@voiceofwitness.org
VOW is an oral history nonprofit that amplifies the stories of people impacted by—and fighting against—injustice. We partner to document community voices, teach ethical storytelling, and develop educational resources. Website: voiceofwitness.org
In the midst of profound political and economic tension, the need for community-driven storytelling feels more urgent than ever. At VOW, we've taken this moment to reflect, reimagine, and respond.
Learn more about how VOW has adapted to meet the moment in our 2025 Annual Report. 🔗 bit.ly/VOW-AR25
Join us for Storytelling in Practice – a series of intimate conversations with impactful storytellers! 🎙✨
Hear from our 3 incredible guests:
⊹ NOV 13 • Lyndsie Bourgon, FRCGS 🔗 sip-lb.eventbrite.com
⊹ DEC 03 • Kristal Sotomayor 🔗 sip-ks.eventbrite.com
⊹ DEC 10 • feini yin 🔗 sip-fy.eventbrite.com
The 23rd International Oral History Conference brought VOW to Kraków, Poland! 🇵🇱
Our very own Fanny García participated in the plenary about the complex challenges facing practitioners worldwide.
💡 Read Fanny's IOHA insights: voiceofwitness.org/ioha-2025
▶️ Watch the plenary now: bit.ly/ioha2025
In early August, VOW joined No Immigrants No Spice and our vibrant Bay Area community for BBQ Without Borders.
We hosted a Story Sharing table, inviting attendees to record & share their stories.
To hear some of the community stories shared that day, visit: bit.ly/VOW-BBQ
🔊 Community Voices Initiative is back! Applications are now open for Fall 2025 — apply by 9/28 to take a deep dive into the practice of oral history & ethical storytelling with VOW!
📅 Oct 7 - Nov 18, 2025
💻 Virtual
🚨 Only 20 spots available
📝 Details & application: bit.ly/CVI-fall25
This week marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina — a disaster of unprecedented scale in American history.
To commemorate this anniversary, we invite you to read VOICES FROM THE STORM, VOW's book that amplifies the voices of impacted New Orleanians.
📚 Order the book now: bit.ly/voicesfromthestorm
Join us in welcoming VOW's new board members!
After an extensive search process, we have 6 engaging, committed, and experienced professionals joining the VOW community: Lyndsie Bourgon, Giselle Chow, Vanessa Johnson, Louisa Morassutti, Sangeetha Rai & Tea Rozman
Learn more at bit.ly/VOWboard
We’re so excited to have kicked off VOW's new Ask An Oral Historian series with a sold-out first session! Don't miss the next open consultation hour in September:
📝 Narrative Editing
📅 Thurs, Sept 25 • 12pm PT / 3pm ET
🔗 Space is limited, so save your spot now: bit.ly/AAOH-2
Meet Jonathan Menjivar—podcast producer, reporter & one of the inspiring mentors in VOW’s Storyteller Initiative. In a conversation with VOW intern Claire Reisberg, he discusses his career path, storytelling journey & transition from mentee to mentor.
💬 Check out the conversation at bit.ly/4or6IhN
📝 First up: Narrator Compensation
You'll learn when & how to weave compensation into your project (without breaking the bank!) and how to handle the nitty-gritty details like a pro. Bring your questions & curiosity and let’s learn together!
🔗 Spots are limited so save your spot now! bit.ly/AAOH-1
We’re excited to launch Ask An Oral Historian—monthly consultation hours with Fanny García, VOW's Editorial Program Manager & Oral Historian!
Dive into the intricacies of oral history & learn alongside fellow storytellers in an intimate, small-group setting. 💡
We’re closing out our summer workshop series on 8/6!
Join us virtually for an intro to VOW’s oral history editing style, which combines journalistic integrity and a literary approach to honor narrators' voices and highlight complex issues through personal story.
🔗 Register: bit.ly/VOW-workshop3
We’re thrilled to share that our book, #BeginningAgain, has won a Silver Midwest Book Award! 🥈🏆 A heartfelt thank you to the Midwest Independent Publishers Association for this incredible honor.
📕 Haven’t read it yet? Grab your copy now at bit.ly/3IP9mh0!
