Speaker: Jonathan Langdon, Blane Harvey, Maha Husain, Sangeeta Singh, Sheena Cameron, Tahnee Prior, Erika Xananine Calvillo Ramirez, Daniel Valdovinos
Stories move people. Discussing transformations means moving people to transform; it is therefore crucial we focus on stories as central to a change agenda. This year’s conference theme of Transformative Partnerships for a Better World, as well as the sub-themes of transformative leadership, and transformative learning & knowledge practices connect with the collection of podcast documentaries we wish to share. Created through the Storytelling Initiative, based at McGill University (Montreal, Canada), these podcasts were produced by frontline communities and organizations contending with the climate and associated crises. Each podcast shares a unique story produced by these partners, ranging from youth in South African informal settlements building leadership to contend with climate impacts in their communities, to the use of legal mechanisms by several communities in Pakistan to halt destructive construction projects by governments, to voices in the Arctic bringing gender into discussions of climate organizing in the region, to Nepalese informal settlements telling stories of the climate impacts they have faced, and how they have come together to build community responses. Audience members are invited to listen to these offerings, and then join members of the Storytelling Initiative to reflect on the power of frontline communities and organisations building their own audio spaces to tell their stories. The Storytelling Initiative promotes a transdisciplinary and multi-sector approach with contributing organisations ranging from think tanks and established NGOs to grassroots community organisations and academic communities. This reflective session will also include sharing about the community podcasting approach used to work with these groups, and the community of practice that emerged as a result. This presentation and the podcasts will be available as an audio gallery throughout the conference. Visitors will be invited to share their reactions to the storytelling initiative approach, as well as the stories shared through this gallery.