Black Her Stories

In this episode, we're floating through the conversations that we've had in this season. Tune in to hear a compilation of conversations that stitch together some of our favorite moments and give you a hint at where Black Her Stories is going next. In this episode, you hear from:  Judy Bowman ( judybowmanartist ) Takeisha Jefferson ( takeishaart ) Sydney James ( sydneygjames ) Sabrina Nelson ( sabr...

In this episode, we're following the creative energy of the city and talking to Detroiters about the art and impact of Sydney James. Murals play an important role in Motor City and this year happened to be the next installment of BLKOUT Walls, the biannual mural festival co-founded by Sydney James. So we popped up at the closing Block Party to chat with community members and the artists who partic...

In this episode, we ride into a conversation with Sydney James . Fine arts painter and muralist Sydney G. James is a girl proudly raised in Detroit. With a BFA from the College for Creative Studies and a background in commercial art, James is a figurative artist whose bold brush strokes have humanized Detroit's industrial skyline.  Not limited to one dimension, Sydney's artwork can be found in pri...

In this episode, we float weightlessly into a conversation with Sabrina Nelson. Nelson is a painter by degree from Detroit's College for Creative Studies. Influenced by Yoruba Religion, as well as Eastern and African philosophies, Sabrina's work is a combination of spirit, motion, and intimacy. Not limited by two dimensions, the scope of her work also includes sculpture, objects, performance and i...

In this episode, we're following the joyful rhythm of the city and talking to Detroiters about their style and art of Judy Bowman.  In this episode, we talk to:  Brianna L Jones,  Chanel Oldham Chuck Micheaux   Crystal Delahugh Crystal Marie Valencia Davis Resources:  Judy Bowman  Websites:  https://www.judybowman.com/ IG: judybowmanartist   References Sugar Hill Historic District Krispy Addicts T...

In this episode, we dive into a conversation with Judy Bowman. Bowman is a mixed-media collage artist whose figurative works celebrate the rhythm and beauty woven into the fabric of Black American culture. Born and raised on the Eastside of Detroit, Judy uses vibrant colors and textured paper to illustrate visual narratives of her family, friends, and the everyday elegance of her community.  Consi...

In the spirit of constant experimentation and eternal expansion, we're doing things a little differently this season. As we continue to explore Detroit as a character through creative storytelling, we thought, what better way to uplift diverse narratives than to let Detroiter speak for themselves?  So we're hitting the streets, talking to strangers, and passing the microphone to members of the com...

In this episode, we dive into a conversation with Yvette Rock. Rock was born in Paramaribo, Suriname in 1975. She received a BFA in 1997 from Cooper Union in New York City and an MFA in Painting from the University of Michigan in 1999. Yvette is the co-founder of Detroit Connections at U of M, and founder and Executive Director of Live Coal - a non-profit organization in Detroit. She has been an a...

In this episode, we dive into a conversation with Takeisha Jefferson. Jefferson is a Michigan native and a seasoned portrait photographer passionate about art history. Her subjects frequently include her family, and her oeuvre also touches on Black womanhood and empowerment themes.   Her photographic storytelling has earned her a feature on Google Arts and Culture and a spotlight in Aida Amoaka's...

Hello there! It's been a minute, but Black Her Stories (BHS) is back! Catch up with BHS creator and host, Michaela Ayers, as she reflects on 2022 and looks ahead at what's on the horizon of a new year.  In season two, we continue our quest of unearthing stories of Black women based in Detroit, Michigan with a focus on visual artists. Together, we'll explore the roles of community, creativity, and...

In this episode, we wander into a conversation with Nandi Comer. Comer is the author of American Family: A Syndrome (Finishing Line Press) and Tapping Out (Northwestern University Press). She also serves as a poetry editor for Obsidian Literature and Arts in the African Diaspora and as the Director of the Allied Media Projects Seeds Program.    Together, we celebrate the work of Vievee Francis. Vi...

In this episode, we wade into a conversation with Jean Alicia Elster. Jean Alicia Elster is an author of young adult novels and children's books. A native Detroiter and former attorney, Elster has published a number of books including - Joe Joe in the City, Who is Jim Hines?, The Colored Car, and How it Happens. Together, we celebrate the work of Ida B. Wells-Barnette. She was one of the founders...

In this episode, we dig into a conversation with Marsha Music. Marsha is the daughter of pre-Motown record producer Joe Von Battle. She's also an acclaimed writer of essays, poems, and narratives on life in Detroit. Together, we celebrate the work of Betty DeRamus. Betty DeRamus is a veteran and award-winning journalist, DeRamus was the jury's pick and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1993. Sh...

In this episode, we get into conversation with La Shaun Phoenix Moore. Moore is a Detroit-based vocalist, spoken word artist, activist, culture creator, and wife. She is the recipient of the 2020 and 2021 Creators of Culture Award by CultureSource.  Phoenix is currently working on a memoir that examines the complexities of the Mother Wound. The Mother wound is a type of intergenerational trauma th...

In this episode, we dig into a conversation with Imani Nichele. Imani is a Detroit-based poet, rapper, singer, and songwriter. She is the 2018 Detroit Youth Poet Laureate. Her writing has been featured by the Heidelberg Project, Fox Sports, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. In this conversation, we celebrate the work of Lucille Clifton (1936-2010). Clifton is known for her unique writing style th...

In this episode, we dive into a conversation with Brittany Rogers. Brittany is a poet, creator, educator, and proud native Detroiter. She is a fellow of VONA, The Watering Hole, Poetry Incubator, and Pink Door Writing Retreat. Her writing has been anthologized in The BreakBeat Poets: Black Girl Magic and Best of the Net. Brittany is also Editor-in-Chief for Muzzle Magazine, an M.F.A. candidate, an...

Hosted by Michaela Ayers, this series illuminates the lives and legacies of Black women - past and present - who inspire us and shape our stories. In season one, we're talking to Black women writers in Detroit, Michigan to learn how community informs a creative. And what possibilities exist when creativity meets history. The series premieres on March 9th. Subscribe or follow wherever you get your...