CHARLESTON, S.C. —The Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) will host the official launch of The Listening Booth: Stories of the Formerly Incarcerated and Their Families, a new multimedia installation and storytelling project that amplifies the voices of those impacted by incarceration. The public event, which takes place on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at the Keith Summey North Charleston Library, will feature a panel discussion moderated by WCBD News 2 anchor and journalist Carolyn Murray, followed by the unveiling of the Listening Booth, a repurposed payphone that allows visitors to listen to recorded stories of perseverance, reflection, and hope.
The project was made possible through funding from the American Library Association and Estée Lauder’s Writing Change Initiative, a collaboration between The Estée Lauder Companies and National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. Writing Change was established in 2021 to support grassroots organizations advancing literacy as a pathway to equality, access, and social change.
“Libraries are community anchors, but they’re also places where difficult conversations and human stories can unfold in ways that bring people together,” said Melissa Tunstall, Outreach Manager and the Project Director at CCPL. “The Listening Booth reminds us that storytelling can be both a tool for healing and a bridge for understanding.”
CCPL collected 10 personal stories from formerly incarcerated individuals and their family members. Participants received digital storytelling training from the library’s Digital Media Coordinator, Julian Gooding, and mental health support from Dr. Cerrissa Hugie of MyNDSpace. The library partnered with Turn90, a local nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated men reenter the workforce, to recruit and support participants. The project also received creative and technical support from community partners, including ATM Carolina Incorporated, which donated the payphone; SchulmanCreative , which retrofitted the phone with new technology; American College of the Building Arts, which designed and built the booth; and photographer Sasha Vargas, who captured portraits of the participants. The library also led the design of the Listening Booth and accompanying book, which features transcriptions and photographs of the storytellers.
“The courage it takes to tell your story cannot be overstated,” said Tunstall. “By sharing their experiences, participants are not only reclaiming their own narratives but also helping our community see the human side of incarceration, the families, the growth, and the hope for what comes next.”
Event Details:
- What: Listening Booth Launch and Panel Discussion
- When: Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Keith Summey North Charleston, 3503 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC
Additional Details: Free and open to the public Following the event, the Listening Booth will be featured at the Keith Summey North Charleston Library, offering the public opportunities to listen to the recorded stories. The booth will then be used for future storytelling opportunities and travel to other library branches. Attendees of the launch event will also receive a free book featuring the stories and portraits of the participants.
For more information about the Listening Booth project, visit ccpl.org/listeningbooth or follow CCPL on social media @ChasCoLibrary.