Story Gathering Sandbox

After the success of our DIGITIZE Story Gathering Workshop for high school students, EchoX hosted a paid writing opportunity for young adults. The “Story Gathering Sandbox” centered around “own voices” and a central theme of unity and understanding across cultures (and communities). Fellows chose a topic that relates to their ethnic or cultural community.

The Sandbox and Showcase:

The program kicked off with an in-person meeting in Bellevue, WA, where participants met and learned from each other, and went over the basic expectations of the program. After the initial meeting the participants joined in on virtual group meetings and one-on-one sessions with our Communications Director.

The program concluded with an in-person showcase in a Bellevue coffee shop with family, friends, and the general public. The stories were heartfelt, relevant, and eye opening. We had walk-in audience members that wanted to learn more about EchoX and to speak with the presenters about their stories.

2023 Story Gathering Sandbox Pieces:

Clockwise from top left: Chris Chow/Unsplash, Fotima/EchoX, Jehan/EchoX, Elizabeth/EchoX

Voices of Latin America: An Indigenous PhD Student’s Perspective with ISLA by Elizabeth

A Re-memory of Central Asia’s Soviet Apartments: Exploring the Legacies of Colonial City Landscapes by Fotima

Somali Girls Club is Just Getting Started by Jehan

Unweaving the Tapestry of Identity: A Tibetan-American on “Being Yourself” by Zenden

2023 Story Gathering Workshop for High Schoolers:

The 2023 Story Gathering Workshop was a paid workshop opportunity for Washington State high school students to learn storytelling skills which centered around “own voices,” a central theme of unity and understanding across cultures (and community). Student participants in this workshop received compensation upon submission of their final piece, a minimum 1000-word article. The workshop concluded with an in-person showcase at Washington Hall where they invited their interview subjects, friends, and family to watch them present their articles.

You can learn more about the workshop and read their pieces here.

Future Opportunities:

If you would like to be notified on future opportunities to participate in our workshops, please join our mailing list!

Questions, comments, or concerns? Email info@echox.org and a member of our team will get back to you shortly. Interested in our youth opportunities? Check out our Instagram page for the latest announcements and updates.

This workshop is sponsored by the Muckleshoot Tribe and by the City of Bellevue through their Eastside Arts Partnerships. Thank you!