Coleman Center for the Arts collaborated with professional storyteller, award winning poet, and author from the Black Belt Salaam Green to host a one-day, all ages storytelling workshop. The workshop centered around crafting homegrown stories drawn from personal experience. The event was part of Coleman Center’s Community Arts Workshop series and was held at Pop Start, Coleman Center’s community space in downtown York.
Green began the workshop by asking participants to speak about their favorite dessert, kicking off a rich discussion on cooking, kitchens, and peach cobbler. As the day continued, Green structured activities around stories of revelation, celebration, and inspiration. Participants spent quiet time writing, followed by sharing and conversation. Green highlighted narrative structure, universal themes, and the participants’ wealth of individual lived experience. The workshop inspired laughter, emotion, and a newfound appreciation of the power of stories for both audience and storyteller.
Green described her experience working with Sumter County community members as follows: “Life is a story, stories heal. Listening to a father read a letter of admiration to his seven year old daughter on how she changes his life as she held her personal decorated journal is the reason why I teach write-to-heal workshops and believe in the power of community storytelling.”
Thanks to Community Foundation of West Alabama, Black Belt Community Foundation, and Alabama State Council on the Arts for their support of our education programs.