The Voice Of Philadelphia: Storytellers and Poets Perform throughout Philadelphia for STORIES IN SERVICE: DAY OF NEIGHBORHOOD STORYTELLING

Griot Works Executive Director and Producer Jos Duncan

On September 21, 2013, from noon to 6 p.m., gather up the family and join GriotWorks, in partnership with Peace Day Philly, for "Stories in Service: Day of Neighborhood Storytelling" at locations throughout the city featuring poets from Philadelphia and around the country. All programs are free and kids and community members can also participate and create their own stories.

From noon to 3 p.m., poets, storytellers and spoken word artists will share stories, rhymes and rhythms based in African oral traditions with the goal of bringing hope and peace to each community at the following locations: Hawthorne Cultural Center (12th and Carpenter Sts.); People’s Emergency Center (39th and Spring Garden); Philly Urban Creators (11th and York); and The Lonnie Young Recreation Center at 1100 E. Chelten Avenue. The day’s events will culminate from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with food, festivities and an open mic at the Community Education Center located at 3500 Lancaster Avenue in Powelton Village.

Once the professional performers have told their tales, community members will have the opportunity to tell theirs. These stories are generated by activities such as writing their own headlines about things that are important in their lives, and telling the stories that should be highlighted in the media.

Each program is representational of a neighborhood village and provides opportunities for community members to interact through call and response, song, movement and rhythmic expression within the context of the storytelling experience. Some storytellers and poets slated to perform include nationally renowned Master Storyteller, Baba Jamal Koram from Alexandria,Virginia; storyteller Denise Valentine,and Liberian refugee Batu Ahtoubee from Philadelphia and more performers to be announced shortly.

All of the events will be documented on video. Local filmmakers and videographers are also on hand with the spirit of service. There will be photographers, site managers for each location, community organizers and social media interns hash tagging away to trend the day’s events.

This year, Scribe Video Center, a community partner on the project, will have information and DVD’s for sale featuring their oral history project Precious Places, a series of documentaries produced by local community groups about the history of important places in their neighborhoods.

History of Event

GRIOTWORKS’ Stories In Service: Day Of Neighborhood Storytelling started in 2009. The multi-location event was envisioned by Jos Duncan producer and founder/director of GriotWorks. By bringing African storytellers who tell stories based in hope, history, resilience, love and peace directly to neighborhoods, GriotWorks hopes to impact the culture and raise the level of consciousness about the power of stories and the ways we tell and receive them.

GRIOTWORKS is committed to using the power of story to create progressive social change. Its goal is to bridge gaps between communities, cultures and generations by utilizing contemporary media arts and traditional artistic practices including but not limited to: film, spoken word, oral history, writing and storytelling.

For more information about event visit www.griotworks.org