Freshwater Stories Workshop

Freshwater Stories Collaborative Content Workshop Goals: - Preview freshwaterstories.com to local groups and get feedback - Gather ideas on stories, activities and questions to include in the site - Collect video statements from participants on local issues and challenges - Determine how freshwaterstories.com can best serve organizations and communities - Sustain and create partnerships between the UIC Freshwater Lab and groups around Lake Michigan - Tell stories together In preparation for the public launch of freshwaterstories.com, we will conduct a series of collaborative content workshops with communities around Lake Michigan. These events will allow us to connect with local groups, introduce the site, collect feedback and ideas, gather stories, and create video content with participants in an informal setting. The workshop will include a brief overview of the website, the ideas and motivations driving it, and a group discussion of the issues raised by the project. We’ll ask participants to review and propose ideas for the activity guide, and whether the issues they most care about are reflected in the project in an authentic way. There will be an opportunity to provide structured feedback through an online survey. We will engage in improv and storytelling activities so that participants can share their Lake Michigan stories and articulate their priorities on a platform meant to serve those who live along the lake and depend on its water. Additionally, we’ll have a video station where participants can share their thoughts on local freshwater stories and system challenges to be included in the site.