Announcing Our 2026 Storyteller Fellow: Dr. April Goggans
- Joseph Crown
- Dec 17, 2025
- 5 min read
In New Orleans, storytelling is more than art—it’s connection. We’re honored to welcome Dr. April Goggans as the Crown Legacy Program’s 2026 Storyteller Fellow. A family physician, writer, and speaker, Dr. Goggans brings a rare blend of clinical insight, lived experience with chronic illness, and community-centered language that heals. Her fellowship project—Therapeutic Society (TS)—invites us to rebuild connection to self, each other, and the world we share.
“When we restore connection, we begin to heal the problems that disconnection creates.” — Dr. April Goggans
Each Storyteller Fellow will contribute their unique perspective to our blog and beyond – making this not just an announcement, but an invitation to engage with new stories, ideas, and creative experiences. Read on to learn more about who they are, why this fellowship matters, and how you can support this visionary program.
About the Fellow
Dr. April Goggans has practiced family medicine for 12 years in one of Colorado’s less-fashionable—but breathtakingly beautiful—regions. A few months into medical training, she became chronically ill, a turning point that reshaped how she understands bodies, systems, and care.At home, Dr. Goggans shares life with two 90-pound dogs, a cat, and a partner she describes as “absolutely amazing.” Professionally, she focuses on helping older adults transition safely back home after hospitalization—work that puts her at the crossroads of medicine, caregiving, and what truly sustains people when life gets hard. In recent years, she has turned intentionally toward writing and speaking, believing that well-chosen language can sometimes heal where medicine alone cannot.
The Fellowship Project: Therapeutic Society (TS)
TS in a sentence: A community-based, 12-step–inspired practice for the modern condition of disconnection—adapted from the rigor and wisdom of AA, but designed for everyone.
What it borrows: Steps, shared readings, sponsorship, and regular meetings.
What it reframes: From a single substance to the broader, very human struggle with loneliness, overwhelm, and disconnection.
What it aims to create: A foundational text—a “Big Book for TS”—that honors AA’s roots while speaking directly to today’s realities, offering concrete tools, stories, and steps for restoring connection in real life.
Core conviction: When humans design, organize, and care in partnership—with our bodies, each other, and the Earth—we go further with less harm. When we forget our belonging, crises multiply: in families, neighborhoods, and ecosystems. TS offers one practical way—not the only way—to practice belonging again.
Why April’s Work Matters Here
Crown Legacy supports storytellers who keep value, credit, and opportunity with the communities they serve. Dr. Goggans’ project sits precisely at that seam where language becomes a tool: to name disconnection clearly, to rebuild trust in small circles, and to practice care that travels—on the page, in conversations, and in daily choices.
Alignment with Crown Legacy:
Language as infrastructure: Stories that organize care, not just describe it.
Accessibility & dignity: Plain language, consent-forward practices, and credits that stick.
Community-first publishing: Materials designed to be findable, shareable, and usable by neighbors, caregivers, classrooms, culturebearers, and clinics.
Note: TS is not psychotherapy or medical care. It’s a peer practice focused on honesty, mutual support, and gradual change—one step at a time.
A Note from Dr. Goggans
“Living with illness taught me to listen differently—to bodies, to silence, and to the spaces between people. Again and again I’ve watched the same pattern: when we have a place to be honest and held, we remember who we are. That memory is medicine. I’m grateful to build this work with Crown Legacy and with you.”
Follow Along & Stay in Touch
Want to keep up with Dr. Goggans’ reflections, excerpts, and behind-the-scenes notes?
Follow the Fellow series: On the Crown Legacy blog, open any post by Dr. Goggans and click Follow/Subscribe to get email alerts when new entries drop.
Contact Dr. Goggans: Questions, speaking/hosting invites, or thoughtful feedback on Therapeutic Society? Email draprilgoggans@gmail.com.
Program & partnerships: For collaborations, venue hosting, or accessibility support for public sessions, reach out to Crown Legacy at joe@crownlegacyprogram.org.
What to Expect from Our Storyteller Fellows
Our Storyteller Fellows won’t just hold the title – they’ll be actively sharing their craft with the community. Our Fellows will contribute at least one post per month to the Crown Legacy Program blog. These posts will be windows into their creative worlds. The content will be as diverse as their talents, but always rooted in the art of storytelling and the culture of community.
Each fellow’s post on our blog is just the beginning of the conversation. As they publish on their own websites and social media, they’ll link back to the Crown Legacy blog (specifically, back to this announcement as a cornerstone for their fellowship). This means our wider audience can follow along, and their own followers can discover the Crown Legacy Program. It’s a two-way exchange: our platform gives them space to shine, and their participation brings fresh energy and perspectives to our readers.
Expect articles, videos, art demos, maybe even interactive content – whatever these creatives are working on, they have the freedom to share it with us. We encourage you to engage with their posts: leave comments, ask questions, share your own insights. Part of the Fellows’ role is to spark dialogue, so your voice is welcome in this ongoing storytelling adventure. By tuning in each month, you’ll witness how a research scientist and a hypnotist-magician alike interpret the world around us through narrative. In short, stay tuned – there’s a lot of exciting material coming your way, and this is your front-row seat.
Join Us: Support Culture, Keep Legacy Alive
Bringing on these Storyteller Fellows is a bold step for our program – one that underscores our commitment to creative voices. But we cannot do this without you. In order to sustain and expand the Storyteller Fellowship (and to pave the way for future Poetry Fellows as well), we are actively fundraising and seeking support. We need to raise at least $14,000 in 2026 to launch this program fully, and we cannot do it without you. Your contributions will help ensure that fellows have the resources they need to thrive – mentorship, such as editorial coaching and publishing support for six months, crownlegacyprogram.org.
Please consider donating to the Crown Legacy Program’s creative fellowship fund – every bit truly makes a difference. You can make a contribution by donating here: Donate to Crown Legacy Fund. Every donation:
Directly funds artistic labor – enabling creators to dedicate time and energy to their craft
Builds visibility for cultural creatives and local voices – spotlighting stories that might otherwise go unheard
Ensures our cultural legacy thrives in the digital age – keeping our traditions and perspectives alive for future generations
Your support directly fuels opportunities for local creatives, helping turn our vision into a lasting reality. With your help, we can continue to provide a platform (and, eventually, financial support) for those who preserve our culture through storytelling. Donate, spread the word, or reach out to partner with us – any form of involvement brings us one step closer to our goal.
Join us. Support culture. Keep legacy alive. This isn’t just about welcoming two fellows – it’s about investing in the storytellers, poets, and cultural creators who carry our collective memory forward. Together, we are building a future where our community’s narratives not only endure but flourish in new and creative forms.
Be Heard. Be Featured. Be Remembered. The Crown Legacy Program invites you to be part of this journey. Your story matters. Let’s tell it—together
Joseph Santiago, Executive Director,
Crown Legacy Program