Join the community
Welcome to Out of Eden Walk HomeStories.
Built in the spirit of the Out of Eden Walk—journalist and National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek’s 24,000-mile trek retracing the early migrations of our human ancestors—HomeStories is a crowd-sourced storytelling map that unifies a multitude of voices in conversation about a common theme—where on Earth we call “home,” and why.
WATCH: Introductory Video to HomeStories here or click below to watch!
On this digital commons, participants can publish brief narratives describing their experiences of “home.” If they choose, they can include a photo of themselves and can answer the same three Milestone questions Paul asks people he meets every hundred miles along his global route: Who are you? Where are you from? Where are you going? Each post is pinned to the location the author is describing, creating a unified, geotagged archive of individual narratives.
Inspired by our work in the United States city of Chicago, Illinois, HomeStories sparked interest from the Out of Eden Walk’s global community, with many followers asking how they could participate. Educators in the United States and other countries wanted to bring HomeStories to their classrooms and community members in various locales wanted to add their stories and to share the map with family members and friends. The isolation imposed by pandemic lockdowns has only intensified people’s desire to communicate through HomeStories.
In keeping with the spirit of Paul’s multi-country storytelling journey, the map invites anyone, anywhere in the world to tell their own story. Already, hundreds of people from dozens of countries representing every continent have added their voices. Join by adding yours today!
Direct link to the HomeStories Map: click here.
HomeStories For Educators
Are you an educator interested in using HomeStories in your classroom?
Collaborating with expert teacher trainers, curriculum builders, and education partners at Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Out of Eden Walk team has created resources for educators to help get started using HomeStories as a valuable educational tool.
Click here to access all current lessons, activities, and resources
Single Class Period Lessons include:
“Slow Listening” – Descriptive Sound Sketch Notes
“Listening and Notetaking” – Peer to Peer Share and Reflect
“Asking Questions” – Community Interviews
“Geography” – Profile of a Place
Download the HomeStories Base Lesson Plan
Download the HomeStories Activity Sheet
Connect on the volunteer-led “HomeStories for Classrooms” Facebook Page
HomeStories for Everyone
Lab Talks: Members of the HomeStories team have written “Lab Talks,” or guest dispatches, published on our National Geographic Society-hosted storytelling website, www.outofedenwalk.org. Enjoy a roundup of our HomeStories-related guest articles:
Part 1: At the Heart of Territorio, Exploring the Bond Between People and Land in my Native Italy
Part 2: A Deep Sense of Belonging in an Ancient Land: HomeStories from Italy
HomeStories Gives Kids a Capitol Opportunity to Shine and Grow
Adjusting to new lives, kids bond over stories of home and hope
Near or far, in war or peace, students connect by going home together
A Small Drop in the Ocean: My Experience During India’s Hour of Need
We share news from the HomeStories community via monthly newsletter, curated by the Out of Eden Walk team.
Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Catch up with all of the news, events, and resources from previous newsletters here.
