Outer Layer: Stories about literal and metaphorical shields

Outer Layer: Stories about literal and metaphorical shields

From The Story Collider by Story Collider, Inc.

May 1, 2026 · 26 min

About this episode

This episode features stories about building shields for protection and the consequences when those defenses fail.

In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers build shields to protect themselves and discover what happens when those defences fail. Part 1: As a lonely teenager searching for connection, Christopher Moncayo-Torres turns to an unlikely disguise—a giant Clifford costume—in hopes of bridging the gap between himself and the world around him. Part 2: JP Flores has always been the family’s “smart kid,” a role that becomes his armor in college—until the pressure of living up to that identity begins to crack. Christopher Moncayo-Torres is an Ecuadorian-American writer, actor, teaching artist and live storyteller, born and bred in Queens, NY, and new-ish to living in LA. Most recently, he performed alongside his Ecuadorian father (yes, really) in "No Sabo", an award-winning, solo-ish show about rekindling their once estranged relationship, despite their language barrier. He's now working on a live-ish cooking show with his mother. He also hosts the monthly storytelling-workshop show, Fail Better Story Time at Studious Coworking Space in LA's Chinatown. More info can be found at www.failbetterarts.com He's an instructor and host for The Moth. He's also a 3x Moth StorySLAM winner who…

People in this episode

Guests: Christopher Moncayo-Torres, JP Flores

Topics covered

  • identity
  • self-protection
  • storytelling
  • family
  • pressure
  • connection

Keywords

  • shields
  • storytelling
  • identity
  • family
  • pressure
  • connection
  • disguise
  • bioinformatics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Moth, Fail Better Arts, UNC Chapel Hill

Places: Queens, NY, LA, Chinatown

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