a story has greater impacts when it is used to start
and sustain conversations in the community
a social media engagement often creates an echo chamber
that rarely promotes civil discourse
StoryburghLive! aims to foster conversations
and promote civil discourse
Snapshots (click image link for the full YouTube video)
9/1/2022 DMZ Event at Tripoli Street Community Center in North Side, Pittsburgh, PA:
“Hoping for some kind of law enforcement that would rush by to rescue me. But nope. No luck. No help. Nowhere to go.”
“For me to go in the public space with no identification is terrifying!”
“I was at the very least hopeful when Roe v Wade was recently overturned.”
“You can’t go out with him, he’s Jewish!”
“We don’t want what happened in the US to happen to us here.”
“Heard the tiny voices of white children yelling from the school bus, I realized that prejudice was learned.”
Production Team:
- MC: Leeann Younger
- Coaches: Pamela Monk & Kay Bey
- Musicians: Saint Agatha
- Event Assistant: Alyse Horn
- Exec.Producer: Will Halim
11/14/2022 DMZ Event at Sanctuary Hall in the Pittsburgh Project – Fineview, Pittsburgh, PA:
“Leave those keys and get out!” — a personal experience as a fresh high school graduate being carjacked at a gunpoint in grafitti-filled West Philadelphia
“This would be the start of a six year battle with the school system and the family courts of Allegheny county.”
“I was called the n-word — me and my siblings — on a regular basis” upon moving to a white predominantly neighborhood.
“They argued for hours but remained friends afterwards.”
“The doctor came into the office and asked me whether I had an insurance and I said no, because he suggested that I needed to get a colonoscopy.”
“They turned me away and just gave me some antibiotics and sent me on my way.”
“She said she loved me and she hoped we could still be friends” after finding out they were in the opposite side of the political spectrum/belief system.
Production Team:
- MC: Diondré Johnson
- Coaches: Pamela Monk & Kay Bey
- Musician: Jane West
- Producer: Carla Arnold
- Exec.Producer: Will Halim
10/5/2021 Mental Health Talk – Discussing Challenges and Overcoming Stigmas at Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA:
This community storytelling event is a collaboration between Soul Pitt Media, Storyburgh, and Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation, as we work together to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions and trauma by providing a platform for the participants to share their experiences of living with a wide spectrum of mental health issues, which will inspire others while creating a broader platform to service underrepresented populations in our communities.
Storytellers:
- Kay Bey
- Mary Beth Spang
- Prof. Robert McInerney
- DeAuntae Clark
- Chelsea Chase
- Sherris Richards
- Miracle Jones
MC: Marcia Liggett
Coach/RingLeader: Pamela Monk
Executive Producer: Will Halim
6/10/2021 Connecting Communities Through Storytelling at City Of Asylum, Pittsburgh, PA:
Pittsburgh is a city of neighborhoods and rivers, and residents notoriously boast about rarely crossing these lines. It is the Northside or the Outside. But what connects our city unlike any person, place, or thing? The bus routes! Come hear Pittsburghers tell their stories about using public transportation and how these experiences have shaped relationships with people and neighborhoods outside of their own.
Storytellers:
- Carla Arnold
- Helena Edwards
- Paul Matthews
- Anonymous
- Carla Brower
MC: Alyse Horn
Musician: Jane West
Coach/RingLeader: Pamela Monk
Executive Producer: Will Halim

Production Partners and Funders
9/3/2020 Teens Have Voices, Too! at City Of Asylum (virtual), Pittsburgh, PA:
What are the stories we tell ourselves? If we had the opportunity to tell ourselves another story, what would we say? Teens Have Voices Too is a joint storytelling event produced by Storyburgh and Write Pittsburgh featuring teen and adult storytellers narrating their personal reflections and in conversation through “What I’d tell my future self” and “What I’d tell my younger self” respectively.
Storytellers (teens | adults):
- Amelie
- Bella
- Emma
- Cralajé Sartori
- Dani Janae
- Charlie Lefever
MC: Alyse Horn & Vivian Lee Croft
Musician: Angela Halim
Coach: Pamela Monk
Executive Producer: Will Halim

Production Partners and Funders
1/29/2020 Stories of Struggle and Survival at East End Cooperative Ministry, Pittsburgh, PA:
[synopsis]
Storytellers:
- Rev. Kellie Wild
- Kess Ballentine
- Sharlene Dominick
- Sarah Souri
- Meg St.Esprit
MC: Pamela Monk & Kelly Mariska
Musician: Matthew Petronko & Aaron LeWinter
Coach: Pamela Monk
Executive Producers: Will Halim & Mila Sanina

Production Partners
4/19/2019 Speak Your Truth About Disability in North Side, Pittsburgh, PA:
Do you wish reporters did a better job of covering disability issues? Let’s talk! Journalists invite you to air your priorities for news coverage. Is your biggest issue housing, obtaining medical marijuana, violence- or something else? An illustrator will capture story ideas from this off- the-record session.
Moderator: Jennifer Jordan & Alyse Horn
Illustrator: Emily Marko

By Emily Marko

Producing Partners
12/14/2018 Stories of [Appreciation] at Ace Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA:
[synopsis]
Storytellers:
- Sera Linardi
- Sean Collier
- Torrey Shineman
- Anthony Stewart
- Alyse Horn
- Scott Wolovich
Ringleaders & Coaches: Pamela Monk & Teresa Stayton
Musician: Matthew Petronko & Aaron LeWinter
Executive Producer: Will Halim

Ace Hotel Theatre
Things We Do
[coming soon 🙂 ]




Event Snapshots on Social Media
Yes!! It did happen.
The inaugural Storytelling: The Demilitarized Zone where #diverse community members told their…
Posted by Storyburgh on Saturday, September 3, 2022
If you missed the hybrid live event held at TPP on 11/14/22 or you just want to watch and listen to the great stories…
Posted by Storyburgh on Tuesday, November 22, 2022