The big, silver StoryCorps Airstream has rolled into Southwest Florida and is ready to get the conversations flowing.
The StoryCorp crew is in the process of setting up shop at Alliance for the Arts on McGregor Boulevard. The conversation “collectors” will be open for business from February 15 through March 15 recording stories from the community.
Registration is now open; Click here to learn more or to sign up.
"We're giving people the opportunity, not only to record their stories, and get a copy of their stories, but they can also have their stories archived, StoryCorps has an archive at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, as well as an online archive," said Franchesca Peña, site manager of the StoryCorps mobile tour.
"The idea is that you could have your story preserved for future generations."
Founded in 2003 as an independent nonprofit, the StoryCorps team has now helped nearly 700,000 people across the country have meaningful conversations about their lives, most of which are collected in the U.S. Library of Congress and in their own online archive.
StoryCorps has been a beloved segment heard weekly on NPR stations on Friday mornings during Morning Edition for about 20 years.
"There's no particular story that that we're looking for, so people can come in and really speak about whatever they would like to. there is really no expectation from us. It really runs like runs a wide range," said Peña.
"Some people come in and speak about family history, childhood memories, other people may focus on their career and their work. Some people come in and they want to remember someone who has passed. Other people talk about a love story or or their faith. So it's really anything, anything goes."
Besides archiving the conversations, and sharing edited versions of them weekly during Morning Edition, they also have a podcast, and have produced animated shorts and books and more.
Participants can choose to record in-person in the mobile airstream travel trailer, or remotely in a “virtual recording booth.” After this week recordings will be done every day except Tuesdays and Thursdays. The about hour-long appointments are available from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Peña notes that signing up for a story-telling spot is relatively easy. Those interested can go to storycorps.org/mobile-tour/ and sign up for appointments.
The first half schedule of appointments is open with the second half opening on Friday. Just provide some contact information, and somebody will reach out to confirm the appointment.
StoryCorps staff members will be guides through the whole process.
"We also try to be accessible as possible," said Peña. "We do have a wheelchair ramp, so folks who use wheelchairs can come in, and they'll still be able to come into the Airstream."
Coming with someone of their choosing to have a conversation that is recorded is the StoryCorps model — it could be a spouse or sibling, friend or co-worker.
"If folks really want to record an interview, and they can't think of anyone that they would want to bring, they can come and solo," said Peña.
"In that case, one of our staff members will act as their conversation partners and kind of ask them questions and and walk through that experience with them so that they have the opportunity to tell their story."
Peña explains that conversations StoryCorps has collected or is actively recording forms the single largest collection of human voices ever gathered.
"I think it's important because when people look back on this in the future, the near or far future, they'll have a sense of what life was like in Fort Myers in 2024," she said.
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