Bilingual Storytelling

Susan O’Halloran and Edie Armstrong perform at Plainfield School District this summer for K-5th graders.

June 30, 2011 Bilingual story tellers teach value of cultural communications “Mama” Edie Armstrong, dressed in African garb told a cute story about a family of mice who encountered a big, scary green-eyed cat while on a family picnic. Armstrong relayed the tale in Spanish while her storytelling partner, Sue O’Holloran translated it into English on June 27, 2011 to the classes of children attending Title 1 and Title III elementary summer school classes at River View Elementary School. Title 1 serves low income students, and Title III serves bilingual students. The mother mouse, and eventually the whole family began barking like dogs, and the cat ran away, leaving the mice to enjoy the rest of their picnic. The punch line was just as funny – and the point just as clear – in both languages: “It is very important to speak a second language!” the women said. O’Holloran and Armstrong presented assemblies for the students to teach them the importance of cultural awareness and appreciation. They sang songs, played special instruments from Africa, Mexico and Ireland, and shared personal stories to show how cultural information can enhance communications. O’Holloran also worked with teachers to teach how personal cultural stories can be integrated into the classroom. “The objective was to show teachers that they don’t have to be ‘the expert’ of every culture, but that they can include the children’s voices in the classroom via the students’ own stories,” said Dr. Carmen Ayala, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. O’Holloran will work with students to develop their own stories on July 20-21, 2011, before students present their own stories at another assembly. “District 202 continues to grow and change,” Ayala said. Student enrollment was about 96 percent white in 1990. Last school year it was about 59 percent white, 23 percent Latino, and 9 percent African American. Nearly 80 different languages were represented in District 202 last year. “This program was a great opportunity for us to serve the special needs of our English Language Learner students, engage in some unique teacher professional development, and continue to show our commitment to every student in our community,” Ayala said.

Taking Time to Create Community

To me, one of the most serious causalities of our polarized election season is the lack of community. I spent a couple of months in Bali, Indonesia several years ago and I envied their village life. Families and neighbors lived in close proximity – near to each other for sharing chores, watching babies, and just plain visiting. I’d walk the streets of Kuta in the evening and hear families laughing, singing and playing instruments from within their compounds. Some of you know my stories about growing up in a front porch society on the south side of Chicago. Having had a place when I was younger to “hang out,” I find myself longing for those drop-in, spontaneous happenings as an adult. I am lucky that as a storyteller I work at storytelling festivals that often turn into pajama parties with my colleagues and friends. But I hate that I so often have to hop on a plane to get that kind of simple camaraderie.

So many people tell me they feel a sense of isolation, that we all say that being with the people we love is what matters the most, yet they’re the very ones with whom we spend the least amount of time.

Especially for anyone doing social justice work, community support is essential.

Opening our hearts to the suffering in the world is not for sissies. All of us are stronger and braver with the right group of fellow travelers. I have to constantly remind myself that spending time nurturing my community is as important as “doing my job.”

Susan O’Halloran is a diversity speaker who uses powerful and engaging stories to grab her audiences. She is an author of four books plus diversity curriculums, CDs and films. The Chicago Reader says O’Halloran “has mastered the Irish art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.” For a FREE GIFT go to: www.susanohalloran.com or by calling 1-866-997-8726. This article may be reprinted when this full byline is used.

Community = Strength

There was a Rabbi who saw the same woman sitting in the same seat for services year after year after year. Then, suddenly, one winter’s day, she wasn’t there. The Rabbi went to the woman’s home to check on her.

The woman told the Rabbi that she was fine. She said, “I like everything you say during the services, but I’ve realized that I pray just as well at home on my own. But thank you for checking. You’ve come a long way. Come sit by the fire and have a cup of tea.”

It was cold outside. The fire was roaring. As they sat and talked, the Rabbi took the poker and picked off one sliver of wood from a burning log. He set the sliver off to the side. While the rest of the fire blazed, this one little ember of wood flickered and finally died out. The woman looked up at the Rabbi and said, “I’ll be there next week.”

The woman realized that she was just not as strong on her own.

