Shasta Stories is an ongoing docuseries and storytelling organization that pairs film with community screening events; sharing personal stories from underrepresented and diverse voices across rural Siskiyou County. Each 20–35 minute film explores themes like identity, belonging, and what it means to call a place home—across ethnic, cultural, age, income, and gender groups. Rooted in community, each episode centers the first-hand stories of local residents—told in their own words, on their own terms. Screenings are free and facilitated for dialogue and empathy; films are also available online for free. Grant funds help us hire California-based artists to research, film, and edit episodes, and host events throughout Northern California. With focus on storytelling, listening, and place, Shasta Stories reflects the richness and complexity of home in one of the state’s most rural, misunderstood, and underfunded regions.
Shasta Stories’ primary program produces 25–40 minute documentary episodes featuring first-person stories from racially, culturally, gender-diverse, and economically under-resourced residents of Siskiyou County. Collaborating closely with culture bearers and local artists, we create films centered on social justice, community resilience, and ecological mindfulness. Episodes are paired and showcased at free community screenings designed to encourage dialogue, cultural exchange, and active participation through facilitated story circles held in safe, inclusive spaces welcoming all walks of life. We prioritize accessibility by ensuring our screenings provide accommodations such as wheelchair access, ADA-compliant facilities, and subtitles, creating an inclusive experience for all community members. Following public events, the films are accessible online at no cost, preserving local history and expanding audience reach.

