Community Plate invites you to learn the basics of storytelling in this introductory small group workshop. This free workshop will take place over TWO virtual (zoom) group sessions: Monday, September 23, 6-8pm AND Monday, September 30, 6-8pm; plus an additional and optional one-on-one (zoom or phone) coaching session.
With our workshop facilitator, Marpheen Chann (see bio below), you will learn what makes a good story, develop and craft a personal narrative, practice and receive feedback, and get tips on performance. After the workshop, you'll have the opportunity to perform your story at an upcoming Community Plate, or other storytelling event. This workshop is perfect for the beginner who wants to learn the art of storytelling, intermediate storytellers who want to practice their craft and develop a new story, or anyone interested in becoming a better public speaker.
This storytelling workshop is in support of Community Plate's October 19 Story Sharing Potluck Supper in Westbrook, "The Gift of Community," and we hope that at least 2 workshop participants will tell their stories at the October 19 supper at Westbrook-Warren Church in Westbrook. You DO NOT need to live in Westbrook or attend the October 19 supper to participate in the workshop.
Although this is a virtual workshop, we ask that all participants be Maine residents. We do this for grant funding reasons, and also because we hope participants will be available to tell their story at a future in-person Community Plate event.
Workshop Facilitator: Marpheen Chann is an award-winning author, writer, thinker, advocate, and speaker on intersectionality, inclusion, and belonging. Marpheen uses a mix of humor and storytelling to help people view topics such as racism, xenophobia, and homophobia through an intersectional lens. His memoir, Moon in Full, won the bronze IPPY Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction and was a finalist for the Maine Literary Awards and The Eric Hoffer Book Award. He works in the nonprofit and advocacy sector as Executive Director and Founder of Khmer Maine, and became the first Cambodian American-elected official in Maine in 2021 when he was elected as an At-Large Charter Commissioner for the City of Portland. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Southern Maine, a law degree from the University of Maine School of Law, and a certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School.
This free workshop is made possible in part through a generous grant from the Onion Foundation.