Everybody’s Got A Story was founded to celebrate the voices, experiences, and rich histories woven throughout Hampton, Virginia-a city long recognized for its commitment to neighborhood identity and community engagement. While Hampton has spent nearly 30 years investing in the strength of its neighborhoods, the stories of those communities had yet to be lifted and heard. This organization was created to change that. Hampton, Virginia, a city rich in history, is also a city rich in stories.
For almost 30 years Hampton has been a city uniquely focused on the importance of its neighborhoods, but the stories of those neighborhoods and their residents have yet to be celebrated. Storytelling, an art that has gained much recent popularity across the country, is a significant opportunity to showcase the individuals and stories that make Hampton special.
In 2023, with support from Virginia Humanities, Everybody’s Got A Story launched its first Storytelling Festival-an annual event designed to introduce and embed the art of storytelling into Hampton’s cultural fabric. The festival serves as a platform for connection, healing, and community pride, spotlighting the personal and collective narratives that make Hampton unique.
In addition to the festival, the organization hosts monthly storytelling events, including local story swaps and special performances, building year-round opportunities for residents to connect, listen, and be heard. By empowering storytellers of all backgrounds, Everybody’s Got A Story is nurturing a culture of shared understanding-one story at a time.
