Allison and Trauman were amazing. They gave us a really informative, entertaining, and exceptional workshop that lasted for 2 months. That started with virtual sessions to the very last part of the workshop that was held in Morocco. Really loved the progress seen throughout the workshop for myself and fellow trainees.
Taha Frifer, Libya
YES Podcasting workshop
I had an amazing experience during the digital storytelling workshop. Holly and Allison were supportive, kind, and understanding throughout the course. If you plan on telling a digital story, I highly recommend Allison and Holly. Truly inspirational. Thank you so much for helping me craft my story in such a beautiful way!
Huda, USA
Michigan Dept of health and Human Services, Maternal Health
Participating in this storytelling workshop was a great experience! The facilitators were so professional and organized, as well as kind. They were so supportive and patient in walking us through the storytelling process and the finished product was so much more than I could have hoped for.
Hilary Chavez, USA
Virginia Neonatal and Perinatal Collaborative (VNPC)
It was an amazing experience to complete this workshop. It allowed me to step back and acknowledge my role, no matter how big or small, in being able to affect changes for women here at home. Busy lives mean we sometimes do not get the chance to look where our journeys have been. This workshop provides the space to do exactly that. It was emotional and powerful in equal measure. Thank you to Allison and the team!
Clare Bailey, Northern Ireland
Member of Legislative Assembly,
This was one of the best ever workshops I did in my life. I learnt how to first understand my story and then tell it in a way that reaches to others' hearts. I got to meet many amazing people from around the globe through the project and learnt their beautiful stories too. It was so, so wonderful!Most importantly, I learnt to accept my story and emotions first. This was huge for me! I am so so grateful and thankful to Allison for giving me this opportunity!! Will forever cherish the memory! ❤️
Paromita Basak, Bangladesh
ECA Collaboratory, U.S. Department of State digital storytelling project
In my work with victims of violence, their process and the stories created have been a powerful experience. The facilitators are intensely engaging, warm and energized. As a tool for social justice, this work finds and celebrates voices, often not heard.
Linda R. Pennsylvania, USA
Director, Education and Consultation
Our community has held 4 storytelling workshops (and 3 virtual public viewing events) over the past one and a half years as part of an effort to highlight the diversity and inequalities in our community as a path toward advocacy and positive change. Each workshop has been an incredible, life-changing experience for the participants, some of whom shared very intense personal life challenges in these safe and supportive workshops. The public viewing events have created a local buzz and more vocal proponents of various highlighted issues revealed in the stories (affordable housing for one!). I cannot say enough about the highly skilled and compassionate facilitators we had. Mary Ann McNair is a calm force that everyone loves. She helps people navigate their stories and emotions to create an impactful and enlightening video. And Holly McClelland is a creative genius who can work with anyone to make them feel like professional storytellers and videographers!
Lisa Martin, Colorado, USA
They helped me write my story that I needed to write at this particular point in my life. The safe space and support that Allison extended enabled me to tell my story exactly as I wanted to tell. The experience has changed me a lot and has set me free.
Sidra Khan, Pakistan
Lincoln Corners American Center, Sindh,
I had the pleasure of telling my birthing story during a 4-week session. The sessions hosted by the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative were amazing. Just hearing from other fierce women, being heard by Allison Myers and April Bell, and also seeing how my story started to how it all came together in a beautiful video was life changing! I recommend anyone who has a story to tell or anyone who thinks that their story isn't important to attend a workshop because you will be surprised and inspired, I know I was.
Freda Williams, Virginia,USA
VNPC
I had an incredible experience! My facilitator was Allison Myers and she is truly magical. She made such a safe and comfortable space for me to share my trauma, to help me heal and retell my story in the exact way that I wanted to express it, being artistic and creative while also revealing my truth in a way that was both heartbreaking and hopeful for the audience. I recommend her workshops to everyone I know. Truly, don’t second guess this experience, just take the leap and help yourself to heal while also creating something beautiful for the world.
Jess Pierson, Illinois, USA
I-Promote Illinois Maternal Health digital storytelling project
YOU are amazing!!! I am so glad we got to work together on this project. No one else could have helped (the FYS youth advocates) tell their stories (nor do I trust anyone else with their stories!) I appreciate you so much. This is really what Florida Youth Shine needed right now as we are challenged with capturing their genuine voices and stories. This means a lot to them, but also to us as an organization! Thank you!
