People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos

People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos offers reading and discussion programs in English or Spanish that invite participants to read, challenge, and question literary short stories through vibrant discussion. Our programs reach individuals in diverse settings including residential treatment facilities, prisons, homeless shelters, adult education programs, libraries, and senior centers.

People & Stories / Gente y Cuentos programs create an enjoyable and enriching experience with literature for those who limited opportunity to read independently. In each program, coordinators read aloud literary short stories as participants follow along with provided copies. We choose classic and contemporary short stories particularly for their poetic and complex approach; they resist tidy answers and, like life, are layered and open-ended.

A vibrant discussion then ensues as coordinators invite participants to reflect on questions and share their understanding of the text, drawing upon their values, ethics, and past experiences, to analyze the short story. Our methodology encourages participants to encounter literature through the lens of their own life experiences, revealing an inherent ability to tackle difficult themes, issues, and texts often reserved for the college classroom.

Participants learn not only from the text, as a solitary reader does, and also not just from the facilitator, who is trained to avoid the typical "teacher" role of one who imparts knowledge to others. Participants learn from their own reactions to the text, from the differing interpretations offered by others in the room, and from the dialogue that emerges as readers question, challenge, affirm and build on one another's responses. As a result, individuals can move beyond stereotypes, communicate better across racial and cultural differences, and refine critical and analytical thinking skills.