I PROMOTE-IL

Innovations to ImPROve Maternal OuTcomEs in Illinois

The Illinois Maternal Health Digital Storytelling Project

I PROMOTE-IL conducted the Illinois Maternal Health Digital Storytelling Project to collect perspectives from Illinois birthing persons on experiences of complications and challenges during pregnancy and in the postpartum period through the creation of digital stories (videos). 

The goals of this project include: 

  • Raise awareness about complications and challenges occurring during pregnancy and postpartum
  • Elevate voices (stories) to complement other sources of data on maternal mortality and morbidity 
  • Provide a personal element to inform ongoing prevention work 

Participants joined five two-hour group sessions to understand the basics of storytelling, share their stories with others, and learn the hands-on skills required to create digital stories. Participants also worked individually with facilitators to compose and edit their story.

The project occurred in August-September 2021 and was repeated in August 2022.

View the newest stories below!

Note: The videos contain sensitive content that may be potentially distressing for some viewers.

Breanna’s Story
Carrita’s Story
Erika’s Story
Jahniyah’s Story
Kelly’s Story
Ashley’s Story

Note: The videos contain sensitive content that may be potentially distressing for some viewers.

Angelica’s Story
Autumn’s Story
Krystal’s Story
Jess’s Story

Digital storytelling is the practice of using digital tools to tell a story. A “digital story” is a 2-3 minute short video that synthesizes still images, video, voice recordings, music or sound and text. The Illinois Maternal Health Digital Storytelling Project used a digital storytelling workshop format that brought five women together virtually to share true personal (first-person “I” voice) stories from their lives. The workshop was highly participatory and included five main components:  

  1. Share a story verbally, in a “Story Circle”
  2. Work with a facilitator to write the story in a short format
  3. Record the story into a microphone
  4. Create and/or choose photos, videos, drawings or other illustrative methods to visually enhance the story
  5. Work with a facilitator to combine these materials into short digital story 

This digital storytelling workshop was facilitated by StoryCenter.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Hear Her Campaign: https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/index.html 
  2. The Council on Patient’s Safety in Women’s Health Care Urgent Maternal Warning Signs: https://safehealthcareforeverywoman.org/council/patient-safety-tools/urgent-maternal-signs/ 
  3. Northshore Perinatal Depression Hotline: 866.364.MOMS (866.364.6667) or visit  https://www.northshore.org/pediatrics/specialty-programs/neonatology/perinatal-family-support-center/perinatal-depression-program/ 
  4. Postpartum Support International: https://www.postpartum.net/ 

Storytellers- 2022
Carrita Flie
Kelly Hubbard
Jahniyah Morris
Breanna Wakar

Storytellers-2021
Angelica Hernandez
Autumn Mels
Jess Pierson
Krystal Wilson

StoryCenter
Allison Meyers
April Bell

I PROMOTE-IL
Abigail Holicky
Liz Glassgow
Crystal Stevenson
Lawrie Zhang

Updated: