ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how media, art, and culture are powerful means of sharing our values and empathizing with others. The first section demonstrates the power of art and story to help us find meaning in our existence, connection with those around us, and improve ourselves and our world. It draws upon concepts from writer Ursula Le Guin, scholar Larry Grossberg, and woodworker George Nakashima as well as examples such as the StoryCorps project, the radio program This I Believe, and the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The second section uses this framework in an analysis of the animated films produced by Studio Ghibli. The third section describes an activity called Stories from the Heart in which participants create a picture book that conveys a belief or value they hold.
