A B.C.-based non-profit is providing a thoughtful online platform for silenced, marginalized and underrepresented people around the world to share their stories.
With a Humans of New York feel, The Nature of Us features candid firsthand accounts by people whose stories are rarely told and are often only done so when something bad happens 鈥� bullying, hate crimes, a police shooting.
The first of these is the story of Eddy Charlie, a Vancouver Island Indigenous man and survivor of the Kuper Island Residential School. To date, Charlie鈥檚 story has received close to five million reads, an overwhelming number for someone whose voice has been silenced for decades.
Founder and executive director of The Nature of Us, Winnie Weston, said they鈥檝e stayed in close touch with Charlie since 2019 and on multiple accounts he has cried, relieved that people are finally listening.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to share my story and for people to feel sympathy, I want them to understand,鈥� reads Charlie鈥檚 account.
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This is perhaps the biggest goal of the Victoria-based platform, Weston said, creating conversation and education. They want stories that every type of person can recognize themself in, and stories that awaken others to realities they鈥檝e never imagined.
Other accounts on The Nature of Us include a young man鈥檚 experience with schizoaffective disorder, an Olympic athlete鈥檚 fight against racism, a professor鈥檚 work on human rights and social justice and a teen鈥檚 journey accepting their transgender identity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about ongoing engagement and ongoing representation,鈥� Weston said.
| Winnie Weston is the founder and executive director of storytelling platform, The Nature of Us. (Courtesy of Winnie Weston) |
They recall forming the idea for the non-profit after delivering a TED talk in 2018 about their journey as a recovering addict and their struggle with mental health.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 very therapeutic, not only to share your story and have that off your chest, but to have it heard as well,鈥� said Weston, who wanted to give other people the same opportunity.
Weston began gathering stories for the platform in 2019 but it wasn鈥檛 until this year that they dove fully into the project, incorporating it in January and bringing on a roster of 17 staff and volunteers from across the country.
The team tries to make the storytelling process as simple and supportive as possible. If someone reaches out with their story, Weston will meet up with them 鈥� either virtually or distanced 鈥� and simply have a conversation. Then, an editor will transcribe what they talked about and work with the person to turn it into their story. It鈥檚 about building trust and community.
鈥淲e always have a sustainable relationship with our storytellers. We don鈥檛 forget about them, we always touch base and ask them how they鈥檙e doing,鈥� Weston said.
Prospective storytellers and interested readers can find out more at .
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Do you have a story tip? Email: jane.skrypnek@blackpress.ca.
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