Project to gather stories from Dayton mass shooting for book
As we sadly know, Dayton faced the trauma of a mass shooting in the Oregon District shooting on Aug. 4, 2019.
Now, the Dayton International Peace Museum, members of the Dayton community, and The Facing Project are collecting stories from individuals, per the project’s website, “with a story to share on the topic of gun violence. Using The Facing Project model (writer and storyteller writing teams), the stories will be released in a book, performed by actors, and used to inform some type of ongoing action.”
Learn more and volunteer at gunviolence.facingproject.com.
I recently chatted with Kate Geiselman via email about the project. Geiselman, who is chair of the Department of English at Sinclair Community College, is also serving on the steering committee of the Facing Project for Dayton.
Here’s what Geiselman had to say:
What drew you to serving on the steering committee?
I was invited to be on the steering committee by my friend and colleague, Kathy Rowell, who is the chair of the board of trustees at the Dayton International Peace Museum. (They are spearheading the project.) She knows that I share her belief in the importance of storytelling in healing from trauma. This project is to help folks affected by the Oregon District shooting, as well as others in the Miami Valley who are affected by gun violence.
The shooting happened three blocks from my home, and many of its victims (and perpetrator) attended Sinclair, where I work. The tag line for the project “It’s always close to home for someone” is very personal to me. Being part of this helps to mitigate the feeling of helplessness many of us have felt in the wake of such a tragedy.
Why is this an important project?
Victims of violence are often voiceless, and this project aims to amplify their voices. We don’t all agree on how to end gun violence, but we all agree that it should end and that we need to do better.
Dayton is now one of those city names that will forever be associated with mass shootings, but Dayton is not just a spot on the map; it’s a diverse and resilient town, and I believe this project will show that.
One thing I’d like to emphasize is that storytellers (people who have experienced gun violence in any form) will be paired with writers who have been trained to listen and capture the voice of the storytellers. So, even though it’s a story telling project, it’s not just for folks who consider themselves writers. The book we publish will be for readers, though!
Will you be participating, and what one thing would you say to encourage other writers to participate?
My role (along with members of my subcommittee) will be to recruit storytellers and scribes, match them with each other, and help them through the process with support and training. We will also edit and curate selections before sending them to the Facing Project team for publication.
The main thing for people to know is that *anyone* can participate, and we need volunteers! We want to hear from diverse people about diverse experiences!. If you have a story but don’t know how to tell it, that’s fine. And if you’d like to help someone tell their story but don’t know whom or how to help, that’s fine, too. There’s training and support all along the way. All you have to do is sign up at the link.
Upcoming literary events
■ Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m., Books & Co. at The Greene — Author David Slavin and illustrator Adam J. B. Lane will introduce their children’s book, “Odd Gods: The Oddyssey,” Book Two in their critically acclaimed series about the middle school gods you never hear about in myths.
■ Thursday, Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m., Dayton Metro Library, Huber Heights Branch — Poet Aimee Noel will lead a workshop, “Writing Poems: Getting Inspired.” Bring printed memorabilia to share — anything from postcards to parking tickets to takeout menus — and Noel will help participants find inspiration in them for creating poetry.