A national group wanting to record your story is now in South Dakota.
StoryCorps is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs. Organizers say the stories they have gathered and continue to capture are the largest single collection of human voices.
Latojia Dawkins is the Associate Director of the StoryCorps mobile tour. She said Storycorps is about connecting people to each other.
“We give people the opportunity to give others their flowers, talk about things that they typically wouldn’t talk about on a regular basis," Dawkins said. "We’re so busy everyday day in and day out, sometimes we forget to touch base with those we really want to connect with.”
She added that StoryCorps is for anyone and everyone.
“Stop by, scan our QR code that’s on the door and ask questions. I like to tell people come in and share your story. Even if you don’t think you have one, bring someone that you’re close to, someone that you want to get to know," Dawkins said. "I like to tell people if you have breath in your body, you have a story to tell. You never know if it’s going to touch the next person and how it may influence them to take that next step in life. So, come in. Share your story.”
Dawkins said oftentimes, people feel a range of emotions when they enter StoryCorps conversations, and all are welcome.
“Some of the conversations, I see a lot of shock sometimes, because you never know what’s going to come out of a participant’s mouth. Especially you think you know the person that’s sitting right across from you, and then they share a bit of information. And it’s just like, ‘Wait what? What are you sharing with me right now?’ But you see a lot of joy, compassion," Dawkins said. "And the compassion is what we’re really hitting on. There’s so much that’s going on in our country right now, and we want to show people that they’re more alike than different. But even those differences are absolutely amazing. And how can we connect together and be a true community. So that’s what we see inside of the booth.”
StoryCorps is in Sioux Falls through Aug. 7 and all conversations are recorded and kept in the Library of Congress. Some may be broadcast by SDPB. To have your story shared, you can sign up. You can find the StoryCorps MobileBooth in front of the Washington Pavilion.
