What happens when a simple four-minute digital story manages to capture the essence of a centuries-old military band tradition? For Katlyn Lamont, a registered psychotherapist and newly-trained digital storytelling facilitator, the answer came in the form of tough military veterans moved to tears.
Katlyn's journey with Common Language Digital Storytelling began unexpectedly when her youth addiction agency secured her a last-minute spot in facilitator training. With a background in media production from high school, she quickly found herself rekindling dormant creative skills. But the real magic happened when she faced a moment of clarity the morning of the story circle, scrapping her original draft to instead document her experience with the Lincoln and Welland Band.
The story captured a pivotal moment for the band, which had played for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment since the War of 1812 but had recently received a cease and desist order, threatening their identity and traditions. Despite being relatively new to the band, Katlyn found herself documenting not just a musical group, but a living historical legacy kept alive by combat veterans whose service photos she incorporated into her digital story.
When she gathered band members for a screening, complete with popcorn and snacks, Katlyn was worried they'd find inaccuracies. Instead, she witnessed hardened veterans brought to tears. Her band president summed up the impact perfectly: "What we've been trying to say to the community and to the regiment for months, you've just summed up in four minutes." The film quickly spread beyond that screening room to social media, and local politicians.
The power of digital storytelling lies not just in its emotional impact but in its ability to advocate where traditional communications fall short. As Katlyn discovered, sometimes a personal narrative can accomplish what countless emails, letters, and meetings cannot. Whether you're looking to preserve history, drive organizational change, or simply document meaningful moments, digital storytelling offers a uniquely powerful medium that resonates across generations and bureaucratic boundaries.
Ready to explore how your story might create ripples of change? Discover more about Common Language DST facilitator training here.
Other Links Mentioned
- Watch Katlyn's digital story
- Learn more about the Lincoln & Welland Band
- Read this episode's blog post
- Watch the Looking Back video for Ep 29 about DST in Research
Learn more about Katlyn through the blog post.
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