031 N. Olive Rd, and it is free. Stay after the show for the “talk back” with the storytellers; an opportunity to ask questions and make comments.

This show is one of many events, symposia and exhibits featured in connection with The Border Project: Soundscapes, Landscapes and Lifescapes, which continues through Sunday, March 11, at the UA Museum of Art. Visit artmuseum.arizona.edu for details of all the related activities. The Border Project is an official event of the Arizona Centennial Celebration and the storytelling event is sponsored by the Arizona State Credit Union.

The good news about parking on campus after 5 p.m. is that there is a lot of free space. The front desk phone number for the Museum is 621-7567 if anyone gets lost.

For more information contact Penelope@Odysseystorytelling.com or 520-730-4112.