Out of Eden Walk: Slow Storytelling Lab
The Out of Eden Walk Slow Storytelling Lab brings the immersive, place-based journalism of Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Paul Salopek to emerging journalists and community storytellers.
Inspired by Salopek’s ongoing journey across the planet on foot, the Lab encourages participants to slow down, look closely, listen carefully, and discover the extraordinary stories hidden in everyday surroundings.
Through intensive, hands-on workshops, participants learn to connect local experiences with the larger forces shaping our world—from migration and environmental change to culture, identity, and belonging. The goal is to develop thoughtful, deeply reported stories that illuminate the connections between people, places, and the wider world.
Learning on the trail: Out of Eden Walk storytelling workshop participants in India.
A different approach to storytelling
The Slow Storytelling Lab begins with a simple idea: You don’t have to travel far to discover stories of global significance.
Working with experienced journalists, editors, and visual storytellers, participants explore their immediate surroundings, often on foot. Through observation, interviews, photography, research, and conversation, they learn to recognize stories that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The workshops combine field reporting, individual mentoring, and collaborative editorial discussions. Participants develop original story ideas, strengthen their reporting and narrative skills, and work toward producing journalism that can reach audiences beyond their own communities.
Building on Out of Eden Walk’s previous storytelling workshops in India, China, and Japan, the Lab brings together professional reporting practices and the invaluable knowledge of people who know their communities from within.
Our aim is to support a new generation of storytellers who approach the world with curiosity, empathy, patience, and a commitment to meaningful journalism.
At a New York University Shanghai storytelling workshop in Shenyang, Salopek shares insights with students from around the world. “Good interviews are conversations, not interrogations,” he says.
The Next Slow Storytelling Lab: Washington State
As the Out of Eden Walk enters the United States, we are preparing to launch a new Slow Storytelling Lab workshop in Washington State.
This intensive, multi-day workshop will bring together approximately 13–15 participants, including emerging and early-career journalists, freelancers, and aspiring community storytellers with strong local knowledge and an interest in journalism.
Guided by experienced instructors, participants will explore the surrounding community, identify compelling stories, conduct interviews, gather photographs and other reporting material, and develop narratives that connect local experiences to broader issues.
The workshop will include:
- Story discovery: Learning to recognize meaningful stories through walking, observation, ethical listening, and community engagement.
- Field reporting: Exploring the local area, interviewing sources, photographing, researching, and developing original reporting projects.
- Editorial guidance: Working with experienced journalists and fellow participants to refine story ideas, reporting approaches, and narrative structure.
- Story development: Building toward a completed article, photo essay, multimedia story, or publishable reporting proposal.
Participants will leave with practical reporting skills, substantial field material, editorial feedback, and a path toward completing and pitching their work. Selected stories may also be considered for publication through the Out of Eden Walk.
Participation is free. The workshop is open to adults age 18 and older. Additional information about the location, dates, and participant selection process will be announced as plans are finalized.
Applications and updates
We will update this page when applications open for the upcoming Washington State Slow Storytelling Lab workshop. Please check back for details about eligibility, the application process, and workshop dates.
