My name is Joe Wright. I'm an author, independent journalist, and educator from Nogales, Arizona. A few years ago, I founded an education program called The Art of Storytelling. In this program, I take students through the history of storytelling—from cave paintings to TikTok—to explore the different ways we tell stories: Visual (paintings, sculpture, photography, video), Verbal, Written, Performative (music, acting), and Internal (dreams). Students learn how to discover the artist and storyteller within by not only learning HOW to tell a good story, but also exploring WHY we tell stories at all.

This program has been amazingly successful, and students who have participated have not only grown as storytellers but are better communicators and critical thinkers. Students LOVE the program, too. I've had multiple students take the course up to as many as 3 times.

Unfortunately, the grants that fund this program have been seeing cuts over the last couple of years. Fall 2025 has been the worst season yet with only 1 school being able to accept the program. However, if I can find the funding, there are 3 local community centers that are interested in hosting the program for the 2025/2026 school year. Your donation will ensure that the students who need this program the most will be able to get it. It will also help me to officially establish the program as a non-profit, allowing me access to grant money I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise. I'm also hoping to expand the program to other cities like Tucson and Phoenix, and maybe beyond, but first, I need to ensure that the students here who need more programs like this will be able to have access to them. Please help me achieve that goal.

Thank you.