AARP Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with Audio Story Collection Project for Latino Community

At AARP, we understand the power of storytelling. A good story will inspire, educate, and entertain. It is often through their stories that our members pass down traditions, share life lessons, and connect with loved ones. The stories of our AARP Latino members are reflected among the collective experience of an entire community, connected through a unique cultural identity.

In collaboration with StoryCorps, AARP's “Vivan Las Voces” (Long live the voices), is a national audio story collection project dedicated to capturing the diverse stories and experiences of the U.S. Latino community.

AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson said, “Heritage is what brings us together – the thread that connects us. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the diverse stories that make up Florida’s Hispanic community. The traditions, flavors and music of our Hispanic residents enrich all of our local communities.

“Vivan Las Voces is an opportunity for AARP to honor the rich history and culture of the Latino community by helping to preserve their stories for future generations. These stories are invaluable pieces of history that offer first-hand insight into the Latino culture in the United States. From family history and cultural traditions to personal successes and challenges, everyone has a story, and every story matters equally. We are excited to work with StoryCorps on this program and look forward to documenting a piece of the Latino experience, one story at a time.”

Stories are captured through a conversation format, typically person-to-person, and participation is easy, fun, and rewarding. You simply invite a loved one, or anyone else you choose, to join you on the free StoryCorps Connect online video conferencing platform to share a 40-minute conversation.

Recordings will not only be available for participants to cherish and pass down, but the audio and a photo from each conversation also will be archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. As such, the collection of content from Vivan Las Voces will preserve in history a primary source perspective of the U.S. Latino experience through the powerful medium of storytelling.

Participation in Vivan Las Voces is open to anyone interested in capturing something special about a loved one’s life through the easy-to-use StoryCorps platform. Conversations can be recorded in English, Spanish, or a mix of the two today by visiting www.storycorpsconnect.org.

Here are the steps and helpful tips for a successful StoryCorps Connect conversation:

Steps and tips for a successful StoryCorps Connect interview:

• Select an interview partner. This could be anyone you want to have a meaningful conversation with: a parent, grandparent, mentor, close friend, teacher, etc.

• Prepare questions. You can use StoryCorps’ Great Questions list or create your own.

• Create a StoryCorps account. Create an account for StoryCorps’ virtual recording platform at archive.storycorps.org.

• Set aside a time to talk. Be sure to reserve enough time to not feel rushed. Most interviews take about 40 minutes.

• Have the conversation of a lifetime. Log in at storycorpsconnect.org and let the conversation flow!

• Preserve it for history. When the conversation is over, click “Stop Recording” and “Save Interview.” Enter a descriptive title, summary, keywords, and photo to make it easier for you and others to find your interview in the future. Don’t forget to tag the conversation #VivanLasVoces to have your story officially be a part of the Vivan Las Voces project.