“People are natural storytellers. Our culture and language are founded on the stories we tell each other.” So begins the video by Paulette Stevens, my colleague in the Association of Personal Historians. The 90-second video created by the nonprofit organization Paulette founded just over a year ago, the Life Story Library Foundation. The vido LSLF has entered in the TechSoup Global Digital Storytelling Challenge in hopes of winning a $400 prize.

“Make Your Story Count” highlights an event in January 2013 at the Share Space in the Salt Lake City Library, hosted by personal historians and volunteers. The video is designed to introduce the general public to the goals of the Life Story Library–recording and sharing the valuable life stories of our time.

When Paulette tells the “origin story” of Life Story Library, she recalls a late-night conversation at the 2011 annual conference of the Association of Personal Historians. I was one of the people in that conversation–and so was Marketing Director Marcy Davis.

We conjured a big vision that night. What if, all around the world, people believed that the story of every person, family, community and organization is a treasure to be recorded and shared? 

What if a foundation existed that could channel charitable donations toward preserving stories, empowering lives and connecting humanity?

The world needs “Paulettes”, people who turn late-night ideas into concrete action. The Life Story Library Foundation celebrated its first anniversary in March 2013. Its on its way to providing accessible options for people to save and share the stories of their lives, one grant, one partnership, one fundraising event, one phone call at a time.

If you like the idea, please vote for Paulette’s video to win the Community Choice Award. Voting is open until May 17 (one vote per person per day). Click on this link to vote for Paulette’s video —  then go to page 4, scroll down–it’s the 22nd entry on that page.

Thank you!

-Sarah White