Storytelling is an inevitable and vital part of international public engagement, one of our most significant responsibilities. Sharing images and narratives from the communities we work with is not merely a task; it carries ethical weight and demands intentionality.
Because supremacist systems permeate every aspect of our work, storytelling is no exception. As international practitioners, we must remain conscious of how these dynamics show up in our communications and strive actively to disrupt and dismantle them.
In this context, I use “storytelling” to refer broadly to all forms of representation (images, language, and narratives) that we use to share the experiences of community members we work with, whether in Canada or globally. It's about images and it’s about language. A photo can empower the subject or can perpetuate neocolonial voyeurism. The words you use to tell a story can redistribute or take power from a community.
I will never forget a story a university classmate shared with me. We were discussing refugee and immigration history, and she shared her visit to Pier 21 with her family and front and centre of one of the exhibitions was a photo of her as a child refugee fleeing her home – she felt so disempowered, appalled and angry. She had no say in how her story was told, how she was portrayed and she definitely did not consent to her photo being used that way.
This story comes to my mind when we are focusing on intentional storytelling, especially through photography. Some organizations focus on what they perceive the Canadian eye wants to see and strive to collect a large number of stories to match the Canadian attention span. But this mindset often harms meaningful consensual stories and can perpetuate the historic norm of colonial objectification, racist voyeurism and misogynistic gaze.
The intentional collection of stories, with the full and informed consent of those featured, especially in photos, is the bare minimum for beginning to address decolonial and anti-racist approaches to public engagement. Participation in a program does not equal consent. A simple yes or no is not informed consent. And children, without the presence and understanding of their guardians, cannot give consent.
Of course, most stories are not conveyed through images alone. The words we use to tell these stories are just as important. While current communication norms often emphasize including direct quotes from community members, as a way to ensure their voices are present, what’s equally important is how those quotes are selected and the language used to frame the overall story. These choices shape meaning and can either reinforce or challenge existing power dynamics.
When interviewing, it’s essential to create a space where community members feel safe and comfortable sharing their truth. Participants may sometimes say what they believe the organization wants to hear. But authenticity isn't a box to check based on whose words are included, it requires intention and trust. If participants feel pressured to shape their responses to align with the expectations of those in power, especially when those expectations are rooted in racist or neocolonial ideals, then the process cannot truly challenge those structures. Radical honesty, grounded in mutual respect, is essential.
I highly recommend taking a deeper dive into ethical storytelling and the work of Photographers Without Borders, who offer in-depth and thoughtful resources on this important topic.
Born and raised outside of Sarnia, ON, Allison Kingston has spent years living around Canada and the world until coming back to Sarnia-Lambton to join the Rayjon team full-time as Executive Director in July 2024! Inspired by Rayjon’s work with our partner ASCALA, she completed her master’s thesis on statelessness in the Dominican Republic, achieving her MA in Migration and Diaspora Studies from Carleton University. She holds core values of connecting communities, innovative change and strengthening partnerships. In her free time she loves to stay active, whether it’s boxing or a walk in the sunshine, but also enjoys settling down with a good book.