My father never said I love you

– Martin (he/him)

As a result of growing up in a violent household, Martin craves positive relationships with men but has a hard time trusting them until he meets Tom, a chairman of Goldman Sachs. Tom takes Martin under his wing and sees something in him that he can’t yet see in himself.

#blacklivesmatter #blackstoriesmatter #defendblacklives

“My father never said “I love you,” so I annoy my children with lots of I love you’s. He hardly supported or attended my events, so I do my best to never miss any of my children’s events. He put strangers before his own family. I will always put my kids first.”

Want More Black Stories Matter Content?
Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

Learn: Resources for anti-racism activism

Seeing her this powerless brings out my compassion tenfold

– Shaniqua (she/her)

As a small child, Shaniqua’s mother became too ill to care for her, forcing her to move from NYC to Virginia to live with her tough-loving grandmother known as Ole Battle Ax. In her story, we learn how Shaniqua went from wishing her grandmother were dead to naming her second-born child after her.

#blacklivesmatter #blackstoriesmatter #defendblacklives

“I realize that the tables have turned, now her daughters are the ones with power and this is the payback. Even though I have been angry at her for a long time, seeing her this powerless brings out my compassion tenfold.”

Want More Black Stories Matter Content?
Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

Learn: Resources for anti-racism activism

She says, ‘Thank you for being a good mommy. I love you.’

– Rita (she/her)

Rita becomes pregnant at 15 and has 4 children by the time she’s 24. She never feels like a good mom until her youngest daughter is diagnosed with fatal cancer. It’s only then that Rita learns what she is truly capable of.

#blacklivesmatter #blackstoriesmatter #defendblacklives

“One day, she calls me over and asks for a hug. I go over and hold her. She says, ‘Thank you for being a good mommy. I love you.’ Then, she squeezes me tight and says, ‘I’m alright, I’m with grandma now.'”

Want More Black Stories Matter Content?
Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

Learn: Resources for anti-racism activism

As a child, I needed a gun to protect myself.

– Tyrone (he/him)

At 14, Tyrone starts carrying a gun to protect himself. Today, as the Commissioner of Human Rights for Ulster County, he’s dedicated to protecting his community.

#blacklivesmatter #blackstoriesmatter #defendblacklives

“As a child, I needed a gun to protect myself. As a man, I dedicated my life to protecting my community.”

Want More Black Stories Matter Content?
Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

Learn: Resources for anti-racism activism

My name is both connection and severance.

– Kwame (he/him)

Kwame shares a story about his long and complicated relationship with his name through his journey from Brooklyn to New Jersey, and most recently, to the Hudson Valley.

#blacklivesmatter #blackstoriesmatter #defendblacklives

“My name is both connection and severance, marking me as part of something I can never truly know.”

Want More Black Stories Matter Content?
Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

Learn: Resources for anti-racism activism

Am I Black Enough?

– Troy (she/her)

Growing up in a white world, Troy Ellen is often criticized for not being black enough. By exploring identity through two different characters—first at 13 when she’s forced to play the role of Tituba, the Black slave in the school production of The Crucible, and at 16 when she chooses to play the role of Peaches in Four Women by Nina Simone—Troy Ellen accepts herself for being black enough just as she is. Watch her story and get involved by hosting a Black Stories Matter viewing party.

“Even though I’m dressing the part of a Black revolutionary, I will struggle with the whole ‘Am I black enough?’ question.”

Want More Black Stories Matter Content?
Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

Learn: Resources for anti-racism activism

TMI Project stands with Black Lives Matter Now and Always.

2020 is turning out to be the year of 20/20 vision. The global pandemic is revealing the inequality in the healthcare system as we are losing black and brown Americans at a disproportionate rate. The murder of George Floyd, added to a list, far too long, of other black and brown men and woman murdered at the hands of law enforcement, has made it crystal clear that there is no justice in the justice system. A revolution has been ignited calling for a systemic change, a dismantling of structures and institutions that are not in fact broken, but working exactly as they were designed. 

All of us at TMI Project are dedicated to using the power of true storytelling to dismantle the racist systems that are destroying and ending the lives of black and brown people in our local community and nationwide. We will continue to use our programming to provide support, connection, relief, and transformation and use our platform to raise awareness, amplify voices, share resources, and inspire action. 

In this charged and pivotal moment in history, we acknowledge our need to deepen our commitment and expand our approach. We want to share some of our plans and the resources we’re finding helpful. We also welcome your suggestions.

1. Internal training

We must start by looking at ourselves. We’re committed to doing the work as individuals and as an organization. I recommend the article How to Manage Your Team in Times of Political Trauma by Micahell Kim, which clearly features some suggestions TMI Project regularly puts into practice, like encouraging staff to bring their whole selves to work; acknowledging what is happening in the world; taking time at the beginning of meetings to check-in on a human level; giving people ample time for self-care; and reducing or redistributing labor and/or emotional burden. I also highly recommend  So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo which we read last year as a staff. At our retreat, after reading the book, we went through an exercise to explore intersectionality and privilege. TMI Project will plan and share further internal activities for 2020.

2. Expanding Black Stories Matter Black Stories Matter Virtual Drop-in Storytelling Workshop Join TMI Project for a Black Stories Matter virtual drop-in workshop led by Workshop Leaders Dara Lurie and Micah. These free workshops are offered as a safe space for Black people to gather, write, share stories, and receive support.

