Though the world is connected more than ever before through online platforms and social media, one-on-one connection and empathy for our neighbors is slowly disappearing. J.R. Jamison founded The Facing Project with New York Times bestselling author Kelsey Timmerman as a way to (re)connect people through stories to strengthen communities.

What initially started out as a project in their hometown of Muncie, Indiana, to collect the narratives of those living in poverty, The Facing Project went national – with the organization now connecting writers, storytellers, artists, educators, and community leaders in over 100 communities across the country to learn from the first-person stories of their neighbors. Hailed by The Huffington Post, Harlem World Magazine, NPR, and Soul Train as one of three oral history projects to watch, The Facing Project provides a model, tools, and a platform for communities to arm themselves with stories to begin crucial conversations on social justice issues—neighbor to neighbor, community to community—by discussing solutions and healing through their own narratives.

Join J.R. in his Deep Dive Session as he shares the story of The Facing Project and how the model has impacted communities and developed spin-off initiatives with homeless populations and human trafficking victims (among others). Participants will be led through a workshop on how to start a Facing Project in their communities, including how the model connects well with college student learning