Big Shoulders Stories

What is Big Shoulders Stories? Big Shoulders Stories offers a partnership with nonprofit organizations to help identify the storytellers in their midst, facilitate workshops including brainstorming and story crafting, and provide the opportunity to share these stories in a live public or community event or within an existing program. The stories provide compelling content for our partner organizations to repurpose in other desired media — video, audio, social media and print. Why storytelling? Stories are the beating heart of a nonprofit. Nonprofits are in the “business” of stories – working to change the world one story at a time. Sharing and hearing personal narratives connect individuals from different backgrounds, promote community, and deepen understanding of our human society at large and a wide range of individual experiences. Stories are a powerful tool for fundraising, improving communications, raising awareness, mobilizing volunteers, and building trust. Why a live event? Nothing is more impactful than hearing people tell their own stories, in their own words, using their own voice. It fosters an ongoing, authentic conversation and provides a distinctly connective experience. How does Big Shoulders Stories work? Big Shoulders Stories offers custom workshops, storytelling coaching, and event production to create unique storytelling programs. Each event is tailored to the goals and personality of the partnering organization. “City of the Big Shoulders…come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning… Building, breaking and rebuilding…” - Chicago by Carl Sandburg