In Collaboration with Story Crossroads:

Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact.

This event features: Ida B. Wells (portrayed by Franque Bains), celebrated for her fearless investigative journalism and truth-telling, is paired with Emily Dickinson (portrayed by Janine Evans), the iconic poet whose innovative, introspective work reshaped American literature. Together, they embody the enduring power of the written word.

Special thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts for funding as well as collaborations with Salt Lake Art Museum, Story Crossroads, Utah Storytelling Guild, and Nubian Storytellers of Utah Leadership.

RSVP: https://storycrossroads23.wildapricot.org/event-6776162  
Bios: https://storycrossroads.org/bios-for-december-17-2026/