When Technology Changes Everything, Your Story Matters Most
AI and emerging technologies are reshaping how we work, learn, connect, and care for one another, often without our input. We're here to change that.
Our real experiences matter more than hype.
Too often, the conversation about technology is driven by corporations, vendors, and institutions -- not by the people actually living with the consequences. We believe that lived experience is expertise. The people most affected by algorithmic systems, AI tools, and digital transformation are not just subjects of this story. They are its most important narrators.
That's why we collect and preserve stories and oral histories: to document how real people are navigating this moment of profound change, in their own words, on their own terms.
Why Your Story Matters.
History Is Being Written Right Now.
Every era of technological transformation — the printing press, the industrial revolution, the internet — has been defined not just by the technology itself, but by how ordinary people responded, resisted, adapted, and thrived. We are living through one of those moments again.
Oral history has always been one of humanity's most powerful tools for making sense of change. It creates a record of lived experience that statistics and policy reports can never fully capture. It challenges harmful or incomplete narratives. It amplifies voices that are often left out of dominant accounts. And it gives communities the power to shape how their own stories are told.
Your story — whether you're a worker whose job has been affected by automation, a parent navigating your child's AI-assisted classroom, a caregiver using new health technologies, or simply someone trying to understand what these changes mean for your family and community — is part of a history that deserves to be told, preserved, and heard.
WHAT WE
DO WITH YOUR
STORY
Stories That Drive Real Change
Your stories help us:
-
Document how communities build resilience, trust, and self-efficacy while navigating algorithmic systems and AI tools
-
Identify emerging risks, patterns, and gaps where support is most needed
-
Challenge harmful narratives about "inevitable" tech adoption and whose interests these systems actually serve
-
Create practical workshops, guides, and community briefings grounded in real experience
-
Build evidence that informs education, advocacy, and policy that center those most impacted
And because we believe people deserve something useful in return for their time, every story shared helps us curate resources, tools, and guidance tailored to the challenges you raise.
OUR
COMMITMENT
TO YOU
Ethical, Trauma-Informed, Justice-Centered Storytelling
We know that sharing your story takes courage and trust. We take that seriously.
Our approach to collecting, using, and sharing stories is grounded in three interlocking frameworks:
Ethical Storytelling
We reject extractive, transactional approaches to story gathering. That means no parachuting in, collecting what we need, and leaving. We invest in relationships, move at the speed of trust, and ensure narrators remain in the driver's seat throughout. Your story belongs to you — not to us.
Social Justice Storytelling
Oral history is inherently a tool of narrative power. We use it to make space for perspectives that are too often left out of dominant accounts — particularly communities that have been most impacted by technological change while having the least say in how it unfolds. We are committed to using stories to reframe injustice and build narrative power from the ground up.
Trauma-Informed Storytelling
We recognize that recounting difficult experiences can be painful, and we take steps to support storytellers before, during, and after the process. This includes providing full information in advance, offering anonymity, ensuring opt-out rights at any time, and connecting narrators with support resources when needed. Sharing your story should feel empowering — never extractive or harmful.
Read Our Full Storytelling Principles & Storytellers' Bill of Rights →
Ready to Be Heard?
Your experience with technology — whatever form it takes — is worth documenting. Whether it's ten minutes or two hours, a quick survey or a full recorded interview, we meet you where you are.
By sharing your story, you become part of a growing archive of community wisdom that will inform education, advocacy, research, and change for years to come.
Open Stories
What the Surveys Cover
Our surveys explore topics like:
-
How AI shows up in daily life, work, caregiving, or services
-
Experiences with automated decisions, screening, or surveillance
-
Confusion, concern, or unexpected impacts from new tools
-
What feels helpful — and what feels harmful or out of bounds
-
What support would actually make a difference
Most surveys take 10-20 minutes to complete.
Your Privacy Comes First
We are intentional about how we collect and use information.
-
We only collect what’s necessary
-
We do not sell, share, or monetize responses
-
Responses are used to inform education and resources — not profiling
-
You can skip questions or stop at any time
Your trust matters more than data volume.
Who This Is For
This is for people who are:
-
Caring for children, elders, or dependents
-
Navigating work shaped by automation or AI
-
Running or supporting community organizations
-
Protecting their own digital wellbeing and privacy
-
Feeling unsure, curious, or concerned about new technology
You do not need technical expertise to participate.