Story Lab with Refugee Youth

Ensemble Media partnered with GirlForward and Refugee Education and Adventure in Chicago (REACH) to design and lead an intensive storytelling training and story development lab with high school-aged youth from the Chicago region. The goal? Helping each organization advance its mission to give voice to marginalized communities and enable more people to see refugees as human beings with rights, dreams, and talent.

Participating youth explored story structures from around the world, learned about ethical storytelling, and created stories about their experiences or imaginings. The story lab culminated in a two-hour “Story Slam” style performance at Chicago’s Edge Theatre. This project was made possible through a generous collaboration grant from the Simmons Center for Global Chicago.