Griot and Grits

Representative James Roberson — a Democratic member of the North Carolina House serving District 39 in Wake County and former Mayor of Knightdale — traces his story back to Wilson, North Carolina, a tobacco town once nicknamed “Little DC” for its deep political ties. He shares how his name came from the doctor who delivered him, a choice his mother made with pride, and recalls growing up in a hous...

Ann E. Moore was born in Washington, North Carolina in 1942 and raised by family there until her mother returned in 1949 to bring her and her siblings to Brooklyn, New York. She recalls the jarring adjustment from quiet Southern life to the rough streets of Brownsville — being chased home from the corner store, losing her eyelashes on an unfamiliar gas stove — while finding pride and inspiration i...

Michael Jerome Thompson reflects on his upbringing in 1950s Rock Hill, South Carolina, a small, segregated but close‑knit “village” where poverty was shared and childhood felt safe. Raised by his deeply spiritual mother, Estelle, after his father left, Michael grew up surrounded by music, family, and the legacy of gospel singers like his grandfather from the Dixie Hummingbirds. His story traces a...

David E. Reid reflects on his upbringing in Reidsville, North Carolina, where he was raised by his mother and grandmother after his father left during his early childhood. He describes a tight‑knit, church‑centered household rooted in modest means, homegrown food, and shared community values. His memories center on the women who shaped him—especially through cooking, compassion, and lessons about...

Irene Clark reflects on how misinformation and stigma have long distorted Western views of Africa, from travel ads that separate Egypt from the continent to the fearful stereotypes echoed by earlier generations. She contrasts those narratives with her own travels across Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Swaziland, and South Africa, where she witnessed modern cities, deep ingenuity, and a living history fa...

Lynette Richardson reflects on a childhood shaped by the warmth, discipline, and creativity of her family on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where home was defined less by geography and more by the people who taught her how to see the world. She describes a community anchored by steady work—school crossing guards, construction crews, taxi drivers—and a mother whose presence and purpose set the rhythm...

Rickey Gerard Thomas reflects on his upbringing in Brooklyn as the son of Southern parents who built a new life after meeting at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He describes his father’s influence as a hardworking Navy veteran–turned–plumber whose consistency shaped Rickey’s own quiet, steady approach to life. The interview traces the dynamics of a large family, the personalities of his siblings, and the...

Dr. Oliver T. Reid reflects on the complicated journey of growing into his own name, sharing how "Oliver" once felt like a burden until he uncovered the powerful legacy behind it—a grandfather who rose from enslavement to reclaim the very land his family once worked. He traces the nicknames that marked different chapters of his life, the move from Concord to Charlotte in North Carolina, and the Bo...

How do we present to the world, and ourselves, when our loved ones depart? In this week’s episode of “Griot and Grits”, we discover that strength can come from the most unlikely of places. Sometimes that strength that we show to the world is exactly what we need for ourselves. Take a listen. Produced by C. Perry Eleazer II & Felicia Rousseau/S2T Media LLC Explore more voices, support the work,...

In this episode, we talk about ditch water, plum trees, wind and superpowers. And oh yeah, somewhere in all of this, we talk about the power of imagination. Produced by C. Perry Eleazer II / S2T Media LLC Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org. License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC...

Presenting the story of the second ( yeah... the second) scariest night of my life. Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org. License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0). Permissions: If you would like to request permission for uses not allowed under this license (including commerc...

On this episode, we're talking about School Bells, Scars, and Mile Markers as I lead you through a particular........thorny aspect of my life and how it fundamentally shaped my basic philosophies around trials, community, and fatherhood Produced by C. Perry Eleazer II / S2T Media LLC. Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org. License: This content is lice...

Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org. License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0). Permissions: If you would like to request permission for uses not allowed under this license (including commercial use, edits, remixes, or redistribution), please contact Griot and Grits at info@...

In this episode, we talk about Barricades, Bridges and Breakthroughs, one of the many stories that my family has about adopting my daughters. Explore more voices, support the work, or share your own story at griotandgrits.org. License: This content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0). Permissions: If you would like to request permission...

Griot and Grits is a new take on the West African Griot, the storytelling, singing, poet, historian of the village that was tasked with passing on the history of the village orally. Griot and Grits empowers people to step into the role of a modern day Griot for their family, sharing the stories of love, loss, birth, joy, healing, perserverance, success and the myriad of other experiences that bind...