Digital media helps Native students tell their stories

Canadian First Nations author Richard Wagamese once observed, “We are story. All of us.” In his book “Medicine Walk,” he wrote: “When we can … share stories with each other, we get bigger inside, we see each other, we recognize our kinship — we change the world, one story at a time.”

From June 1–5, 2026, that spirit of connection came alive as 88 eighth to 12^th grade students from the Uintah Ouray Reservation, Monument Valley, White Mesa, and schools across the Wasatch Front gathered at the University of Utah. Over the course of a week, they explored and shared their stories through digital and physical media — podcasts, photography, mural-making, animation, and printmaking — culminating in a public “Storyfest” on June 4 at Marriott Library’s ProtoSpace.

Storyfest marked the conclusion of the annual Indigenous Storytelling Camp, sponsored in part by UIT’s Digital Learning Technologies (DLT). The camp began in 2016 with a pause from 2020–21.

Martha Macomber, director offor Native Outreach and College Access in the Office of Undergraduate Studies, emphasized that the camp is rooted in reciprocity and relationship-building.

“It’s not about the university being generous for availing itself to these students,” she said. “It’s that we will be a much better university if we have an authentic relationship with the Native tribes of Utah and their youth. [Indigenous] Storytelling Camp is our way of moving us forward in this regard.”

In addition to staying on campus and experiencing college life firsthand, Macomber said students met with 16 employers at a “career café.” Holly K. Johnson, associate director for DLT Digital Learning Innovation & Outreach Services, said the digital skills students honed are essential for success in higher education and the broader workforce.

“Employers undeniably seek graduates who are digitally fluent, who can use creative tools, and who can communicate effectively with others,” she said. “Aside from fostering connection, one of the most fulfilling things about storytelling camp for me is that it expands access to tools that can help these bright and talented young people thrive wherever life takes them.”

Johnson noted that Adobe designated the U of U a Creative Campus and Creative Campus Innovator — one of a select few institutions in the United States that has launched creative spaces like Adobe Creative Commons at Kahlert Village. She said the university encourages students to earn Adobe microcredentials and develop proficiency with Adobe tools. Supporting students in this way is also a central goal of the camp.

“We want the students to envision themselves here and understand this campus and its resources belong to them, too,” Johnson said. “In that way, the university is an open door where they can learn and build confidence using these tools. All we’re really doing is empowering the expression of what’s innate in them already.”

Tamar Castillo, senior supervisor for technology product training in DLT, added that digital platforms offer powerful ways for young people to connect with their heritage.

“Storytelling through digital media is an excellent way to amplify voices, preserve traditions, and share culture,” Castillo said.

TJ Ferrill, assistant head for Marriott Library’s Creativity & Innovation Services, said in a recent blog that organizers hope the camp represents a meaningful stop along a lifelong educational journey — not a one-and-done experience.

“The storytelling camp is a community,” Ferrill said. “The kids who attend, the chaperones who put in extra hours, the families who place their trust in us, the educators from campus and participating schools that build and deliver workshops, and those who come just to listen … all of this creates a fabric of connection for these kids. Woven into that fabric is the message that they are valued, their stories are cherished, and their futures are worth investment. The kids learn skills that carry them forward, and the rest of us get full hearts and goosebumps and a lingering sense that there is more we can do still.” 

The camp was funded by Undergraduate Studies and a generous charitable contribution from Adobe, with space and in-kind staff expertise provided by Marriott Library. Camp partners include the Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement in Student Affairs, College of Fine Arts, College of Education, Housing & Dining Programs in Auxiliary Services, Campus Recreation Services, Red Butte Garden & Arboretum, A. Ray Olpin Student Union, U Career Success, Office for Sustainability Education, and College of Architecture + Planning.

Below are photos of the event (courtesy of Jesse Drake):

 

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