Annette Simmons

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Diversity is Inclusion – Telling a story so I can hear your story

Recently a client asked me to find and record the stories in their organization that demonstrate and promote diversity. Across 48 countries this organization interacts with people from impoverished to wealthy, from indigenous to expatriates, and they know they have a problem with gender inequality.

I’m not an expert in digital storytelling. So I asked for help from Beyond Measure a couple from Austin experienced in TV and documentary production. They used two cameras and integrated still images into this demonstration video. Tell me your experiences using digital storytelling to reinforce or change values within an organization. I’m very curious about measurements to track the success of digital storytelling. I’ll be doing research on this topic and will report my findings in future posts.

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Puppies, Paintings, and Philosophers

Rasputin+Puppy

The Denver Museum of Contemporary Art’s Summer Series of Mixed Taste sounds like a delightful source of entertainment as well as a crackerjack opportunity for new stories to emerge. “Adam Lerner, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver, and Sarah Kate Baie, director of programming, enjoy mixing it up artistically.”  If I could attend, I would to learn and pick up completely fresh new stories. Just think of the stories we could take away from these talks:

  • Nietzsche & Puppies, Puppies, Puppies
  • Space Weather & Kool-Aid Pickles
  • Jean-Michel Basquiat & Fruit Trees
  • Tacos & Geodesic Domes

I love to see old stories bring light to new situations.  Like the old TV ad when peanut butter crashes into chocolate and… voila’ the Reese’s Cup is born!  My #1 Principle of Storytelling is 1.) Storytelling is Developmental: We supply a+b+c+d but we only co-create the meaning of “= e”  That is what happens with the Q&A.  I find that part exciting. Imagine yourself enjoying these conversations:

It is stimulating when you don’t know what is going to happen next. So if things feel dull, boring, or predictable, then maybe you can borrow this idea from DMCA.

Adam Lerner, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver, and Sarah Kate Baie, director of programming, enjoy mixing it up artistically.   Discover an interesting fact about mustard in this one mixing up Dia De Los Muertes and Gourmet Sauces (sound quality is iffy but points for taking the time to edit and post! – thanks DMCA!)

Stories come from every where, every field of study, and particularly from people who deeply care about something, or someone.  Seek the geeks!!