1
Raise your hand
An elder, family member, volunteer, school, or community partner expresses interest.
Stories worth keeping
A life is more than the moment someone needs help.
The Elder Story Project invites older adults across Fresno County to tell the stories of their lives — work, family, service, neighborhoods, change, culture, faith, and the things they want younger generations to remember.
It is not an abuse interview. It is a relationship-building, listening, and community-memory project designed to reduce isolation and strengthen connection around older adults.
What we listen for
Not a checklist. A real conversation.
Interviewers are trained to ask one question, make room for silence, notice concrete details, and follow the storyteller rather than steering toward the story they expected to hear.
Work and the jobs that shaped a life
Neighborhoods and what Fresno used to look like
Migration, family, culture, and faith
Military or community service
People, places, traditions, and turning points
What younger generations should remember
A simple path
Easy to join. Careful about what happens next.
2
Choose what is comfortable
The storyteller decides whether they want to participate and what may be recorded or shared.
3
Meet a trained interviewer
A volunteer, intern, or student completes the project’s preparation before an interview is assigned.
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Have the conversation
The interview is about a life — not a hunt for trauma, abuse, or a predetermined story.
5
Review before sharing
The storyteller gets a chance to review the story and publication choices before EASI shares it.
Consent is ongoing
The storyteller stays in control.
A storyteller may skip a question or stop the conversation. Taking part, being recorded, being photographed, and having a story published are separate choices, so agreeing to an interview does not mean agreeing to audio, photographs, web stories, print, or social media. Not publishing is a complete and good outcome.
When something difficult comes up
Interviewers are listeners, not investigators.
Before the first interview, EASI will have a written disclosure protocol telling interviewers what to do if they hear about current harm, who they contact, what they may or may not promise, and how quickly the concern is escalated.
Schools & youth
A school can adopt the project without improvising the safeguards.
Schools will receive a complete project kit: training, permission documents, interview guidance, supervision rules, story handoff, and a clear escalation path so students can focus on listening well.
A named school or program coordinator and a named EASI contact
Parent or guardian permission for student interviewers who are minors
Student acknowledgement of conduct, privacy, and project boundaries
Storyteller consent before the interview begins
Separate choices for audio, photography, web, print, and social sharing
A written disclosure and safety protocol before any student interviews
School/EASI-approved interview settings and supervision expectations
Built to grow
A small first cohort. A community storytelling network if we earn it.
The magazine, larger archive, school cohorts, sponsorships, and a broader story network come after the pilot demonstrates that EASI can collect stories carefully and consistently. A 90-day review of the first cohort will shape what comes next.