It’s a new season for Ex Fabula and we have a plethora of new opportunities for community collaboration as we continue to explore the challenges and triumphs of our fellow Milwaukeeans. While many of you attend Ex Fabula StorySlams to be entertained, we believe that storytelling can break down barriers built by race, class, gender and sexuality. It’s our mission “to strengthen community bonds through the art of storytelling.” We celebrate the power of true and personal stories to connect individuals through universal experiences. Stories build a neighborhood, stable neighborhoods connect communities; diverse communities strengthen a city.
This season we’re offering our first Ex Fabula Fellowship program focusing on the topics “privilege and oppression.” Our goal is to leverage personal stories to inspire community led dialogue around some of the most pressing issues in the Greater Milwaukee area - segregation as well as economic and racial inequality. We’re accepting applications now through September 23, 2015 from adults 18+ who live in the Greater Milwaukee area. We’ll select a diverse group of 25 Fellows that demonstrate enthusiasm for personal storytelling and the project mission.
Along with our new Fellowship program, this season we’ll be offering four public storytelling workshops. Have a story idea but not quite sure how to deliver it? Let us help built, shape and tell the story that could make you an audience favorite.
This week on Ex Fabula/WUWM radio we’re “coming clean” in anticipation of September 17th and our first StorySlam of Season 7. First we’re featuring audience favorite, Jen Hoepner. Many years ago Jen spent some time in Africa working with the Peace Corps. Prior to her arrival, she was informed of the customs and greetings of the village in which she’d be staying. After one particularly sweaty night, Jen headed to her morning shower. The same shower she had used the night before. What she found was the only thing worse than not using the appropriate village greeting was using the greeting while showering in broad daylight.
Our second story comes as a confession from storyteller extraordinaire, Dasha Kelly. Back in 2010 Dasha took to the stage to make a confession. She always wanted to play volleyball. When she couldn’t master the sport in high school, she left the team. But college? College was a blank slate. All she needed to do was list high school volleyball MVP on her application. However, when it came time for the first match Dasha realized that sooner than later she’d have to come clean.
As always, we hope to see all of you at our September 17th StorySlam at Garfield 502. We have the stage. You have the story. Let’s Share.
