Approach

We design the conditions for people to connect.

Every project begins with people rather than deliverables. What follows is how we think - as architects of the conditions, educators of the journey, and storytellers who give a story somewhere to live.

The Storyjoy approach

Three ways of seeing. One practice.

01

Create the conditions

Think like an architect.

Connection does not happen in a vacuum.

We consider the people, relationships, needs, desires, histories, physical spaces, social dynamics, and emotional conditions that shape an experience.

  • Who is here?
  • What are they bringing with them?
  • What do they need?
  • What might make them curious?
  • What might make them feel safe enough to participate?
  • What conditions could make a meaningful encounter possible?

It is not simply about designing a thing. It is about designing the conditions in which something can happen.

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02

Build the journey

Think like an educator.

Connection happens over time.

A film might open a question. A conversation might complicate it. A gathering might allow people to encounter one another. A participatory experience might turn reflection into contribution. Different experiences move people through different parts of the same journey.

  1. Encounter
  2. Curiosity
  3. Understanding
  4. Recognition
  5. Participation
  6. Possibility

What do people need to experience next?

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03

Give the story a life

Think like a storyteller.

A story does not have to live in one medium.

We develop stories so they can create meaningful connection wherever people encounter them - not as endpoints, but as invitations.

  1. Conversation
  2. Film
  3. Gathering
  4. Digital
  5. Campaign
  6. Community

Where and how can this story create the most meaningful connection?

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One story. Many ways in.

The medium changes. The connection is the throughline.

What the work makes possible

Build trust

Create experiences that make people feel heard, understood, and invited into the conversation.

Invite participation

Move people from observing to contributing.

Make complexity human

Turn complicated ideas, histories, systems, and issues into experiences people can understand and feel.

Build community

Create the conditions for people to recognize what they share and imagine what they can create together.

In their words

A particularly meaningful aspect of Joy's event curation is the intentional inclusion of participatory activities for those in the room. Sometimes, it's just these small acts that can go a long way to build bridges and foster lifelong collaborations.

Andrea LouieExecutive Director & COOThe Serica Initiative

Every element was thoughtfully structured to educate, spark conversation, and inspire deep curiosity. Topped off by rich, expertly moderated panel discussions, the series didn't just share history - it built genuine human connection.

Valerie Henning-PiedmonteCollaborator

Joy Lau is not only a visual storyteller; she is an artisan weaver, bringing together people from diverse communities and helping them to see what common threads they share. Her leadership in our events helped to build community, each time they happened.

The Rev. Dr. Leah FowlerMinister for Intergenerational Christian Education and FormationThe Riverside Church

The forms

The form follows the experience.

One project often moves through several forms. The medium is flexible; the human experience is the throughline.

  1. Conversation
  2. Film
  3. Gathering
  4. Digital
  5. Community
  • Film & Documentary
  • Animation & Visual Storytelling
  • Facilitated Conversations
  • Community & Participatory Experiences
  • Live Gatherings
  • Campaigns & Public Engagement
  • Digital Experiences

What could happen if people felt invited to connect?

Tell us what you're trying to bring people together around.

Start a conversationhello@storyjoy.nyc