Safely Telling Youth-Centered Stories with Janelle Suzanne
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In This Episode
In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Janelle Suzanne, the managing partner and chief marketing officer at Louder Agency. Janelle and I take on the complex topic of youth-centered storytelling, offering valuable insights into the delicate balance between sharing impactful narratives and protecting vulnerable children.
Our discussion begins by exploring the nuances of storytelling for young people in challenging circumstances, with a particular focus on children in foster care. Janelle advocates for a paradigm shift in traditional storytelling approaches, encouraging a move away from sensationalism towards more empowering methods that preserve dignity. She provides practical strategies for protecting children's identities while still conveying powerful stories that resonate with audiences.
Throughout our conversation, Janelle's passion for ethical storytelling shines through. She's on a mission to change how we talk about young people, focusing on their strengths and potential rather than just their struggles. Whether you're in youth advocacy and services, this episode is for you.
About Janelle Suzanne
With nearly two decades of experience in messaging, marketing, and philanthropy, Janelle Suzanne is dedicated to amplifying the impact of organizations. As the Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Louder Agency, she specializes in crafting digital strategies and messaging that elevate nonprofits and purposeful brands.
Connect with Janelle Suzanne
Louder Agency | Nonprofit Amplifier | LinkedIn | Braid Mission Case Story
Connect with Maria
Speaking & Training | LinkedIn | Email
Transcripts
Hello. I am so glad you are here. Today we are talking to Janelle Suzanne. She is the Managing Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Louder Agency. Louder Agency has a number of clients that serve children and youth, including foster children.
So who better to help us unpack the complexities of telling youth centered stories?
Maria Bryan:
Janelle, welcome to the show. This is such an important conversation, and I really appreciate you coming on and walking through some of these difficult questions. Welcome.
Janelle Suzanne:
Oh, absolutely. Thank you for bringing me into this space, and more importantly, for bringing this conversation into the world. It is very needed, so it is an honor to be here talking about this with you.
Maria Bryan:
Today we are talking not just about telling vulnerable stories, but specifically about sharing stories of youth and vulnerable youth. Why are we having this conversation? What are the risks of not being thoughtful and careful when sharing stories of vulnerable children and youth?
Janelle Suzanne:
How much time do we have?
Maria Bryan:
Yes, unpack it.
Janelle Suzanne:
The risks and the potential for additional trauma in telling these stories is such a big question that it could fill an entire book.
At the most basic level, there are very real physical considerations, such as never compromising a child’s privacy and safety. I like to think about this through Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. We often talk about what not to do in ethical or trauma informed storytelling, but I want to encourage people to also think about what we should be doing.
At the base level, there are physical considerations of privacy and safety. Beyond that, I never want to retraumatize a child now or 10 or 20 years from now when they look back on their story. If they were to find that story in print years later, I want to ask how that child, and that future adult, will feel. Do they feel loved, valued, celebrated, and honored, or do they feel ashamed, embarrassed, or angry about what was shared?
I also think deeply about never compromising a child’s dignity. Every child has inherent dignity and worth. There are also people in a child’s life, past and present, who have inherent value as well. Sometimes when telling difficult stories, we can demonize others in a child’s life. That matters, because it affects how a child later understands their own story.
Then there are felt needs like safety, love, and belonging. I never want a child to feel othered by their story. They should feel safety, love, and belonging. They should also have agency and freedom in making choices.
At the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy is self esteem and potential. How does this story build a child’s sense of self and possibility? Does it support their self actualization and future potential?
So instead of only asking what the risks are, I like to ask what we need to be doing to ensure we are not retraumatizing, devaluing, or dehumanizing children in the process of sharing their stories.
Maria Bryan:
You are making me think of a story that still haunts me. A woman came to me after a storytelling session and shared that about a decade earlier, when she was a youth, she had been featured in a program that used her first and last name.
She shared very vulnerable details about her life, and ten years later, every time she applied for a job and someone Googled her, that video came up. When she went to college, her roommates knew details about her life that she was not ready to share.
What really broke my heart is that she was engaged at the time, and she said she was most excited about changing her last name because it was the only way she could truly separate herself from that story.
That really sticks with me as an example of what can go wrong when we are not thoughtful. We often think about safety, but I appreciate that you named confidence, dignity, and grace for people in a child’s life as well.
Let’s talk about some tactics. When we get into the story gathering process, choosing the story, interview questions, and the interview itself, what should storytellers be thinking about?
Janelle Suzanne:
We are talking about children today because many of the nonprofits we work with serve vulnerable children and families, including those impacted by foster care, adoption, or orphanhood, both domestically and internationally.
Sometimes clients will say they have an 18 or 19 year old who is technically an adult and can tell their own story. I think it is important to define what we mean by children, and to consider whether 18 to 25 year olds may still fall into this category as well.
The rational part of the brain is not fully developed until around age 25. Trauma can delay that development even further. As storytellers, we have an obligation to use careful discernment when choosing what parts of a story to share, even with consent. A 22 year old may not be able to fully anticipate how sharing certain details will affect them 10 years later.
