Project C.A.R.R.E.: The Art of Storytelling – An Insightful Journey

Project C.A.R.R.E.: The Art of Storytelling

The Art of Storytelling

Project Outcome

Project C.A.R.R.E.: The Art of Storytelling was a community-centered initiative designed to advance social justice and deepen community engagement through the power of lived experience. Grounded in the belief that storytelling fosters emotional connection, critical reflection, and shared understanding, the project creates space for narratives that spark dialogue and collective awareness.

Through listening, participants and the broader community gain insight into other’s experiences, reinforcing storytelling as a vital tool for learning, memory-making, and human connection.

The project resulted in over six hours of filmed, in-person personal stories shared by community members across three Stanislaus County zip codes—95351, 95354, and 95358—in Modesto, California. These stories reflect the realities, challenges, and strengths of individuals navigating social and structural healthcare inequities within their communities.

Guided by empowerment theory and anti-oppressive practice, this project was intentionally implemented using a bottom-up, grassroots approach, centering community members as experts of their own lived experience.

Beyond storytelling, this project established a local community committee committed to continuing this work. This structure ensures the project’s impact extends beyond documentation—supporting ongoing dialogue, advocacy, and community-led efforts toward equitable solutions in Stanislaus County.

A thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed five recurring themes.

Understanding of Care Instructions
Patient Centered Communication
Barriers to Healthcare Access
Overall Patient Satisfaction
Impact of Social Determinants of Health

Insight on Maryann’s Journey

Insight on Elaina’s Journey

Insight on Rachel’s Journey

Insight on Jen’s Journey

Insight on Adriana’s Journey

Insight on Jenn’s Journey

Windy Ly is a Board Director for An Insightful Journey (AIJ) and serves as the Community Resilience and Support Section Manager within the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Division at the California Department of Public Health. In this role, she leads statewide initiatives that promote mental health, build community resilience, and support children and youth with special health care needs. Windy oversees innovation grant programs, supports local public health agencies, and advances trauma-informed, equity-driven strategies across the life course.

Windy is inspired by AIJ’s commitment to uplifting historically marginalized voices and working alongside communities to create real, systemic change. She values the mission’s core belief that those closest to the problem are also closest to the solution—a principle she holds deeply in her own work. Of AIJ’s five core values—Collaboration, Advocacy, Resource, Research, and Education—Collaboration resonates most strongly with her. She believes that true change is only possible when partnerships are formed across communities, sectors, and through shared power. Windy has witnessed firsthand how collaboration fosters innovation, healing, and lasting impact.

Bringing a dual lens of personal lived experience and professional leadership, Windy draws from her background as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and her own experiences navigating complex systems as an at-risk youth. This has instilled in her deep empathy and cultural humility. Professionally, she has led strategic initiatives centered on equity, trauma-informed approaches, and mental health, particularly focused on children, youth, and families.

Windy’s passion for equity, health, and social justice is rooted in her family’s immigrant journey and her own story. Growing up in a household where language barriers, access challenges, and systemic obstacles were daily realities, she developed an early awareness of how disparities affect health, opportunity, and belonging. This awareness ignited her commitment to making systems more humane and just.

During her time on the AIJ board, Windy hopes to contribute strategic insight, bridge-building across systems, and a grounding presence that keeps the community central in decision-making. She also aims to help deepen AIJ’s work around mental health and culturally responsive approaches. Looking forward, Windy envisions AIJ becoming a leader in community-rooted, data-driven policy and systems change. She plans to support this evolution by bringing her public sector perspective, amplifying community stories, and co-creating pathways for sustainability and scale.

A fun fact about Windy is her love for outdoor adventures and budget travel. She has visited 38 national parks and 31 countries, finding joy in the awe of nature, culture, and human connection. She also treasures quality time with friends and family, often sharing good food. The quote that guides her work and passion is, “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” This saying reminds her to lead with heart, take meaningful risks, and stay grounded in purpose, even when the path ahead is uncertain.

Dejamarie is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of An Insightful Journey (AIJ) and a Doctoral Student at Howard University School of Social Work. She is deeply inspired by AIJ’s mission to uplift narratives that are often overlooked—reclaiming storytelling as both a healing modality and a tool for systemic change. The communities AIJ serves are often those most impacted by inequities, yet it is their wisdom, resilience, and vision for change that continually fuel the organization’s mission and momentum.

While all five of AIJ’s core values—Collaboration, Advocacy, Resource, Research, and Education—are integral, Research resonates most deeply with Dejamarie. She believes research, especially when rooted in community-driven inquiry, creates a vital bridge between lived experience and systemic solutions. Through mixed-methods and participatory approaches, she sees research not just as data collection, but as a means of translating pain into policy and stories into strategies.

On the board, Dejamarie brings a unique fusion of scholarly rigor, grassroots experience, and a deep understanding of intersectionality. From leading qualitative research projects and crafting policy briefs to conducting interviews in underserved zip codes and building cross-sector collaborations, she has consistently translated academic tools into community empowerment strategies. Her passion for equity, health, and social justice is rooted in her personal experiences growing up in systems not built for people who carry multiple marginalized identities. These experiences revealed the depth of structural inequities while illuminating the transformative power of voice and connection. She understands that health is more than clinical—it is cultural, environmental, and political.

During her time on the board, Dejamarie hopes to continue building AIJ as a think tank for public policy rooted in community inquiry. Her vision includes expanding storytelling initiatives, deepening academic partnerships, developing scalable research models, and supporting programmatic design that is culturally rooted and community-driven. Looking ahead, she envisions AIJ becoming a national leader in intersectional health equity research and narrative justice. She will support this growth by leveraging her doctoral training, expanding AIJ’s policy influence, and mentoring emerging community scholars. She also sees AIJ scaling its community committee model to co-create local solutions across diverse regions.

A fun fact that speaks to her long-standing commitment to equity: as a teenager, Dejamarie helped envision and plan a $25 million youth center in her hometown—proof that when young voices are invited to the table, they can build lasting institutions. The belief that guides her work is simple yet profound: “Our stories deserve to be heard. Every challenge, every victory—each step of our journey—can create change.”