Stories from Long Beach, California

Sharing our stories is the most effective way to bring people together and foster a sense of community. You may walk into a crowded room of strangers but once people engage in genuine dialogue about themselves or their experiences, all of a sudden some of those strangers may feel like long lost friends. Our stories have the power to heal, to liberate, to reinvent the world and make it new again, of nourishing the possibilities held in imagination as well as give people metaphors by which they can better understand their own lives.

When we recount our own stories, we find relationship with others’ stories, breaking down stereotypes and allowing for true inclusion and acceptance. Stories, and our telling of them, can expose inequities in our society and have the ability to empower the oppressed.

I AM Long Beach is comprised of a group of unique individuals, brought together through the Leadership Long Beach Institute, Class of 2011. We each have a story that connects us to one other and our surrounding community. We invite you to share yours….