Who we are

Narrative Arts is a multidisciplinary organization working across North Carolina and beyond at the intersection of storytelling, arts, journalism, and community organizing.

Nick Szuberla, Executive Director.
Nick has helped design and lead national public information campaigns on issues ranging from sentencing reform to U.S. energy policy. He began his work at the Highlander Research and Education Center in 1996, and then joined Appalshop, an arts and cultural center in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Not long after, Nick founded Holler to the Hood (a multimedia project exploring urban/rural relationships), Thousand Kites (a national dialogue project addressing the U.S. criminal justice system), and Calls from Home (an interactive radio and organizing project). He has produced award-winning documentary films, radio series, and multimedia productions. He has also trained hundreds of youth and adults in how to use low-cost media as an organizing tool, and has done artist residencies in 38 states. He is a graduate of Antioch College. Nick makes his home in both the mountains and on the coast of North Carolina. Learn more about Nick’s three decades of work at his website.

Rend Smith, Director of Narrative Strategy & Editorial Leadership.
Rend is a writer, editor, and narrative strategist whose work explores how power, history, and place shape the lived experiences of communities across the American South. Their journalism has documented the ways injustice, policy, and generational inequality affect working-class families and communities of color, with a focus on stories that are often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media. Their work has spanned field reporting, oral history, narrative development, and collaborative storytelling with grassroots partners. At Narrative Arts, Rend leads the organization’s narrative vision—guiding editorial direction, shaping story strategy, and supporting emerging storytellers across rural and coastal North Carolina. Their practice blends journalism, arts-based storytelling, and movement-informed narrative strategy, helping ensure that the region’s stories are told with depth, dignity, and historical awareness.

Jack Fischer, Program Director.
Jack is a writer, artist, facilitator, and narrative strategist whose work bridges public health, community organizing, and the arts. He has designed systems that strengthen collaborative decision-making, supported racial justice coalitions, and helped organizations articulate their stories with clarity and integrity. Jack’s background includes years of work in cultural organizing, somatic abolitionism, and expressive arts practices, alongside training in sociocratic governance. He is an MSW candidate at UNC Charlotte and a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. Jack splits his time between family, creative work, community-based practice, and supporting narrative projects across the Southeast.

Narrative Arts Collaborating Artists & Trainers

Layna Hong, Multimedia Storyteller.
Layna Hong is a multimedia journalist and producer whose work blends accessible reporting, creative storytelling, and community-centered engagement. She holds journalism degrees from UNC Chapel Hill and Northwestern University, and her practice reflects a commitment to making information more inclusive, resonant, and grounded in the experiences of everyday people.

Day Camposeco, Media Producer & Trainer.
Camposeco is a COM student at UNCW and a native North Carolina multimedia storyteller who has documented cultural changes in the American South. Their work focuses on creating content that amplifies the voices of North Carolina’s diverse communities, with a particular focus on traditionally underrepresented groups.

Nicholas Magrino, Contributing Reporter.
Nicholas is a multimedia journalist and writer. He holds an MA in Journalism from CUNY. Born and raised in suburban New York, his work has primarily focused on poverty, hunger, and homelessness at both a local and national level.