Beneath Our Skin: 
A COVID-19 Vaccination Storytelling Project


​The Beneath Our Skin COVID-19 Vaccination Storytelling Project aimed to better understand needs and perceptions around what will improve vaccination access and uptake among Vermonters who identify as Black and of African descent. The project will also gather insights into how race may influence attitudes, perceptions and care-giving behaviors of health care providers involved in delivering COVID-19 vaccinations.  The project was led by Clemmons Family Farm, Inc.- an African-American-led nonprofit organization whose mission and  niche expertise includes integrating storytelling and other arts into public health, K12 education, agriculture, conservation, and community building.

Clemmons Family Farm gathered the stories of twenty-five Black Vermonters and 3 white providers who had given the COVID 19 vaccination to clients who are Black Vermonters. We used storytelling and other creative methods with the performing arts or the visual arts to help people share their COVID 19 vaccination stories. Stories included the stories of Black Vermonters who were fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or not at all vaccinated against COVID-19. 

​Project participants, were recruited from different counties around the state, and opted into either a storytelling session using performing arts (singing, music, poetry) or visual arts (drawing, coloring or collage). The audio-recorded stories and artwork shared by participants who gave their written consent were uploaded as digital files onto the Beneath Our Skin website and with the Vermont Department of Health for public sharing. All stories are kept anonymous, and the storytelling project team removed any information from the audio-recorded stories or the artwork that could inadvertently identify a participant, including altering the audio-recordings of distinctive voices that could be easily identified by listeners.

Phase 1- Arts-integrated storytelling from Chittenden County

Phase 1 of the Beneath Our Skin COVID-19 Vaccination Storytelling Project sessions were held in Chittenden County between September and December 2021.  All storytelling sessions were facilitated by Clemmons Family Farm's trained collaborating artists who provided prompts and support to participants to share their stories and create art. The storytelling sessions lasted approximately 90 minutes and included materials and time for participants to create either a performing arts piece or a visual piece about their COVID 19 vaccination experience. A participation stipend of $200 was paid via Paypal to all participants who completed the sessions, shared their stories and artwork, and provided their emails for the Paypal transaction.
 
The project was funded by the Vermont Department of Health.  Watch the 8-minute video overview above to learn more about this exciting project!

Phase 2- Call-in storytelling from around Vermont

In November 2021, Clemmons Famiy Farm offered a call-in service for providers and Black Vermonters to share their COVID 19 vaccination stories with a trained artist-faciltiator over the phone. Participants who met the eligibility criteria and completed a storytelling session over the phone received a $100 participation stipend. ​

Phase 3- Arts-integrated storytelling from Black artists around Vermont

From May - September 2021, Clemmons Famiy Farm gathered COVID 19 vaccination stories from registered members of the Vermont African American/African Diaspora Artists Network (VAAADAN).  The artists used their preferred art genre to top up their oral storytelling about their COVID 19 vaccination experiences.  Participants who met the eligibility criteria and completed a storytelling session that includes other art forms (visual, musical, singing, spoken word poetry) received a $250 participation stipend. ​