Susan O’Halloran is a diversity speaker who uses powerful and engaging stories to grab her audiences. She is an author of four books plus diversity curriculums, CDs and films. The Chicago Reader says O’Halloran “has mastered the Irish art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.” For a FREE GIFT go to: www.susanohalloran.com or by calling 1-866-997-8726. This article may be reprinted when this full byline is used.

Bullied To Death on College Campuses

Reading about the suicides on U.S. campuses makes me sad beyond measure. I keep thinking they just didn’t have to happen. Not only were these students “bullied to death” – that is horrible enough. But it also means they had no antidote, no community who welcomed them and neutralized the harm the bullies inflicted.

The divisions in this world were created step-by-step, decision-by-decision by human beings – they didn’t just drop on us. That’s actually good news because it means they can be undone step-by-step by people just like you and me if we put gentle time and attention into building community. I say gentle time and attention because we don’t want to create another excuse to beat up on ourselves. Many things in our modern world conspire against easy human contact.

But I have found that doing whatever I can to bring people together and building sanctuaries where I feel yummy, nurturing acceptance and support is worth the effort for me, but also – as we’ve seen with these tragic deaths – for others as well.

Is there a time you remember when you felt a sense of belonging? Do you remember feeling playful and alive? Is there a small way for you to bring more of that feeling into your life and other’s lives right now?

Chances are many of your friends are feeling similar feelings. When we experiences lives of all work and no play and a focus on me and my troubles, we may find that we’ve become those dull, lifeless adults we said we’d never become!

When do you feel welcomed? For you, it may be a book club, discussion group, a faith-based group or a standing date with friends for a shared meal or a walk. What activities and people make you feel stronger? How can you create more support for yourself?

If what they say is true – that 20% of our efforts yield 80% of our results – then there are plenty of things that seem essential that we can let go of to make room for actions that nurture us.

Each of us plays a part in creating communities where people feel as if they belong, communities where the beauty, the smarts, the spontaneity and the joy of each person can shine!

Susan O’Halloran is a diversity speaker who uses powerful and engaging stories to grab her audiences. She is an author of four books plus diversity curriculums, CDs and films. The Chicago Reader says O’Halloran “has mastered the Irish art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.” A FREE GIFT can be found at: www.susanohalloran.com or by calling 1-866-997-8726. This article may be reprinted when this full byline is used.

After my last post, a few junior high students I work with asked, “Great you mentioned pre-schoolers, Sue, but what about us in junior high?” And, then, a couple of my corporate clients commented, “Yes, kids can put us to shame. But, surely, business people are doing good things as well.”

Well of course!  Here are a few examples:

At one junior high school, students petitioned their school to build accessible ramps and to offer interpreters for hearing-impaired classmates. In California, high school students protested what they saw as an anti-immigrant bill. In the past, I worked with a group of high school students who have decided to hold a Senior Prom where they invited Seniors i.e. Senior citizens and held an intergenerational dance.

And, yes, in businesses where I’ve had the privilege of consulting, I’ve seen employees work hard to change hiring, promoting and distribution policies from an Us vs. Them environment to a “We’re all in this together” which is reality, not just a Public Relations slogan. And guess what? It works!

Lastly, I was inspired by this story:

In a small town in Michigan, upon hearing that a hate group was going to sponsor a festival to celebrate the superiority of the white race, students joined with adult community leaders to plan their own counter Unity Fest. The Unity Fest was so successful and the planning for the event induced so many citizens to get involved that the hate group never got their festival off the ground.

So there! American history is filled with examples of people of all ages, colors, gender, income groups and so on who took a stand against injustice and ignorance and made a difference.

This article may be reprinted when this full byline is used: Susan O’Halloran is a story artist, workshop presenter, television personality and keynote speaker whose work explores the complex issues of social justice. She is an author of four books plus diversity curriculums, CDs and films. The Chicago Reader says O’Halloran “has mastered the Irish art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.” For a copy of a free teleseminar with Susan, go to www.susanohalloran.com

JustStories Festival in just two weeks!

The JustStories Story Festival in Chinatown and Evanston this year. Starting to get press. Check it out!

http://www.evanstonroundtable.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=2269&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4

For a downloadable flier and frequently asked questions:

www.racebridges.net/juststories