“Stories are told for connection,” says Brendon Panke, who has found ways to use stories to build community, entertain audiences, train medical professionals, and help veterans and people who are incarcerated craft their understanding of their place in the world. Jen Rubin and Jessica Becker sit down with Panke to learn more about how the tool of storytelling has applications for breaking through some of the walls and calluses we’ve built. Storytelling is a crucial part of imagining the change we want to see, according to Panke. He believes that narratives are important for deciding where we are going, as individuals and as a society. Listen to hear the story he’s been telling for over ten years, how it has evolved, and how it led him to make a career out of the human inclination to tell stories. By the end, we know you’ll be looking for public spaces where stories are shared.

Additional Links to check out:

→ Wisconsin Humanities’ work with Odyssey Beyond Bars

→ Human Powered: Humanities Unlocked episode called “A Mic and Five Minutes”

This episode of Human Powered was produced and edited by Chrissy Widmayer. All rights reserved.