The Risk and Power of Storytelling with Keri Hope Richmond

Keri Hope Richmond, Child Welfare Policy Advocate, Speaker, joins conversation on engaging storytellers with lived experience with the child welfare system. Listen as Keri talks about her experiences sharing her story about navigating foster care—some empowering and some not—and the lessons she’s learned along the way. She also passes along advice to organizations on the do’s and don’t’s in engaging storytellers with lived expertise.

Show Notes
00:02:55  | When was the first time Keri publicly shared her story?   
00:04:46  | Keri expresses feeling anger leading up to the moment she shared her story. 
00:06:41  | Keri shares what it was like shifting from anger to empowerment.   
00:10:10  | Keri talks about her experiences stepping into her role as a storyteller with lived expertise leading up to her participation in TEDxKent State. 
00:13:48  | How can including people with lived expertise at the organizational level as employees impact conversations and organizational priorities and policies?   
00:17:05  | Keri shares an account of when she felt like her story and the sharing of her experiences were taken advantage of.   
00:22:30  | Now, Keri is a part of Unbelievably Resilient, which hosts a storytelling platform and spurs important conversations about foster care and child welfare. 
00:25:32  | Matt and Keri talk about key principles and practices for organizations to honor storytellers with lived expertise.
00:27:44  | Final thoughts from Keri on engaging storytellers with lived experience.
00:29:24  | Matt shares his final thoughts.

Resources 

What can you learn from a trash bag? By Keri Hope Richmond | TEDxKentState 

Episode 40: Keri Richmond | Fostering Change 

Healed People Heal People With Former Foster Youth Keri Hope Richmond | Around the World with Archibald Project 

Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute  

Advocacy | American Academy of Pediatrics 

Learn more about UR and their team of storytellers | Unbelievably Resilient 

Bonus Content 

4 Tips on How To Use Storytelling In Your Work
The Unlearning of Child Welfare, Part 3 with co-host Keri Hope Richmond | The Institute for Family 

A Conversation with the FosterStrong (now Unbelivibly Resilient) | The Institute for Family YouTube

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