Our Folks' Tales

04/08/2026

Friends in SC, this event looks amazing.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Aq3Dk1bQt/

You're invited to the Rice Festival - Greenpond
Saturday, April 18, 10am -3pm

04/07/2026

Join us ONLINE on Wednesday, April 8 at 12 p.m. EDT for “Teaching about Slavery & Emancipation in the Age of Revolutions” with Paul Polgar (Tufts History Department), author of “Standard-Bearers of Equality: America’s First Abolition Movement” (Omohundro Institute with University of North Carolina Press, 2019—new in paper in 2025), and Ronald Angelo Johnson (Baylor Department of History), author of “Entangled Alliances: Racialized Freedom and Atlantic Diplomacy during the American Revolution” (Cornell University Press, 2025—available in hardback or paper).

Register or learn more here: https://vist.ly/4xg27

04/02/2026

If you know a high school senior who is "a descendant of enslaved African Americans from Virginia OR a resident of Virginia with known enslaved African American ancestry," please let them know about this scholarship opportunity from Descendants of Enslaved Communities at the University of Virginia.

The Merwyn Page Reaves Memorial Scholarship program was created to honor the life and legacy of Merwyn Page Reaves. The scholarship is administered by DEC-VA (Descendants of Enslaved Communities of Virginia) and is available to graduating high school seniors who are a descendant of enslaved African....

04/01/2026

Every time a new sign goes up, we begin to know the full history of the places we call home.

03/29/2026

The remains were found in the 1990s, when archaeological excavations took place at a part of Kingsmill along the James River once called Utopia Quarters.

03/17/2026

What an incredible person!!!

03/15/2026

Some stories are harder to carry than others.

When we talk about "Family History" or "Legacy Projects," we often picture the highlights—the weddings, the milestones, the black-and-white photos of smiling ancestors. But at Our Folks' Tales, we know that many of our family trees have shadows.

Writing about hard histories—trauma, fractured relationships, or the parts of our past that have been silenced—requires more than just a pen and paper. It requires a specific kind of support.

This is why Sterling and I are co-hosting the "Breath, Body, and the Page" retreat.

We’ve designed this weekend specifically to handle the "heavy lifting" of storytelling:

The Page: I’ve spent my career helping writers navigate the structural and emotional complexities of difficult narratives. I know how to help you find the "truth" of a story without letting it overwhelm you.

The Body: Sterling understands that we carry our history in our nervous systems. When we write about hard things, our bodies often tense up or shut down. Her work with restorative movement and breathwork is the "safety valve" that allows you to stay grounded and present while you do the deep work.

The Doors Close Tonight.
We have 3 chairs left at the table for our retreat on March 28-29. If you are working on a story that feels "too big" or "too heavy" to carry alone, come spend the weekend with us. We know how to hold the space for the hard stories, and we’d be honored to help you find your way through yours.

[Link to Register in the first comment! 👇]

03/09/2026

Each week, I'm going to write about a historic neighborhood in Charlottesville as inspired by my DoorDash adventures.

This week, I'm talking about Starr Hill, a neighborhood I love to know about and hate to drive through.

This week, I’m talking about the historic Starr Hill neighborhood in Charlottesville.

03/09/2026

Not every story needs a hero's journey.

Some of the most important chapters in a family’s history happen on a quiet Monday morning. Today, my "big project" has shifted from a 20,000-word edit to something much smaller: a sick son on the couch, a steady supply of ginger ale, and the slow, rhythmic sound of a house finally feeling like a home. 🏡✨

When we think about Our Folks' Tales, we often look for the "big" stories—the weddings, the moves, the career milestones. But the "heart" of a family legacy is often found in these small, unplanned moments of care.

The Lesson: If you’re waiting for a "grand event" to start writing your family’s story, don’t. Write about the quiet Monday. Write about the way the light hits your new living room while you're nursing a fever. Write about the small gestures that say, "I’ve got you."

The Legacy Challenge: What is one "small" family memory from a mundane day that you never want to forget? Maybe it’s a specific soup recipe or a story your grandfather told you while he was resting. Share a snippet in the comments! 👇

03/08/2026

This March, IAAM enters Women’s History Month alongside the debut of its 2026 main theme: “Soul(Food) of Freedom.”