Geori Berman, Florida, USA
Executive Director, Florida Youth Shine
If you ever get the opportunity to work with Allison to tell your story I highly recommend doing it. It was an experience I won’t forget. Take the time to listen to stories created in their workshops. Very powerful stories told about real life experiences.
Patti Tossing, Tennessee, USA
Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
I had an incredible experience! My facilitator was Allison Myers and she is truly magical. She made such a safe and comfortable space for me to share my trauma, to help me heal and retell my story in the exact way that I wanted to express it, being artistic and creative while also revealing my truth in a way that was both heartbreaking and hopeful for the audience. I recommend her workshops to everyone I know. Truly, don’t second guess this experience, just take the leap and help yourself to heal while also creating something beautiful for the world.
Jess Pierson, Illinois, USA
I-Promote Illinois Maternal Health digital storytelling project
The work they do is incredible, they really manage to get to the essence of what we want to tell, focusing on those details that make a difference and that perhaps one normally does not pay attention to, but that make your story unique and incredible. THANK YOU!
Noelia Ruiz, Argentina
Deputy in the House of Deputies in the Province of Buenos Aires
Our mentors, Allison and Trauman, led a podcasting workshop for us that was supported by the US State Department. Allison and Trauman created an amazing 6 week program that was designed with a student learning system and a virtual interactive ecosystem that was truly enjoyable and engaging. Podcasting is something I had no experience with and they really helped me learn everything possible and gave me a strong agency to explore more options in podcast creation. I highly recommend this experience for anyone’s communications development and programming- where anyone can learn and work with ease.
Saimiur Rahman, Bangladesh
Kennedy- Lugar Youth and Exchange Studies (YES) podcasting, Albania
I think that storytelling is a great tool that will enhance student and teacher relationships. The workshop provided me with skills for creation of my digital story. I plan to transfer these skills to my students. It is all about students! I see storytelling as a unique tactic to break the ice by allowing students an opportunity to tell their stories digitally.The workshop facilitators were professional and personable. Help with creation of my digital story was only an email away followed by a prompt response. I especially enjoyed the one-on-one virtual meetings with the facilitators.
Loris Anderson, Texas, USA
Houston Community Colleges
Had a wonderful learning experience in a Digital Storytelling workshop hosted by HCC. Allison Myers and Rani Sanderson the facilitators of the workshop were very experienced and professional. They took great care with our life changing eureka, cathartic moments as we developed our stories. Bravo!!
Saira Saeed, USA
Houston Community Colleges
The digital storytelling workshop was an awesome experience that provided emotional support throughout the duration of the process. The staff were attentive, professional and kind.
Rodnesia Jackson, USA
Michigan Dept of health and Human Services, Maternal Health
Allison and Holly were truly amazing. they were a joy to work with and created an environment for a person to tell their story with no judgement! Thank you!
Benji Button, USA
Michigan Dept of health and Human Services, Maternal Health
If you have a story that is the essence of who you are or an experience you have had, StoryCenter will help you put it into words concisely, clearly, and beautifully.
Helen Callans, Michigan, USA
Michigan Dept of health and Human Services, Maternal Health
In my digital storytelling workshop, I've got to learn amazing life lessons that I wouldn't be able to learn without the facilitators’ help. The team is absolutely lovely, kind, and humble. They're always there to support you in your process of learning how to create your own story. I totally recommend this experience.
Aylin Blanco, Costa Rica
ECA Collaboratory, U.S. Department of State digital storytelling project
Digital Storytelling is one of the best tools I got from this experience! Being able to share my story in a unique way made me realize how much power a story can have over so many people. The connection from all over the world through a common goal was overwhelming. Thank you Allison! I'm glad to have had a chance to participate in the project to not only share my story but also learn a new skill. I think everyone should participate in the storytelling to get my actual feeling...lol.
Mary Kasayian, Kenya
ECA Collaboratory, U.S. Department of State digital storytelling project
Amazing experts guiding you to become a storyteller and content creator! Absolutely recommend this!
