Survived a fire? Supported others in an earthquake? Burbank library wants to hear your stories

The Burbank Public Library is inviting people to a new storytelling event where they can share experiences of surviving a natural disaster, like the recent wildfires, or supporting others through emergency situations.

The library is hosting its first “Pecha Kucha Night,” which means “chit-chat” in Japanese. It’s a fast-paced format where speakers use 20 images, each shown for exactly 20 seconds, to guide their presentations.

The event is in October, but the deadline to apply to be a presenter is this Sunday.

It’s kind of like show and tell for grown ups, according to Corinne Shor, a library assistant who works at all three Burbank branches. Shor told LAist it’ll be an opportunity for people to connect with others and honor resilience — especially after the destructive fires in January.

“We hope people walk away feeling seen and supported and just reminded that everyone's story matters,” she said.

How it works

PechaKucha presentations, which originated in Tokyo in 2003, have become a global celebration of creativity and community, Shor said.

For example, an upcoming PechaKucha night in Santa Fe invited mayoral candidates to share why they serve and a November event in the Netherlands centers on stories of saying goodbye. Past presentations about architect Frank Lloyd Wright had more than 3,000 online attendees, according to the organizers.

The format is straightforward: Each presentation includes a slideshow of 20 images that auto-advance every 20 seconds throughout the exactly six-minute, 40-second story.

You can use PowerPoint, Canva, Google Slides or Keynote to create the presentation, and you can find some examples of the format here.

The images are designed to help guide the story and can include personal or stock photos, illustrations and even memes. Coming prepared with a rough script or outline can help you keep up with the quick pace.

Shor emphasized you don’t need to be a polished public speaker to participate.

“ Most importantly, it's being willing to tell a story that only you can tell,” she said.

Once all the presentations are wrapped up, people will have an opportunity to ask the speakers about their experiences during a question-and-answer period moderated by journalist Abbie Swanson, formerly of the L.A. Times, NPR and KCRW.

Stories of survival

The Burbank Public Library’s theme for its fall programming is “Survival of the Readiest.” It includes a series of events focused on emergency preparedness, including go-bags and family disaster plans.

But the library wanted the programs to go beyond the practical. Shor said she thought about the emotional toll of emergencies, too.

“ What happens after these disasters and how do we process them?” she said. “How do we even talk about what we've been through? And are there even spaces to do that?”

The Burbank Public Library hosts a variety of programs at its three branches, including the upcoming "Pecha Kucha Night."

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Courtesy Burbank Public Library

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Shor said she believes libraries can work as “community anchors” in times of crisis. She said that was underscored when the Burbank branches hosted several schools that were displaced by the fires earlier this year.

The Burbank event is designed to be a safe place for people to share their experiences from January’s fires and other emergencies, Shor said, especially months and years after a disaster when it may feel like there’s not as much space to process what they went through.

How to get involved

“Pecha Kucha Night” is set for Oct. 11 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Branch Library. Please note: This is an after-hours event. The branch closes at 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

If you’re interested in sharing your story of surviving a natural disaster or supporting others through an emergency, including helping with clean-up or FEMA work, you can submit a presentation application here. The deadline to apply is Sunday, and you do not need to live in Burbank to participate.

You can register to attend in the audience here.

If the inaugural event goes well, the Burbank Public Library could make PechaKucha nights a regular part of its programming, Shor said. The library could focus on a different storytelling theme each time, she said.