The West African word ‘griot’ is defined by members of traveling musicians, poets, and storytellers who maintain a tradition of oral history. This month’s podcast celebrates the griots that exist in the courtroom, which are the public defenders. Mastering the unique skill of storytelling is an essential art that allows public defenders to represent and honor their clients by telling their stories.

On National Tell a Story Day (April 27th), co-hosts Jonathan Rapping and Ilham Askia explore the importance of storytelling in the courtroom. Storytelling is a critical component within our Gideon's Promise training. It allows our public defenders to humanize their client and their story, to get them the best outcome possible. 

On this episode, our co-hosts speak with two premiere Gideon’s Promise faculty members who know the true meaning of what it means to embody their client’s story. Tune in as Director of Training for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Patrice Fulcher, and Training Director of the National Association for Public Defense, Jeff Sherr, speak about the benefits of storytelling, the science behind an impactful story, and what it means to be a great storyteller.