Silvana Gonzalez, Colombia
ECA Collaboratory, U.S. Department of State digital
Miss Allison was the best in showing an old gal like me how to make a very important video to show women all over about the importance of mammograms.
Judy Petit, Tennessee, USA
Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
They not only recognize the importance of storytelling but also the power of story doing. They not only guide you on how to tell your story but also remind you that you can use your own power through sharing your story to make an impact on someone else's life or to support some communities around the world.In my personal experience. I learned that every story has the power of transforming lives, not only telling something, but making an impact.
Ana Lucia Cole, Costa Rica
US. Embassy Costa Rica youth project
Got a 3-month training in podcasting during which I learned very valuable podcasting skills in storytelling, interviewing and audio editing from those I'd call "masters of the art", Allison and Trauman. Thanks for being supportive and fun. Would recommend 10/10 times.
Awah Fru, Cameroon
Kennedy Lugar Youth and Exchange Program (YES) Alumni podcasting, Morocco
I had been looking for a hands-on experience for a long time. It really was the perfect match & timing! With the gentle guidance provided within the confines of a safe environment to not only challenge myself, but experiment, I ended up doing something I thought was an insurmountable feat! I produced, edited, and created a segment. I am very grateful to both MaryAnn & Trauman for allowing me to venture! I am in awe of their talents & teaching style, of which gave me the license to create~. Thank you so much.
Shimanchū Yassa
ELP
They helped me become a podcaster. Forever grateful to the GOATS Allison Myers and Trauman. Words cannot explain how much they helped me grow in the past month. In love with them, in love with the journey.
Borjan Georgievski, N. Macedonia
YES podcasting, Morocco
I participated an 8-week long workshop on creating a segment about endangered language stories. It was absolutely amazing. We learned so much from Trauman about storytelling techniques as well as audit editing using Audacity. What amazed me was Trauman and Mary's patience and careful explanation of every step to make sure we were all following. Looking forward to participating in more workshops with them in the near future.
YU Lha
ELP
This was my second time under instruction from StoryCenter. This time it was for the podcast workshop. I admit I knew nothing going into this workshop except that I needed to do this. The material is really easy to follow. Trauman is really a Godsend when it comes to facilitating. He listens. He understands. He is prepared. He has solutions. He has the time to work out the kinks with you. I'm sad that our time in the virtual classroom has ended but I look forward to getting as much education from StoryCenter as possible. The next class will be about technology and equipment. I already learned so much in the few weeks we were together.
Jenae, USA
Absolutely phenomenal experience! They added amazing value to the podcasting workshop we were a part of. Their professionalism was exceptional, but their kindness in working with each other and participants was above and beyond.Thank you for the Amazing work and inspirational storytelling you showed us.
Hind Akil Haidar, Lebanon
YES Podcasting, Albania
I cannot say enough good things about Trauman and Mary Ann as teachers. Their patience, warmth, humor, enormous skill at facilitating discussions and sharing of experiences, and deep expertise in digital storytelling shine through in every session. Everyone learned so much - but also, they bonded as a group, and told us they felt really comfortable and safe in the workshop.For lack of a better way to put it, the VIBES in StoryCenter workshops are off-the-charts good. These folks really know how to create a space where people feel safe, listened to, empowered to tell their own stories, and never rushed or stressed, even when learning complicated technical tools.The podcast segments that my colleagues produced in this workshop are just incredible - I am stunned at their quality and beauty, even from folks who'd never done any podcasting before. The skills and tools you'll get from a StoryCenter workshop are amazing, and you can carry them with you in whatever work you do afterwards.I can't recommend these folks enough - if you are lucky enough to have a chance to learn from them, do it! You'll thank yourself later.
Anna Belew, USA
Endangered Language
I had a marvelous experience with Allison and Trauman who were the ultimate dream team. Getting to work with them was an unforgettable experience, as they helped us work on our podcast from A to Z, and gave us feedback during each step of the process that lasted a few months. Whether it was technical issues, or creative decisions, all obstacles were easily surmountable with their help. Cannot recommend this experience, and especially Allison and Trauman, enough!
Nada A., Morocco
Kennedy- Lugar Youth and Exchange Studies (YES) podcasting, Albania
