Every spring semester, Marquette University hosts the Justice in Action conference, a one-day student event focused on exploring roles in service, community and social change. This year’s conference featured Narrative 4, a global nonprofit that aims to build communities of hope and empathy in action through storytelling.
Founded in 2012, Narrative 4 is in 35 countries and has conducted so-called story exchanges around the world for more than 130,000 people. N4@MU, Marquette’s chapter, has been on campus since 2020.
During the event, students were trained to become Narrative 4 facilitators, learning how to create a sense of community through trust and engagement by facilitating their own story exchanges.
Dr. Leah Flack is a professor of English and scholar in the new Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility — Narrative 4’s new home on campus.
“We were looking to get some energy and momentum into Narrative 4,” Flack says. “We thought Justice in Action would be a great place because this is where student leaders are engaged in the community and want to engage in social justice issues and projects. They’re the ones who could actually make an incredible difference.”
This year’s panel was also attended by incarcerated students from the Racine Correctional Facility who are taking Marquette classes through the Educational Preparedness Program. EPP instructor Alex Gambacorta was on site in Racine with them and helped to facilitate this training opportunity — the first of its kind.
How story exchanges work
Marquette now boasts more than 100 trained story exchange facilitators who lead groups of 12-20 participants divided into pairs. When prompted, each partner shares a meaningful story about themselves and then takes turns “deep listening” to each other’s stories without any interruptions. After they exchange stories, the participants reconvene in the large group. Each participant then shares their partner’s story in the first person as though it were theirs. Ultimately, they understand the story more deeply.
More than a story
Story exchanges are designed to increase empathy, but they teach more than that.
“I learned to be more mindful in active listening and making sure that you’re telling other people’s stories the right way,” says Amyah Brooks, a junior in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. “I also realized that interpretation and our own perceptions can affect how we view situations and stories.”
Students also discovered how listening to others affected them.
“A really big part for me was connecting with the whole group and hearing everyone else’s stories because I was able to take something away from everyone,” says Abby Lamkins, a sophomore in the Diederich College of Communication. “I really like the saying, ‘the story stays, but the lessons leave.’ I learned you can always find lessons in someone’s story no matter what.”
Moving forward
“I loved seeing students who are hopeful show up today,” Flack says. “I learned that we’re ready, more ready than I knew, to move forward and to have a positive impact on our campus and local community.”
In a post conference survey, students noted that Narrative 4 story exchanges would help in every corner of campus, from required Core Curriculum classes to student organizations to social situations to service work. Many expressed interest in doing story exchanges in groups with faculty and other students.
Learn more about Narrative 4 through the Arrupe Center.
