UNITY STORY SLAM: GETTING REAL

Call for Entries

ENTRY DEADLINE: 11:59 PM ET on SUNDAY, 8/15/21

Selected Storytellers Win $500 each

 

STORY SLAM VIRTUAL EVENT: Friday, 9/24/21, 7-8:30 pm ET (to view the Slam, register here)

 

Harvard Alums of Color, Do You Have A Story to Tell?

Share it at the UNITY STORY SLAM!

 

Storytelling is a powerful art. It can elicit delight or fear, laughter or tears. It can entertain, inform and inspire. Most of all, it can bring us together. We would like to hear your personal true story on video. A panel of Unity Story Slam judges will select the five most compelling storytellers to present their tales at the virtual Slam.

 

The five winners will each be awarded a $500 cash prize and a session with a professional storytelling coach. Here are some themes, but don’t feel bound by them:

 

  • As a person of color at Harvard . . .
  • My roots, my struggles, my growth
  • My view/experience of unity
  • Any other story that you think the Unity audience would be moved and inspired by. 

 

Simply put, we seek great true stories told well. (Narrative only; not poetry or spoken word.) 

 

For inspiration, watch stories on The Moth or from the last H4A Summit. Your video entry must be prepared specifically for this Slam – recordings of prior presentations may not be submitted.

Requirements and Deadlines

  1. Alumni members of the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance, Harvard Black Alumni Society, Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance, and Native American Alumni at Harvard University are invited to submit stories.

 

  1. Story submissions are due by 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, 8/15/21. Five storytellers will be chosen by 9/1 to tell their stories at the Slam. The selected Slam storytellers MUST be available:
     
  • During the week of 9/7 for a session with a professional storytelling coach 
  • Between Sunday 9/12 and Tuesday 9/14 for a taping of your story via Zoom 
  • Monday, 9/20, 8-9:30 pm ET for a tech rehearsal
  • Friday, 9/24, 6:30-8:30 pm ET to introduce yourself LIVE via Zoom and take questions during the Slam talkback
 
  1. Record a 5-minute video of yourself telling your story (no longer than 6 minutes). For your initial video submission, you may look at notes, but please don't use props. 
 
  1. Upload your video to YouTube as “unlisted”, include your story’s title in the description section, and email the YouTube link to unitystoryslam@gmail.com by Sunday, 8/15. (Please send us a note as soon as you begin working on a story so that we can get a sense of how many submissions there will be; we’ll send you some tips on recording your story.)  Include in your email your full name, your Harvard school, degree, and year, your city, and which sponsoring organization(s) you are a member of (H4A, HBAS, HLAA, or NAAHU).

• Also include a statement that you commit to being available during the times specified in Paragraph #2.

 

The Unity organizers reserve the right to adjust the schedule, judging process, and prizes. Questions? Please contact unitystoryslam@gmail.com.  We can’t wait to hear your story!