The power of storytelling & dialogue
A unique partnership between the Zeidler Center & Ex Fabula
The Zeidler Center and Ex Fabula have partnered to bring interactive outreach performances to Milwaukee communities called “Fellows & Facilitators.” Through these events, participants listen to storytellers from the Ex Fabula Fellowship and have small group dialogues led by trained Zeidler Center facilitators.
In order to connect people, we need to address the factors that divide us – things like racial and economic inequity and subconscious bias. When community members share true, personal stories about those topics, they reveal the complex ways that inequity and bias shape our lives. They also demonstrate that it’s okay to be vulnerable and get uncomfortable, so when we invite audience members to reflect and share their own experiences in small group dialogues after hearing the stories, the result is quite powerful.
2018 Events
Register to attend the 2018 events below! Plus more to come!
Welcoming Community: Continuing to Create a Thriving Tosa for All
April 26, 2018
Community Dialogue and Storytelling
Wauwatosa Civic Center (7725 W. North Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213)
Thursday, April 26th, 6:30p – 8:30p; Free event!
Welcome by Mayor Kathy Ehley
Featuring Ex Fabula Storytellers and Zeidler Center Facilitated Dialogue
Join us in...
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Celebrating the work that’s been done in creating a welcoming & thriving community
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Embracing multiple understandings of what will make Tosa a welcoming space for different people
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Exploring our hopes and concerns as Tosa evolves, grows, and becomes a more diverse city
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Fostering trust through deep listening
Media & Representation in MKE
May 09, 2018
Who gets seen? Who gets heard? Who tells the story?
Join us for storytelling, dialogue, and a workshop on race, media and representation on Wednesday May 9 at 88NINE Radio Milwaukee. Start the evening with networking and a cash bar. Then, enjoy an interactive program featuring true, personal stories from Ex Fabula Fellows, small group dialogue with Zeidler Center facilitators, and collaboration with designers to visually document action steps.
Partners include Ex Fabula, the Zeidler Center, Greater Together, and 88NINE Radio Milwaukee.
Free event. Cash bar.
Location: 88.9 Radio Milwaukee (220 E. Pittsburgh Ave.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 9th, 2018 6:00pm-8:30pm
Past Events
Jan. 25th: Race & Place
Come discuss Milwaukee’s history of housing & segregation, and our role in creating a more equitable community! Free and open to the public!
Location: Workshop Architects (201 E. Pittsburgh Ave., Milwaukee, WI
Date/Time: Thursday, Jan. 25th, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Feb. 13: Interrogating Whiteness
Join fellow community members in discussing racial identity and whiteness. What does it mean to be white? How can we "interrogate" whiteness?
The evening will begin with an introduction by Martha Barry, an instructor for the YWCA's "Unlearning Racism" course.
Location: Zeidler Center for Public Discussion (located inside Redeemer Lutheran at 631 N. 19th St., Milwaukee)
About the Fellowship
The Fellowship is a program of Ex Fabula, a Milwaukee nonprofit that strengthens community bonds through the art of storytelling.
“When community members share true, personal stories about those topics, they reveal the complex ways that inequity and bias shape our lives. They also demonstrate that it’s okay to be vulnerable and get uncomfortable, so when we invite audience members to reflect and share their own experiences in small group dialogues after hearing the stories, the result is quite powerful.”
Ex Fabula Executive Director Megan McGee
In the first two years, almost 50 Fellows – many without previous performance experience – have come together to identify, craft, practice, and share their stories. Ex Fabula storytelling coaches lead the Fellows through 6 workshops, one-on-one coaching, and StoryCircles where Fellows can continue to practice. Fellows have said, “It’s a joyful experience and I learned new skills that help me feel more genuine power” and “I joined not just to share stories, but to enter a community - which is exactly what happened.”
Thanks to our sponsors
The 2017-2018 Fellowship is supported in part by a $25,000 grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation‘s Douglas L.P. Hamilton Fund and Harold Grosskopf Fund; and grants from the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; the Wisconsin Humanities Council with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Wisconsin*; and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.