Story Sharing Network

Though usually well-intentioned, nonprofit communications and fundraising practices are often exploitative of the people they claim to support. Many times, nonprofits capitalize on the life stories of the people they serve for the organization’s own benefit, without explicit informed consent from those individuals. I am to change these harmful approaches to storytelling in my own work.

To disrupt the practice of extractive storytelling and systematize ethical storytelling standards at my organization, I co-founded EMPath’s Story Sharing Network (SSN), a group of families in EMPath’s programs who share their life experiences with external audiences — at legislative hearings, fundraising events, interviews with the press, webinars, EMPath’s website, and more.

SSN members go through an informed consent process, have input into how their own stories are told, are supported throughout the story sharing process, and have full control over how their stories are shared in the future. All family stories shared by the organization in an official way go through the SSN, allowing us to create a safe environment and obtain proper informed consent each time.

Before launching the SSN, my colleague and I spent over two years researching ethical storytelling and informed consent best practices, creating consent forms, holding focus groups, and designing trauma-informed processes. Because we know this work is never completely finished, we continue to solicit feedback from story sharers, educate our colleagues around why ethical storytelling is important, and fine-tune our own internal processes.

To read some of the family stories I’ve written in collaboration with Story Sharing Network members, visit my Writing page.

Story Sharing Network flyer that I created

Materials I’ve Created

  • Comprehensive online consent forms with complex logic

  • In-depth FAQ page

  • Program flyer

  • System for tracking engagement

  • Feedback form

  • Request form

  • Process flowcharts

  • Spanish versions of all core materials

  • 21-page document laying out all our work around the Story Sharing Network, including in-depth explanations of policies and processes

Presentations I’ve Done

My colleague and I have been invited to speak about ethical story sharing at various trainings and meetings, including:

  • Boston College undergraduate class

  • American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)’s 2022 Economic Mobility & Well-Being Conference in Savannah, GA

  • Meetings with other nonprofits, including Cradles to Crayons, Horizons for Homeless Children, Washington D.C.’s Department of Human Services, and consultants assembling a toolkit for APHSA on engaging families with lived experience

  • EMPath staff trainings

  • EMPath program alumni meeting

  • Webinar for EMPath’s Economic Mobility Exchange™