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Story festival online
Susan O'Halloran
Updated: July 24, 2012 9:57PM
Evanston’s Susan O’Halloran is one of five local storytellers performing in “JustStories,” the world’s first-ever racial harmony online storytelling festival that takes place Aug. 1-3. During the three-day festival, participants can log onto the JustStories Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/JustStories, to watch videos from a different professional storyteller every hour on the hour, from 8 a.m. to midnight each day.
In addition to O’Halloran, Jane Stenson and Syd Lieberman of Evanston, Anne Shimojima of Morton Grove and Arif Choudhury of Northbrook will share stories of their ethnic backgrounds. In all, 43 tellers from around the country are on the program.
Throughout the festival, storytellers will be online to answer questions and respond to comments and anecdotes. This means you can watch the videos, then comment on them and tell your story, too, and read other people’s comments — from Australia to India to Africa to Ireland to the United States.
O’Halloran, a co-producer of the festival, says sharing stories is a great way to get people to discuss racial issues, which can often be hard to talk about. “Stories can be entertaining, engaging and emotionally touching,” O’Halloran says. “When you hear other people’s stories you realize how unique each person and group is, as well as all we have in common. When we’re able to walk in each other’s shoes, even for a few minutes, a stranger becomes a friend.”
Complete information at www.Facebook.com/JustStories.
