This was our third year presenting at ConnectFest (formerly Burnaby Festival of Learning). This year’s workshop was titled “Lived Expertise Matters.” Heather discussed how our organization has been centering the use of our personal stories and our members’ stories to increase awareness and education for 18 years.
According to Heather, “We share our stories to bring perspective to our education. For too long, it has been people not of our identities who have been making decisions for us and it has not been meeting our needs. We raise our voices through our stories to bring truth and lived expertise to those who want to learn. Our speaking our truths also encourages others to kind ways to share their stories and create more space to hear stories from those within their lives. Our voices combined leads to transformational change in our communities, workplaces, and interpersonal relationships (which is why our new name is Live Educate Transform Society).”
At the workshop, Heather provided examples of stories we have shared (both from their own life and from members’ lives), how LET’S has gathered the stories in an accessible and equitable manner, and the positive impact the stories have created. Heather also spoke about how people sharing their stories with them is something they honour. They shared that it is important to know that receiving a person’s story comes with responsibility, whether personal contemplation or assessing how it can be applied to our environments (work, volunteering, family, friends, community, religious institutions, hobbies, activism, etc.).