ILLINOIS SPEAKS:
Work Stories Then and Now
Join Storyteller and Teaching Artist Victoria Reeves on this creative exploration of work culture. Our diverse workforce in Illinois benefits from 175+ in-state colleges and universities, a central location in the USA and our proximity to the Great Lakes. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore the multifaceted history of work in Illinois by viewing rural WPA murals - then hearing voices of coal miners and steel workers from the Studs Terkel Archive. Afterwards, reflecting on questions about your professional journey, you’ll have a chance to share a work story of your own!
WORKSHOP DETAILS:
This interactive Lecture + Storytelling Workshop is 1.5 hours.
PRICING:
$250 for up to 30 participants (includes Moth Style Storytelling Performance, an informative and visually rich slide deck, interactive writing | sharing exercise + all handouts
SET UP:
Projector for slide show (Victoria can provide for smaller venues)
Microphone and PA system to play audio tracks for larger venues
6’ tables surrounded by a chair for each participant
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
For 20+ years, Teaching Artist Victoria Reeves has led experiences everywhere from theater and bookstore stages to classrooms, libraries, community centers, and factory meeting rooms. An insatiable explorer who is fascinated by how people live, think, and work - her journey has taken her across the USA and to 15 countries. Creating community is her passion; she designs and facilitates presentations that educate, inspire and connect.
AUDIENCE:
Victoria’s audiences include participants with diverse economic, educational, professional and linguistic backgrounds. She has worked with senior citizens, immigrant and refugee populations, working class adults, teenagers, K-6 students, and employees in manufacturing, academic, corporate and hospitality settings. Her goal is to empower others through writing and art, and provide safe spaces for sharing stories. As a Workforce Development Trainer and Writing Coach, she has taught clients from 20+ countries. These clients work in 240 different industries. Over the course of her career, she has expanded her extensive knowledge of professions, the meaning of work, work/life balance and creative entrepreneurship. Victoria loves celebrating differences, discovering precious similarities and creating opportunities for creative exploration.

