Agenda

💜 Chris Williams is a storyteller, improviser, educator, group facilitator, and community builder who believes the world gets a little better every time two strangers recognize themselves in each other. Based in Portland, he currently works professionally in public education, where he focuses on elevating student voice, strengthening community engagement, and helping schools create spaces where young people feel seen, heard, and valued. Much of his work, both inside and outside the classroom, is rooted in a simple idea: when people share their stories, the distance between them shrinks.

Outside of his day job, Chris spends a lot of time on stages that look nothing like classrooms. He produces improv and storytelling shows and is the creator and co-producer of You Are Not Alone, a live storytelling series presented under the umbrella of his LLC, Front Porch Sessions. The show blends humor, honesty, and audience interaction to create nights where people laugh, reflect, and leave feeling a little less like strangers. Chris is drawn to work that lives somewhere between performance and conversation, where audiences are not just spectators but participants in a shared human moment.

Chris’s work sits at the intersection of storytelling, play, and human connection. He believes in productive conflict and understands that difficult conversations, when approached with curiosity and care, can lead to deeper relationships and greater clarity about who we are and what we believe. Whether he’s facilitating a workshop, hosting a show, or speaking with an audience, Chris is most interested in creating spaces where people feel safe enough to be honest, brave enough to listen, and open enough to recognize a bit of themselves in someone else’s story.

About

In this interactive talk, Chris explores how stories spark dormant memories and create unexpected connections between people. Through conversation and a few simple audience activities, he’ll share how storytelling and improv taught him that the moments we almost overlook often hold the most creative power. Together, the room will discover how noticing and sharing those small sparks can turn strangers into collaborators, allies, and everyday moments into meaningful ideas.

Details

📍 Venue: Foster Theater
☕️ Coffee & Doughnuts, V/GF options
🚲 Public transit, biking and carpooling encouraged (always!)

Release your ticket if your plans change. We appreciate it. Thank you!

Doors open at 8:30am.

Accessibility

Venue is ADA accessible.
The recorded talk, available after the event, will include captioning.
ASL interpretation available on request, please email portland@creativemornings.com as soon as possible.