Accessible Black Stories Matter Content Stories have the power to increase visibility, raise awareness, change people’s hearts and minds, and inspire people to take meaningful action. We are making every effort to ensure all of our Black Stories Matter content is easily accessible, widely consumed, and is accompanied by tools to deepen the impact.

Watch: We will share a story from our Black Stories Matter archives every weekday in June. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to easily access this content.

Listen: The TMI Project Story Hour, Season Two: Black Stories Matter, launches this fall. Learn more and subscribe to our podcast HERE

Host: a Black Stories Matter viewing party and discussion from anywhere in the world. Click HERE to learn more and sign up.

Share: TMI Project’s mission with Black Stories Matter is to elevate the underrepresented stories of the Black experience in America – the full spectrum – the triumphs, humor, beauty, and resilience. Click HERE to submit your story to be featured on the TMI Project blog.

3. Shared resources and suggested action items

4. Diversity and Inclusion Training
We’re in the beginning stages of developing diversity and inclusion training through a storytelling lens. It will include ways to build trust; skills to improve communication; exercises to deepen understanding about the concepts of identity, intersectionality, and privilege; skills to identify and differentiate stories — stock/concealed/resistance/counterstories — and their individual purposes. We will provide additional resources and follow-up action items. If you’re interested in learning more, please email Eva at eva@tmiproject.org

 

(Photo from our staff retreat, 2019)

If you want to be a part of the solution by supporting our Black Stories Matter programming, please make a donation today!

We continue to believe that together we can change the world, one story at a time. If there’s anything else we can do or if you have any questions about how you can be more involved please feel free to reach out. We are open to your suggestions and are happy to supply you with additional resources.

In peace and solidarity,
Eva Tenuto and the TMI Project team

Resources for Anti-Racism Activism

ARTICLES

BOOKS

SUGGESTED ACTIONS

VIRTUAL TRAINING & WORKSHOPS

A Sneak Peek of Black Stories Matter: Truth to Power

Black Stories Matter: Truth to Power is a little more than a week away. If you haven’t reserved your seats for what’s sure to be one of the most talked about social justice events in the Hudson Valley…do it today! We’re excited to give you a sneak peek of the stories you’re going to hear and experience next Friday, June 21 at 7:30pm at Pointe of Praise in Kingston. So read on because you won’t want to miss this live performance of brand new stories that attest to the startling varieties and travails of the Black experience in America, and the shared threads of love, loss, fear, and kindness that connect us all.

THE STORYTELLERS
In order of appearance

ZANYELL GARMON (she/her)
In the face of racism and the daily microaggressions churned out in a white world, Zanyall spends years starving herself and self-harming in an attempt to disappear until she finds yoga and starts to feel more comfortable taking her rightful space in the world.

CASSANDRA TAYLOR (she/her)
In a quest to find her true self, Casandra Taylor beautifully illustrates the struggle of a daughter fighting the pressure to conform to her mother’s expectations.

BYRON UTLEY (he/him)
After ignoring blood in his urine and receiving dismissive treatment from the medical community, Byron overcomes bladder cancer and hopes he can inspire other men to admit when they’re scared, and learn how to ask for help before it’s too late.

CALLIE JAYNE (she/her)
Callie shares about the layered struggle of recovering from drug addiction and mental illness while living in a world with a deeply rooted belief that getting help is for “rich white folks.”

TWINKLE BURKE (she/her)
Twinkle might play a teacher or nurse on TV, as the roles for women of color are often typecast for characters who are nurturers, but she’s here to tell you that being black is not just one thing, it’s everything.

EZRA HUBBARD (he/him)
Ezra navigates what it’s like to be of mixed race. He’s half black and half white. But, he realizes that when the police show up, he’s not white at all.

BEETLE BAILEY (they/them)
Until two years ago, Beetle would have described themself as “stupid, happy, and numb.” Then Charlottesville happened. They share the story about how that event transformed them into being unapologetically black.

DR. AJ WILLIAMS MYERS (he/him)
Dr. A.J. Williams-Myers, a prominent Professor Emeritus of Black Studies at the State University of New York at New Paltz, believes the spirit of Sojourner Truth has been walking with him since he was a little boy. He shares the story of how her spirit has protected him from snakes, lions, and even a revolutionary soldier.

RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!

In 3rd grade, I’m told it will be at least 150 Years until a Negro is elected president.

While our storytellers rehearse their BRAND NEW stories, in preparation for Black Stories Matter: Truth to Power, taking place on June 21st at 7:30pm, we’re diving into TMI Project’s archive. This story by Odell Winfield was presented as part of TMI Project’s first-ever intergenerational Black Stories Matter performance, as part of Black History Month Kingston at Pointe of Praise on February 16, 2019.

In 1954, Odell (he/him) told his third-grade teacher that he wanted to be the President of the United States; she told him it would be at least 150 years until a Negro is elected president. Today, Odell is the Executive Director of the Library at the A.J. Williams-Myers African Roots Center in Kingston, NY. In his story, he reflects on his life and finds himself standing strong, feeling like the leader he always dreamed of being.

On Friday, June 21st, join TMI Project at Pointe of Praise Family Life Center in Kingston for Black Stories Matter: Truth to Power a live storytelling performance featuring a cast of new storytellers who participated in a recent Black Stories Matter weekend intensive writing workshop. Black Stories Matter: Truth to Power will feature brand new stories that attest to the startling varieties and travails of the Black experience in America, and the shared threads of love, loss, fear, and kindness that connect us all. The free performance will be live streamed on Facebook, and will be followed by a facilitated community discussion about race, identity, and inclusion.