Welcome to Nutshell’s Storyteller Spotlight, where we give you a chance to get to know this month’s storytellers a little more. We asked our four storytellers to answer a few questions about stories and storytelling. September 25’s theme is “The Long Way Home.” It’s true, it’s personal, it’s LIVE, and it’s gonna be a grand journey. Come get lost and found with us.
Meet Linda Atousa Salimi
What kind of storyteller are you? What is your storytelling “style”? What kind do you tell?
I would say I’m generally really poetic, and I try to pull people into the experience, have them walk through it, and feel it with me.
How long have you been telling?
I would say about 2 decades if you include improv and stand-up comedy.
What do you do when you’re not storytelling?
I teach improv and professional development classes.
Does the story you’re telling have a name?
School Uniform.
Tell us a little bit about this story. Why did you choose it for “The Long Way Home”? How are you interpreting the theme?
I think, generally, people are able to say very clearly where “home” is. I want to show/convey that it is not so simple for me.
Any thoughts on how where we live defines who we are? Is “home” a state of mind? Is life a journey?
Home is somewhere “we go back to.”
Do you have a dream adventure? A journey you’d love to take? Why?
I’d love to live in Europe for 2 years and study Art History like the Hearst Family!
Who is your storytelling idol and why?
I would say Trevor Noah; I feel what he says in my gut.
What’s your best piece of advice for someone who is a beginner and wants to learn how to tell a story?
You need to go up there, be prepared to mess up, and do it anyway.
Why should people come see “The Long Way Home” on September 25?
It’s time for us to be in the “real” instead of the fantasy of AI or the movies. Come listen to people and their real-life experiences. Cultures have done this for generations.
Thanks, Linda! If you want to see Linda tell her Long Way Home story, she’ll be at our show on September 25!
Linda Atousa Salimi
describes herself as a servant-based leader and the villager who does what needs to be done to create the village. She relates mostly to other “third culture kids,” generally to those who have fully lived in another country. During the day, she works in Workforce Policy, and at night she turns into an improv teacher and a professional development trainer/corporate trainer. Check out her improv classes at The Stage!
Linda says most people can tell you exactly where home is, and that it has never been that simple for her. She also says it's time to spend an evening in the real instead of the fantasy—which is about the best description of what we do here that anyone's given us. Paid subscriptions are how we make sure our storytellers get paid for it, and how we keep The Nutshell True Story Hour podcast free for everyone. If these spotlights are your thing, consider joining us. xoxo, Amy
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