Fairy and folk tales aren't just simple stories with moralistic endings that favor Kings and Princes. Some are guides to fighting back against oppression and surviving hard times. Join storytellers Cooper Braun, Jim Brule, Laura Packer, Laura Simms, and Noa Baum for an online concert of such tales and a conversation about these stories and the wisdom they hold for us in a rapidly changing world.
January 12, 2025
The concert is at 2pmET / 1pmCT / 12pmMT/ 11amPT
The panel discussion is at 3:15pmET / 2:15pmCT / 1:15pmMT / 12:15pmPT
This event will be recorded and made available on YouTube by January 14, 2025; registration is still required to get the unlisted link.
This event is free, though donations are being accepted that will be offered to the ACLU and other organizations.
Your tellers:
Cooper Braun was raised by granola eating coyotes and grew up without a television. Lacking the traditional American form of child pacification, he fell in love with storytelling from his father's records and cassette tapes. Cooper has been a professional storyteller for 10 years (what do you do with a BA in Theater?). He was awarded the 2018 JJ Reneaux Emerging Artist Award and the 2022 Regional Excellence Award by the National Storytelling Network. Cooper’s stories remind us that fairy tales were never just for children. That traditional stories can be funny, dark, poignant, and anything but dry.
Jim Brulé is a transformational storyteller, end-of-life doula, mentor, and educator. Drawing on a blend of cultural, spiritual, and academic experiences, he brings a unique perspective to his work with advanced degrees in Family and Systems Therapy and Artificial Intelligence. Jim’s stories and workshops explore themes of healing, multicultural wisdom, and end-of-life support. For over a decade, his NSN-accredited Transformational Storytelling school has trained spiritual storytellers from a variety of traditions. Known for his collaborative spirit, Jim has co-developed and led dozens of workshops with storytellers worldwide. He says: “Every story told with an open heart and loving intent can change the world.”
Valentina Ortiz is a long time musician and storyteller from Mexico. At present she is the recipient of the 3 year National Grant for the Arts of the Mexican Government. She is known for her bilingual storytelling and the use of Native Mexican languages in her work. Her main focus is on using storytelling as a tool for community building, in Mexico and with the Latin American population recently arrived to the USA. She has published 4 books and produced four records with her stories and music.
Laura Simms is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, writer, coach, and humanitarian. She combines traditional stories with personal narrative. She is artistic Director of the Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center, and served as a Senior Research Fellow for Rutgers University Peace Center under the auspices of UNESCO. Laura won the Sesame Street SUNNY DAYS AWARD for work with children worldwide, received the Hasbro September 11 Grant, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Storytelling Network. Laura has worked with The Fetzer Foundation’s Sacred Story Initiative and teaches online regularly. She is a certified dharma art teacher, senior meditation instructor , and works with The Constellation. Her most recent book is Our Secret Territory: The Essence of Storytelling. Her new book The Story of Wild Rose: Summoning The Restoration of the World (TBA). Embers (2025 publication).
The Washington Post describes Noa Baum as someone who "Spreads cultural truths that eclipse geopolitical boundaries...". An internationally acclaimed storyteller, author, speaker and coach, she offers a unique combination of performance art and practical workshops that focus on the power of narrative to heal, promote compassion, and bridge differences.
Born and raised in Jerusalem, Noa holds degrees in Theater from Tel Aviv University and Drama Therapy from NYU. Since 1982, she’s been presenting internationally. She is the author of two books: “A Land Twice Promised – an Israeli Woman’s Quest for Peace” - winner of the Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award, the LDS Publishing Professionals Association Award, and a Storytelling World Award - and picture book “How the Birds Became Friends”, on the power of kindness to create change. Her audio recordings won Parents’ Choice and Storytelling World awards.
Laura Packer knows the best way to truth is through a good story; she has told, taught, ranted, raved, coached, consulted, and considered storytelling for over 30 years. She loves how stories connect people and help us dream bigger. Laura has won many awards including induction into the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence for standard bearers in the art and craft of storytelling. Laura holds a degree in folklore and mythology and is the author of From Audience to Zeal: The ABCs of Finding, Crafting, and Telling a Great Story, winner of Storytelling World’s highest honors. She knows all kinds of stories can help us heal, change, and slay dragons and invites you to join her in the fight.
The stories we tell matter. Whether we are telling to kids, crafting a presentation for work, preparing for a concert, or something else entirely, what we say and how we say it is important.
Listening matters. When we listen to each other we find understanding and compassion we might otherwise have missed.
Storyteller, coach, and author Laura Packer has 30+ years of experience helping people create and share stories, listen to each other more deeply, and leading organizations and individuals to better stories and deeper self-understanding.. She understands the transformational power of storytelling and listening, and how they help us understand ourselves, each other, and the world.
In addition to her award-winning performance and writing work, Laura is an experienced coach and educator, helping people understand themselves, their stories, and their worlds.. Her coaching and teaching work ranges from storytelling to writing to creativity to social change and more, and has been described as "transformational."
As the sole proprietor of thinkstory.com, Laura helps for- and non-profits identify, craft and hone their stories. Whether for marketing, recruitment, fund raising, leadership, or something else, every organization has stories that need to be told.
Find out more at laurapacker.com and thinkstory.com
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