LETTER FROM THE president “Stories can be transforming for the storytellers as well as their audience…People often end up by telling a story that they did not expect, and in the process they create and share a spark in the darkness – a kernel of truth that exists inside their own experience.” Transformative Storytelling for Social Change
When I learned the focus of this issue of Perspectives would be on stories, I read several articles about the power of stories and storytelling. There is research to demonstrate how stories build empathy, how our brains become more active when we tell, and listen to, stories, and how stories can bring about healing. We know stories can inform us about the past; stories can help us in our quest to understand; and stories can transport us by inspiring our imaginations. Spend any time with a colleague on a road trip, or at a conference, and it is abundantly clear we often have no shortage of stories to share about our institutions, our chapters, our students, and each other. We all seem to love a good “war” story. However, in a moment of reflection I must pause and consider the impact of these stories. What narratives do they perpetuate about our work and about each other? Do these undermine the goals of collaboration and partnership? What do we really know about one another and our journeys? This year at my institution, our Cultivating Community series focused on untold and under-told stories. It was an opportunity to learn from members of our campus about their histories, their identities, their uniqueness, and their dreams. We saw how their stories shape the way these individuals show up in our offices, our classrooms, and in the academic work they produce. Their powerful stories caused me to begin to reimagine how I approach my work. I look forward to reading the stories in this issue and the additional reframing I know they will spark for me. I hope, too, these stories will motivate you to consider your story and how you might share it to inspire or transform others.
Wendi Kinney President 03 PERSPECTIVES Issue #2