Maria Bryan:
Exactly. How could she possibly know the implications? It felt safe at the time, and then it was not.
Janelle Suzanne:
Exactly. I also think about whether a story is ready to be told. I will never tell a sensationalized story or focus heavily on trauma. I focus on the present and the future.
When we say a child is in foster care or was adopted, there is already an understood trauma. We do not need to go into details, because a child cannot give informed consent for those details. I do not believe a caregiver has the authority to approve sharing deeply traumatic details either.
I know painful stories have historically been effective for fundraising, but I want to challenge that approach. We can change the narrative by focusing on agency, growth, education, and future possibilities. If a child were to read their story, I want them to feel empowered.
Maria Bryan:
Let’s go a bit deeper into how storytellers can make those choices in practice.
Janelle Suzanne:
One misconception is that I am interviewing children directly. I am not. My primary goal is to support the bond between children and their caregivers.
Children who have experienced trauma often struggle with attachment. Sharing their story directly with an outsider can create trauma bonding. That is not appropriate. Instead, I empower caregivers by providing high level questions.
I keep questions about the past broad and factual. For example, a child’s parents may have passed away. In some countries, children may temporarily end up in jail cells because there are no other systems in place. I do not ask for details. I provide enough context to understand the situation without retraumatizing the child.
I often encourage people to look at how journalists handle stories involving children. They provide high level facts without identifying details. I go further by focusing on what is happening now and what the future holds, while avoiding savior language.
Maria Bryan:
I love that. We often forget that journalists have strong ethical training, and trauma informed journalism is growing.
Janelle Suzanne:
Yes, and what we are adding is the heart. How these stories impact individuals, communities, and audiences.
Maria Bryan:
Let’s talk about privacy. How do you keep youth anonymous?
Janelle Suzanne:
We never use a child’s real name. We use a different name and include an asterisk explaining that the name has been changed for protection.
We also think carefully about cultural considerations when choosing names. Some clients prefer completely different names to make identification even harder. There is nuance here, and I do not think there is a single right answer.
Maria Bryan:
If protecting the story owner is the priority, especially vulnerable youth, that outweighs discomfort about changing details. Many communities are small, and changing a name alone may not be enough.
This leads to composite storytelling, which is controversial in journalism. Combining elements from multiple stories is one of my favorite trauma informed tactics for highly vulnerable populations. Where do you land on that?
Janelle Suzanne:
I think transparency is essential. Organizations must commit to truthfulness while also protecting dignity. I do not believe in combining hardships from one child and achievements from another into a single story.
We add clarity wherever possible, such as stating that names or images have been changed, that photos are representative, or that stories happened years ago. This allows us to protect children while remaining accountable to audiences.
Maria Bryan:
I also think this helps release pressure to be overly timely.
Janelle Suzanne:
Exactly. And beyond names and images, we consider details like identifiable birthmarks, locations, or even specific dates. These details can narrow identification more than people realize.
Maria Bryan:
This is where slowing down really matters. A checklist alone is not enough. Review processes matter.
You also do not need this level of rigor for every story. Volunteer stories, educational content, or organizational updates do not carry the same risk. But when telling one to five beneficiary stories a year, slowing down and involving multiple voices makes a big difference.
Janelle Suzanne:
Yes. We think in story buckets. Only one bucket may be direct child impact stories. Others include volunteers, donors, staff, or community partners.
Maria Bryan:
Can you share an example you are proud of?
Janelle Suzanne:
One example is Braid Mission in San Francisco. They support youth in foster care by surrounding each youth with three mentors.
For Giving Tuesday, we told stories through comic strip illustrations. Four panels. One briefly acknowledged the past, and the rest focused on the present and future. The illustrations did not resemble real people. It was creative, ethical, and highly effective.
We did not sensationalize trauma. We avoided real images. It raised funds and engagement while protecting youth.
I want to encourage people to move beyond old, manipulative storytelling practices. I am still learning, and I welcome being challenged.
Maria Bryan:
I love that example. If possible, I would love to link it in the show notes.
Janelle Suzanne:
Absolutely. I will send it to you.
Maria Bryan:
For those who want to work with you, can you share more about Louder Agency?
Janelle Suzanne:
We are a full scale marketing agency working with nonprofits serving vulnerable populations. You can find us at louderagency.com.
We also publish a weekly newsletter called Nonprofit Amplifier, where we share practical guidance on topics like trauma informed storytelling. Everything we do with clients is reflected there so others can learn and apply it.
Maria Bryan:
I will include all of that in the show notes. Thank you for bringing both care and practice into this conversation. I am so grateful you joined us on When Bearing Witness.
Janelle Suzanne:
Thank you. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you and learning alongside your listeners.
The When Bearing Witness Podcast is produced by Rustic Roots. They are video storytellers passionate about sharing the impact of nonprofits. From story ideation to beautiful and powerful videos on screen, they've got you covered. Learn more at Rusticroots.co.