What is Story Lab?
Story Lab: The Writers’ Room, launched in Summer 2025, is a collaborative arts mentorship program that pairs high school students living in temporary housing with students from NYU Tisch School of the Arts to co-create original fictional audio dramas through a structured writers’ room model.
The program culminated in the professional production and public release of a five-part narrative podcast airing on Spotify, amplifying youth voices and demonstrating storytelling as a tool for empowerment and social impact.
What We Created
In Summer 2025, Story Lab launched its pilot with NYU Tisch and Students in Temporary Housing (STH). Together, they created Memories in Motion—a five-episode supernatural coming-of-age audio drama about a teen who can steal memories. The series explores identity, resilience, and belonging.
It premiered at NYU Tisch and is now streaming on Spotify.
Shared Impact
Through partnership, we can:
- Amplify youth voices often unheard
- Provide meaningful mentorship opportunities
- Strengthen community storytelling ecosystems
- Connect creative education with real-world opportunity
Together, we transform lived experiences into stories that reach audiences worldwide.
Partnership Opportunities
Support from community partners helps expand access and sustainability.
- Funding directly supports:
- Student participation costs
- Workshop facilitation
- Production and recording expenses
- Transportation and meals for participants
- Program documentation and public presentation
- Your support helps ensure participation remains accessible to students regardless of financial circumstance.
Team
Susan-Sojourna Collier, Director
With a background in poetry & playwriting, Susan-Sojourna Collier received an Emmy® Nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Dramatic Series for All My Children. A veteran television writer, Susan-Sojourna, has written for many daytime drama series, including All My Children, Port Charles, and One Life to Live. Susan-Sojourna partnered with the late Tommy Ford (Martin, Who Got Jokes & Harlem Night) to produce two films distributed by Lionsgate/Grindstone. The first feature film Conflict of Interest premiered at the Las Vegas Black Film Festival, BronzeLens Festival, and Peachtree Village International Film Festival. Presently, the film airs on Aspire TV and it is the highest-rated film on the network. The second feature, Switching Lanes, received the Best Feature honor at the Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival. Also, she pinned the screenplay Get the Show on the Road, an adaptation of a romantic comedy novel, which was a semi-finalist in the Tribeca Screenwriting Festival. Currently, she is finishing the documentary – Through My Lens: A Study of Bullying in the African American Community.
Susan-Sojourna is an educator and motivational speaker focusing on building self-esteem through writing. Most recently, she was awarded the Writer in Resident at Abu Dhabi Women’s College. She designed their Digital Storytelling course and edited the college’s first book of poetry – Insights into Emirati Life. She has taught screenwriting at School of Visual Arts, Syracuse University – Newhouse, and Georgia State University. She serves on Advisory Board for Authoring Action! Winston-Salem, NC (a nonprofit arts education & outreach organization) and a mentor for Girls Write Now, NYC (creative writing program for at-risk girls). She developed the creative writing workshop Messages to My Younger Brother/ Messages to My Younger Sister (addressing issues of incarcerated and youth-at-risk) which was implemented at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, Youth and Congregations in Partnership (Brooklyn) & Girls Re-Entry Assistance Support Project (GRASP). In addition, she is the co-founder of the Mamie and Jimmie Collier Writing Fellowship – established to identify and encourage emerging, talented, BIPOC playwrights and screenwriters through mentorship and writing competitions.
Join Us
Story Lab is entering its next phase of growth — and we invite you to be part of it. Let’s collaborate to expand creative access, mentorship, and opportunity for students living in temporary housing. We welcome a conversation about how your organization can partner with Story Lab.
Contact: Susan-Sojourna Collier, Director, Story Lab
S.Collier [at] NYU.edu