~ "Literature is Everything" poster created and signed by incarcerated men as a gift to People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos at the program's end.

"I've learned a lot about my own imagination as well as how others' views and imagination can be similar to my own. People & Stories has helped me to be comfortable in my own skin without thinking what the next person would think about me. I've learned how to sharpen up my writing skills and how to connect with the readers. There are power in words."
-re-entry participant

Who We Are  

People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos (People & Stories) is a reading and discussion program offered in English or Spanish that creates unique access to literature. We believe that beautiful, powerful literature belongs to everyone, not just those of privilege. The majority of our participants are economically disadvantaged and many have faced challenges with formal education.

Adults and young adults, who have had limited opportunities to experience the power of literature, work in small groups led by a trained coordinator. Participants draw upon their own experiences to discuss complex short stories. As they examine the poetics, issues, and values the stories explore, people can discover ways to see things differently.

What We Do

People & Stories works to create a more equitable society by inviting audiences to experience our shared literary heritage. We partner with social service agencies, shelters, prisons, community groups, recovery programs, senior housing/centers and vulnerable youth to implement our 8 session reading and discussion program. At the program's end, participants receive a new book of short stories to promote continued reading and a certificate of program completion. For our writing programs, participants receive an anthology of the writing done by group participants.

The Ask

For over 40 years, we have successfully implemented literature- reading and discussion programs for underserved audiences.  We provide People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos programs to our partner sites free of charge. As an arts and humanities-based organization, we are susceptible to funding cuts.  Access to the arts and civic dialogue is essential for our communities to realize their potential.  Help us make literary art and civic dialogue accessible to all! 

Your donation will help:

• ~Support our programs in prisons, senior centers, recovery programs, community groups and vulnerable youth.

• ~Supply our participants with books, story copies, binders and certificates.

• ~Cover operating costs, so we can continue to enrich lives.

2013 Service Report

• 1,022 Participants Served (receiving 12/hrs of instruction per person)

• 50 Regional programs

• 70% English programs

• 30% Spanish programs

 

Why We Do What We Do

Experience with profound and enduring literature promotes greater freedom and enhances cognitive and imaginative abilities. Moreover, we invite participants to consider their life experience in connection to the short stories we read.  Life experience as a valuable contributor to the discussion of the text encourages new self-awareness and increased confidence as group members validate, grapple with, and question their responses. Participants, once intimidated by the mere thought of a group discussion of complex literature, discover they are successful contributors to a public dialogue. Participants also discover that literature has meaning for their lives. As they reflect on characters' situations and choices, they find common threads with their own life experience.

 

       

Gente y Cuentos, Bronx, NY

"Gente y Cuentos has helped me to understand people better because I have seen how they have gone through almost the same experiences as the characters in the stories.  Our group also remembered forgotten experiences that we actually didn't want to forget." -community group participant (recent immigrants)

"I have learned to communicate better, as well as to listen to different points of view." -community group participant

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"People & Stories brings you out of yourself. Now I try to share and interact with others." -senior participant

"Through People & Stories, I've connected to a wonderful group of people and read literature I otherwise wouldn't have read." -senior participant

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Outcomes

We measure each program using both quantative and qualatative measures. Please visit our website to learn more about our outcomes for each population we serve.

Our identified outcomes that we measure include:

1. Cultural Context: Increases in tolerance, cultural appreciation, conflict resolution

2. Engagement: Increased responsiveness to others, participation and reciprocal communication

3. Literacy: Improvement in comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and verbal skills

4. Self-Esteem: Increased self-confidence and pride, discovery of existing potential

5. Critical Thinking: Increased problem solving skills, decision-making skills, ability to link stories to real life.

6. Authentic Voice: Development of a stronger more articulate voice, increased communication skills

7. Well-Being: Increases in coping and resilience, indications of intention to change behavior

Our Program Models

Classic Program~ English and Spanish

~A People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos series consists of 8 sessions that meet for 1.5 hrs/session.

~Each session is led by a trained coordinator who reads the story aloud  and facilitates the discussion.

~Participants have their own copy of the story and follow along or sometimes, participants will simply listen to the story being read.

~During the discussion, participants are encouraged to share their insights, personal experiences, opinions and interpretations.  We believe that there is not “one way” to read literature.

~Each participant receives a binder to collect their stories; this binder belongs to each participant.

~At the end of the series (8 sessions), participants receive a certificate of participation and a brand new collection of short stories.

~Some of the authors we read include: Alice Walker, Junot Díaz, Louise Erdrich, Tim O’Brien, Langston Hughes, Gabriel García Márquez, Eudora Welty, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Gish Jen, Dan Chaon, Haruki Murakami and Raymond Carver.

Reading Literature, Writing Our Stories~ English and Spanish

Same format as the Classic program yet, after the reading and discussion, participants engage in writing activies focused on poetic craft and personal narrative connected to the short story. At the program's end, participants receive an anthology of the group's writing.

Crossing Borders with Literature~English and Spanish

Our signature program model promotes deeper understanding across communities, using literature, specifically the short story, as an opportunity to stimulate dialogue in groups that cross urban/suburban boundaries within the same county.

"I learned a lot about my peers and their struggles and that I'm not alone." - youth participant

"I learned that different stories can be like your own life in a way".-youth participant

"I learned how to keep control of myself. This group helped me to stay focused and read better."- youth participant

Help us keep the stories coming!

Your support makes a difference!