California Listenin’: A Reflection on the Healing Power of Community Storytelling

Abstract

This paper is a critical reflection on a service-learning experience involving digital storytelling as a form of public engagement and community service. It is organized into themes that help illuminate the process: background and preparation, working “in the field,” and outcomes and assessments of the venture overall. The paper’s expected contribution lies in the examples from the field that speak to the healing power of community storytelling and listening, especially in unsettled times.