Still to come in the series:
📅 8/6: Building Narrative Editing Skill
💥 Special Bundle Offer: Register for both Workshops #2 and #3 by 7/14 and get 20% off grassroots and standard rates!
Our second summer workshop is just around the corner! 🌿
Join us on 7/23 for an intro to interview practices, focusing on the role of respect, reciprocity, curiosity, trauma-informed approaches, insider/outsider power dynamics, consent, and more.
🔗 Sign up now: bit.ly/VOW-workshop2
The first session in our summer workshop series is TOMORROW 7/9! Join us for our skills-building workshop facilitated by VOW staff and Zaira Arvelo Alicea, a narrator from Mi María: Surviving the Storm, Voices from Puerto Rico.
It's not too late to register at bit.ly/VOW-workshop1
We recently led a comprehensive workshop on oral history planning and archiving for the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture (NMPRAC). We're proud to support their work documenting Puerto Rican migration and identity in Chicago. 🇵🇷
🔗 Learn more at: bit.ly/VOW-NMPRAC
The event will also feature a multimedia gallery and the debut of a printed zine sharing stories from Spanish- and Mam-speaking community members about their pandemic experiences. Thanks to @voiceofwitness.org for partnering with us to collect these powerful oral histories!
VOW's summer workshop series kicks off on 7/9! ✨
Join us virtually for an intro to our ethics-driven approach to oral history storytelling, with a focus on trauma-informed practices and centering the needs and experiences of narrators throughout the project.
🔗 Register now: bit.ly/VOW-workshop1
Not sure where to start? Read powerful refugee stories in VOW’s oral history project, #BeginningAgain — a collection of 12 narratives that traces the complex journeys of migration and resettlement in Appalachia.
📕 Order the book now at www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2229-b...
This #WorldRefugeeDay, join us in uplifting and celebrating refugee storytellers. At a time when refugee and immigrant rights are under attack, their stories matter more than ever.
📝 Voice of Witness oral history resources and lesson plans provide students with opportunities to engage with diverse perspectives and cultivate understanding and belonging. Download here: voiceofwitness.org/resource-lib...
🗓 Bay Area – join us TODAY at the event at the West Berkeley Shellmound!
Today is the Teach Truth Day of Action! Students deserve to learn the truth about history & how to think critically so they can shape a more just future.
We're proud to be a co-sponsor of the #TeachTruth campaign w/ Zinn Education Project & more. Get involved:
In the latest interview in our Activating Oral History series, we talked to Juania Sueños about her zine of testimonios titled "UnAmerican Dreams: Immigrant Stories Interrupted by the State."
The sessions will help you gain skills, reflect on best practices, and to document community voices. We'll explore the ethics of story-gathering and key processes.
➡️ 7/9: Narrator Experience & Storytelling Ethics
➡️ 7/23: Exploring the Interview Process
➡️ 8/6: Building Narrative Editing Skills
📢 Our summer workshop series is now open for registration! We're hosting three online oral history workshops for individuals and organizations interested in first-person storytelling.
🗓 Register soon to reserve your spot:
voiceofwitness.org/2025-worksho...
#OralHistory #Storytelling #Nonprofit
Join us in the fight to #TeachTruth about history, injustice, colonialism, civil rights, and the struggle for liberation.
Get involved with the the national Teach Truth campaign we co-sponsor with @zinnedproject.bsky.social and many others here:
www.zinnedproject.org/news/teach-t...
🗓️ Bay Area – join us at the Teach Truth Day of Action event on Saturday, June 7 in #Berkeley. We're proud to be a co-sponsor.
📚 Resources and book fair
🎵 Music
🍛 Food
🎨 Art
🤝 Community
Together we can fight back against classroom censorship and book bans.
#RightToRead #FreedomToLearn #TeachTruth
Donate at Bit.ly/OurStories25 to support VOW’s narrative work and trainings for immigrant justice.
What other resources or orgs working toward immigrant justice are on your radar? Share them in the comments 🦋
We know that sharing these stories builds power, strengthens advocacy efforts, and challenges harmful narratives.