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- Storytelling empowers youth; authors urge children to read and tell the stories that shape identity and self-worth.
- Actors-turned-authors Karyn Parsons and Tatyana Ali champion imaginative, reflective children's books like How High the Moon and Aszi and the Octopus.
- Teacher Yorel Greene created Race, Identity and the Power of Theatre to center African-American dramatic literature and student representation.
- Educators act as seed planters, nurturing confidence and belief that shapes students' potential long before they realize it.
- Families, communities, and organizations like DonorsChoose extend literacy through visible Black protagonists and community reading events.
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The Power of Black Stories
From Fresh Prince to the Page
During the conversation, Parsons asked Ali why it is important for young people not only to read stories, but also to tell them. Their exchange reflected a shared history. Parsons and Ali are both widely recognized for their roles on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, where Parsons portrayed Hilary Banks, and Ali played Ashley Banks. Years later, the two reunited in conversation, this time as authors and advocates reflecting on the power of storytelling.
“I had the great honor to be a part of storytelling since I was very young,” she said. “And I know intuitively that we are the stories that we tell.”
Bringing Black Literature Into the Classroom
From this dialogue on storytelling, the discussion turned to Yorel Greene, an English teacher at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Greene’s commitment to representation directly shapes the way she teaches.
After seven years at the school, she observed that much of the traditional curriculum centered on works written by white authors. Motivated to expand what students encounter in the classroom, she created Race, Identity and the Power of Theatre, a course focused on African-American dramatic literature.
Her students engage with works such as For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf and Topdog/Underdog, exploring themes of identity, history, and lived experience through performance and discussion. For Greene, broadening the reading list is about making sure students can see themselves and their experiences reflected in the literature they explore.
Teachers as “Seed Planters”
Building on Greene’s perspective, Ali acknowledged the educators in the room, referring to teachers as “seed planters.” She reflected on her own formative experiences in classrooms and in theatre, emphasizing the lasting influence teachers have on young people.
Their words, encouragement, and belief often shape how students see their own potential, long before they fully understand it themselves. Ali noted that teachers can nurture confidence and “speak life” into young scholars.
In a room filled with seventy New York City educators, the message resonated deeply. It served as a reminder that the work happening in classrooms every day often plants the seeds for future storytellers, artists, and leaders.
Reading Beyond the Classroom
Ali also reflected on what she has observed while visiting schools and classrooms across the country. One moment that continues to stand out, she said, is the excitement students show when they see books with Black protagonists on the covers.
For many young readers, that visibility makes literature feel more personal and engaging. Ali emphasized that building strong reading habits cannot happen solely in classrooms. Families and communities also play an important role.
She spoke about the value of community reading events and spaces where parents can share simple approaches that encourage reading at home, whether during dinner conversations or bedtime routines. By bringing families into the process, literacy becomes something that grows beyond school walls and helps support the next generation of readers.
Stories That Influence the Future
Events like Black Stories, Bright Futures highlight how storytelling, education, and community are deeply connected. When authors, educators, and students come together in conversations like this one, the impact extends far beyond a single evening.
Through its mission to support teachers and strengthen classrooms, DonorsChoose continues to create spaces where educators can connect with ideas, resources, and inspiration that ultimately reach their students.
As the educators in the room return to their schools carrying these conversations with them, the stories they introduce in their classrooms today may help shape how the next generation understands themselves and imagines what is possible for their future. In many ways, that is exactly how bright futures begin: with the stories we choose to share.
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