The Real Story is a live storytelling series that centers personal narrative as a tool for connection, cultural memory, and community healing. Through curated events held quarterly in community-based venues, the project invites individuals to share true, personal stories grounded in themes such as On Becoming, Love + Loss, and Joy is Resistance. Each event features a combination of pre-selected storytellers and open mic participants, moderated by a local artist or cultural worker who helps shape a welcoming, intentional space.
At its core, this project is about creating opportunities for people to witness one another -- across lines of identity, experience, and background -- through the simple but profound act of sharing stories out loud. It uplifts voices often left out of traditional arts spaces and reaffirms storytelling as a form of public service, cultural expression, and collective reflection.
Events are accessible to the public and held in venues such as libraries, cultural centers, and arts spaces. The atmosphere is intimate and grounded, with a strong emphasis on community presence over performance polish. Storytellers receive stipends, and all events are low-cost to attend. Recordings from these events will be archived for possible future use in podcasting or digital storytelling formats.
Led by Ricardo Benavidez, a philanthropic strategist, narrative practitioner, and cultural organizer, The Real Story is currently a part-time endeavor with the potential to grow into a broader narrative power platform. Future plans include hosting workshops, developing digital content, and collaborating with local artists on public storytelling activations.
While the project may expand in the future, its foundation will remain rooted in live, in-person events that foster vulnerability, empathy, and belonging. The Real Story exists to honor lived experience, nurture connection, and -- above all -- tend the collective through story.