Sunday | October 4, 2026
Stories have the power to connect generations, strengthen communities and help us better understand ourselves—and one another.
AFT President Randi Weingarten led a special AFT Book Club conversation with bestselling author Jason Reynolds and StoryCorps founder and president Dave Isay as they reunite for their third annual discussion on the enduring power of storytelling.
This year's conversation celebrates StoryCorps' newest book—featuring a foreword by Jason Reynolds—which highlights the diverse voices of the everyday people that make up America. Together, Weingarten, Reynolds and Isay explored:
- Why preserving family and community stories matters;
- How listening builds empathy and belonging; and
- What educators can do to help students discover the power of their own voices.
The discussion also spotlighted The Great Thanksgiving Listen, StoryCorps' nationwide initiative that invites middle school and high school students to interview a family member, mentor or someone they admire, preserving those conversations as part of the StoryCorps Archive at the Library of Congress. Since its launch, hundreds of thousands of participants have helped create a living oral history of our nation, while developing listening, interviewing and communication skills.
Drawing on Reynolds' continued call for young people to embrace curiosity, imagination and authentic storytelling, and Isay's lifelong mission to preserve the voices of everyday Americans, this conversation explored how stories help students understand history, strengthen civic learning and recognize that every voice has value.
As part of AFT, the Albert Shanker Institute and Share My Lesson's America250 initiative, educators will leave with practical ideas for bringing storytelling into classrooms across subjects while helping students make meaningful connections between their own lives, their families and the broader American story.
Watch the conversation on demand here.
Learn more about the book club and access any of the sessions here.