Stories Of Our People (aka Stories of Our Power–SOOP) is a project to collect experiences of activists as organic ingredients for creating works of fiction–novels, short stories, films, TV, games, etc.–focused on the lives, movements, culture, issues and adventures of social justice activists living in the belly of the Beast they’re struggling to transform.
Activist anecdotes vividly reveal the fabric of our daily lives and struggles. They greatly enhance our understanding of our experience, and can also serve as flavorful ingredients–with identifying info removed–for engaging, authentic stories by and about activists.
In SOOP workshops, we gather activist anecdotes from our experience, mix these together, apply creativity and imagination (and remove identifying info) to produce fictional yet authentic stories featuring activists and activism. We create these stories in community, individually or collectively, in any format we choose.
Help us make delicious SOOP by:
Stories Of Our People (SOOP) is a project to collect experiences of activists as organic ingredients for fiction focused on the lives, times, issues and adventures of social justice activists living in the belly of the beast they’re struggling to transform.
Activist anecdotes about details of our experience are enlightening in themselves. They vividly reveal the fabric of our movements and struggles in a range of areas, such as, for instance, how communities targeted with the most severe oppression, and in particular the activists of those communities, are at once most vulnerable to crises such as the coronavirus, and also most experienced and capable of coping with such threats.
The Ask Activists material is available on the Activist Culture/Understanding Activists side of the site, and on the other side of the Reality-Fiction continuum these same details serve as authentic, flavorful ingredients for non-stereotyped fiction by and about activists, written in SOOP workshops. Naturally, the identifying info of these anecdotes is removed when they become story ingredients.
Participate by submitting Activist Anecdotes. And in SOOP workshops where we concoct fiction featuring activists in a collective story sharing and writing process to create works of fiction where activist characters tackle issues, make movements, and wrestle with the Beast while living in its belly.
Sign up to receive notice of SOOP workshops and to request that one be held with your group or organization.
RAINWOOD HOUSE SINGS, a social justice mystery, paints an authentic picture (with a hint of magic) of eveyday activists fighting for justice in their lives and communities, tackling mysteries large and small with creativity, humor, and collective action.
Submit form below to preorder and receive publication details
Fill out our colorful questionnaires
Sample filled-out FFA Test:
JB tests the movie Billie Elliot
Sample filled-out SOOP Questionnaire:
A few stories and burning questions from JB
