At PhoenixLens, we are committed to ethical storytelling that honors the dignity, agency, and humanity of the people whose experiences we share. We focus on resilience, remembrance, and unexpected kindness while striving to avoid exploitation or sensationalism.

Our Storytelling Sources

We draw from four main types of stories:

  • Personal experiences: Narratives drawn from my own life and direct encounters.

  • Historical accounts: Documented events based on public records, archives, books, and verified historical sources, always properly cited.

  • Personal interviews: Original conversations conducted by me with individuals who have chosen to share their stories.

  • Published interviews: Existing interviews that have already been made public through newspapers, books, podcasts, documentaries, or other media outlets.

Our Consent and Attribution Principles For personal interviews (original):

  • We obtain informed consent, clearly explaining potential uses (website publication, social media, and possible inspiration for creative works such as music, art, or songwriting).

  • Contributors may remain anonymous or use a pseudonym.

  • They can review, edit, or approve their story before publication.

  • They have the right to withdraw consent and request removal at any time.

  • We avoid pushing for graphic details and prioritize the storyteller’s comfort and voice.

For published interviews:

  • We only use material that is already publicly available.

  • We provide clear attribution and links to the original source and interviewer whenever possible.

  • We respect the original context and do not alter meaning or sensationalize content.

  • Where practical, we make reasonable efforts to ensure the original interviewee is aware of wider dissemination (though this is not always feasible with older published material).

  For all stories:

  • We focus on balance — presenting hardship alongside resilience, humanity, and hope.

  • Historical accounts and published interviews are presented with proper context and sourcing to avoid misrepresentation.

Collaboration with Artists & Musicians- When sharing stories as inspiration for songwriting or other creative projects, we:

  • Clearly state the source and type of each story.

  • Only use material for which we have the right to share or adapt (personal consent, public domain, or fair use with attribution).

  • Respect any limitations requested by contributors.

  • Aim for collaborations rooted in respect, remembrance, and healing.

Our Ongoing Commitment:

We regularly review our practices and welcome feedback. PhoenixLens follows trauma-informed principles and seeks to build trust through transparency. If you are a contributor, a subject of a published interview featured here, or have any concerns about a story, please contact me directly. We will respond promptly and work with you respectfully.

Thank you for trusting PhoenixLens with these important stories of fire and light.