Sharing stories and experiences
The University of the Streets Café brings the community together to discuss current events, politics, ethical issues and shared preoccupations in cafés, studios, warehouses and community spaces. To mark another successful semester, June 4 saw the program’s fifth storytelling celebration.
“It’s always really scary — you don’t know if anyone will show up, and it’s always magical,” summed up Program Coordinator Elizabeth Hunt after nearly a dozen of the evening’s 50 participants had shared stories from their lives.
She opened the evening — the program’s 341st event in its eight-year history — explaining that the University of the Streets began in the Institute of Community Development as a way to bring the university out into the community. “Over the years we’ve touched literally thousands of people.”
According to Hunt, the program’s semi-structured public conversations bring education outside of the ivory tower, and turn the division between “expert and learners on its head” by inviting people to lead and participate in discussions regardless of credentials. Professors are just as likely to be audience members as undergraduates in leading conversations, depending on the subject.
Quoting fundraising guru and frequent program guest Kim Klein, Hunt said, “If you’ve had life experience, and you’ve thought about it — you’re educated.”
The storytelling events evolved as end-of-term parties. “I’m not much of a party girl,” confessed Hunt. “If it was up to me, we would have been sitting around with some chamomile tea.”
Instead, the evening takes the principle of shared knowledge, along with a healthy dose of good food (and tea) to thank the volunteers who plan, moderate, lead and promote the conversations. Hunt’s approach is to step back and watch the magic begin — whoever attends can take the floor to share an anecdote or experience. It’s a leap of faith that yields extraordinary results.
Hunt talks more about celebrating the University of the Streets Café:
In 90 minutes, a handful of people told intimate stories about their travels, friends they’d lost, people they’d found, romance and family. One tale led to another with each story picking up a thread from the one before.
Anyone with an idea for a conversation is welcome to get in touch with the team via univcafe@concordia.ca.
Related link:
• University of the Streets Café