capitalstorytelling.com

What It Is

Capital Storytelling is a storytelling education and community organization based in Sacramento, California. It was founded in 2018 by Sacramento State professor Lisa Cantrell and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at the end of 2019. Its mission is to foster empathy, compassion, and urban community connection by teaching people to tell their own true stories. According to the website, it trains around 500 people each year through courses and workshops, with about 800 annual participants in its events.

Core Courses and Formats

Its course areas focus on personal true stories, oral storytelling, career stories, podcast/audio storytelling, storytelling for social change, and leading storytelling workshops. Specific offerings include “Strategic Storytelling for your Career,” “Podcasting 101,” and “Facilitating Storytelling Workshops,” along with Do Tell! in-person open mics and hybrid Sacramento Storytellers Guild events. On the service side, it also provides custom workshops, curated storytelling events, one-on-one story coaching, and video and podcast production. In terms of resources, it offers a free Storytelling Toolkit, free recorded webinars, as well as paid workbooks and a story card game.

Pricing

Public pricing is relatively clear: the career storytelling course is $250, the four-week podcasting introductory course is $275, the two-day facilitator training is $475, and open mic events cost $5–15. The digital workbook is $35 and the print version is $45; the story card game is $20 for the digital version and $30 for the print version. Custom workshops, one-on-one coaching, and multimedia production do not list prices and require email inquiry.

Pros and Cons

Its strength lies in its clear positioning: it emphasizes inclusion, diversity, a judgment-free space, and community support, making it suitable for people who want to practice self-expression in a safe environment. The instructors also have a degree of credibility: the founder has a PhD in psychology and an academic background, along with experience producing science stories for NPR, while the team includes story coaches, podcast/radio producers, and workshop facilitators. Student feedback highlights “connection,” “confidence,” and a “supportive community.”

The downside is that the courses are not as standardized as those on university or professional training platforms. The website does not show clear accreditation, completion certificates, detailed syllabi, assignment assessments, or learning outcome standards. The teaching language is not explicitly stated, but the text and context are mainly English and centered on local U.S. communities. Some courses are held on Pacific Time, which may be inconvenient for learners in Asia.

Who It’s For and Access from China

It is suitable for people who want to improve personal storytelling, public speaking, career interview stories, podcast launching, team building, or communication around community issues. It is also suitable for educators, organizers, and nonprofit organizations. For users in China, it is important to confirm language, time zone, payment options, and the availability of online meeting tools. Access to the website from mainland China cannot be determined from the text alone, so it should be considered unknown.