94 episodes

Poets, dancers, and painters at war with white supremacy, COVID, criminal militias, and Milosevic? Muralists, musicians, and actors, making a difference in homeless shelters, planning departments, emergency rooms, and death row? Sound delusional? Yea, sure, but also true! And when creativity confronts destruction, and imagination faces fear, in places like Ferguson, Johannesburg, Belfast and San Quentin surprising things happen.

Our stories help shape and sustain our beliefs and actions. Bill Cleveland believes that meeting the challenges of the 21st century will require a revolution of thought and deed— in essence, a new set of stories powerful enough to change beliefs and behaviors.

Change the Story/ Change the World is a chronicle of art and community transformation across the globe. In each episode, Bill will introduce listeners to creative change agents working to re-imagine and recreate the social, political, and cultural narratives that define their communities. Join us

Change the Story / Change the World Bill Cleveland

    • Arts
    • 4.8 • 12 Ratings

Poets, dancers, and painters at war with white supremacy, COVID, criminal militias, and Milosevic? Muralists, musicians, and actors, making a difference in homeless shelters, planning departments, emergency rooms, and death row? Sound delusional? Yea, sure, but also true! And when creativity confronts destruction, and imagination faces fear, in places like Ferguson, Johannesburg, Belfast and San Quentin surprising things happen.

Our stories help shape and sustain our beliefs and actions. Bill Cleveland believes that meeting the challenges of the 21st century will require a revolution of thought and deed— in essence, a new set of stories powerful enough to change beliefs and behaviors.

Change the Story/ Change the World is a chronicle of art and community transformation across the globe. In each episode, Bill will introduce listeners to creative change agents working to re-imagine and recreate the social, political, and cultural narratives that define their communities. Join us

    Michael McCarty: Have Mouth Will Run It!

    Michael McCarty: Have Mouth Will Run It!

    Michael McCarty in my prison workshops, they say. “Storytelling, you're going to show us how to tell the Three Little Pigs?” I say, “Every living person has at least one story they need to tell. And (telling) that story will help them in their relationship with the people around them, and the world, and more importantly, with themselves.
    BIOMichael McCarty: Mother always told me stories. I began telling stories formally when I was in high school in Chicago (St. Ignatius) in the 60’s, stories of Africa and the struggles of African-Americans for freedom. In 1992 I met Joel ben Izzy from Berkeley, CA who was introduced to me as a professional storyteller. “You mean to tell me that people pay you to tell stories!?” I asked. I picked his brain and vowed that I was going to become a professional teller too, and my motto would be “Have mouth. Will run it.” A week or so later I asked myself what would I do as a profession if I was independently wealthy. Tell stories, was my answer.
    So I went to my local library and began collecting folk tales from different countries and reading books about storytelling. One day the Young Adult Librarian asked me why I was getting so many books of folk tales and asked if I was writing a paper. When I told him that I was a storyteller he said that he had a group of teenagers that wanted to learn storytelling. Could I give them a workshop? I said sure. The workshop was a success. Thus began my career. And I’ve been running my mouth around the country and around the world ever since.
    In 1996 I initiated the GRIOT Workshop in Leimert Park in Los Angeles. This is a place where anyone can come and get assistance in developing their storytelling skills. From 2004 until 2008 I was the Pacific Region Representative for the National Storytelling Network (NSN) Board of Directories.
    My life has been one heaven of a story: Student activist, Black Panther, US Army martial arts instructor, acupuncturist, world traveler, spiritual seeker, construction worker, storyteller, husband, father, crazy friend. Never a dull moment! I LOVE my life;-)
    Notable MentionsHigh John the Conqueror: John the Conqueror, also known as High John de Conqueror, John, Jack, and many other folk variants, is a folk hero from African-American folklore. He is associated with the roots of Ipomoea purga, the John the Conqueror root or John the Conqueroo, to which magical powers are ascribed in African-American folklore, especially among the Hoodoo tradition of folk magic.[
    Have mouth will run it: Michael D. McCarty’s web site
    Black Panther Party: Founded in 1966 in Oakland, California the Black Panther Party for Self Defense was the era’s most influential militant black power...

    • 54 min
    3 TRICKSTERS SERIES: Robert Farid Karimi - Witness of Wonder (WOW!)

    3 TRICKSTERS SERIES: Robert Farid Karimi - Witness of Wonder (WOW!)

    Robert Farid Karimi is not easily pegged. In our conversation we explore some of the stories, ideas, and questions that animate his work. How can humor become a bridge in a conflict-ridden community? What is the role of the fool and gossip in the post truth era? What can community organizers learn from Mel Brooks and Cheech and Chong.

    • 53 min
    3 TRICKSTERS SERIES: Salty Xi Jie Ng - Citizen Scholar of the Cosmos - Act 2

    3 TRICKSTERS SERIES: Salty Xi Jie Ng - Citizen Scholar of the Cosmos - Act 2

    In this episode we continue down the path of the provocative and unexpected with Salty. Along the way we will encounter the secret lives of art gallery security staff, a cooking show called Microwave Magic, bunion fetishes, and a very funny group of incarcerated artists.

    • 32 min
    3 TRICKSTERS SERIES: Salty Xi Jie Ng - Citizen Scholar of the Cosmos - ACT 1

    3 TRICKSTERS SERIES: Salty Xi Jie Ng - Citizen Scholar of the Cosmos - ACT 1

    Pull back the curtain on one of Salty's works and there's no telling what you will find -- a film, a party, an intimate discussion, a festival, a newspaper, a concert, a feast, and more often than, not an invitation to decide whether you want to participate as an audience member. or as part of the show.

    • 35 min
    3 TRICKSTER SERIES: Bonus Episode: Normando Performs

    3 TRICKSTER SERIES: Bonus Episode: Normando Performs

    WOW! After publishing Episode 28: Normando Ismay - A Loving Trickster requests have come for some of Normando's performances. Here are two: "Cachiru" & "Magdelina & Jose."

    • 27 min
    3 TRICKSTER SERIES: Normando Ismay - A Loving Trickster

    3 TRICKSTER SERIES: Normando Ismay - A Loving Trickster

    Artists Vanquish Crack Dealer? No Way! Actually "Yes Way" and an incredible story that also includes Cafe Bezzoso, Chilecito, and The Last Inca In Jail.

    • 43 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
12 Ratings

12 Ratings

Recoveryandredemption ,

Love love love

I absolutely love this show especially the one about our pasts can totally relate.

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