Who is pushing Foreword Motion?

Katie Schneider Gumiran is an educator, facilitator, and multimedia storyteller. She was a teacher and coach in Chicago Public Schools for 14 years, then co-built and directed a multimedia department for a leading national education nonprofit for 7 years.

Katie holds a BFA in Playwriting from The Theatre School at DePaul University and an MA in Teaching from National-Louis University. She was a National Board Certified Teacher, a Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction, and a Fund for Teachers Fellow. Her media has been used for professional learning across the country and featured in Education Week, SXSW, Learning for Justice, The New York Times, and Kappan. She is also the mom of a tween, teen, dog, and two cats, and she teaches English and Storytelling to adults in Chicago.

Katie works closely with other educators, facilitators, and multimedia creators who will collaborate on projects depending on your needs and budget.

Why stories?

stories fire "mirror neurons" releasing dopamine and oxytocin, synchronizing heart rates and leading listeners to empathetic responses and
"post-narrative actions"
stories build belonging in groups, allowing individuals to be seen and heard as their full selves
stories provide a reflection of what is happening now, allowing groups to coalesce around a shared vision, and to sharpen and clarify that vision going forward
stories are a form of "street data" we can use for qualitative research and continuous improvement, guiding us to act on forms of progress that don't show up on traditional metrics

Which stories can we capture or cultivate?

campaigns
community initiatives
shifts in work practice and culture
instances that require reckoning and healing

Foreword Motion is aware of the active legislation to prevent the study of racism and the LGBTQIA2s+ community in schools, and seeks to work with individuals and organizations who are pushing back against this censorship. Foreword Motion believes that people of all backgrounds have the right to be represented and to share their authentic stories, and that we all must work together to actively protect these rights.

make your story make change

Puppets: Arts in the Dark Chicago
Logo: 24kdesignz