Anti-Racism & Storytelling: Meaning Making in Meaningful Ways

In this workshop, playwright, producer, and PhD candidate Paul Michael Thomson empowers participants to share their stories and guides them in listening to others’. Led by the principle that one of the most powerful tools for community building is believing each others’ stories, Paul Michael shares the historical precedent for personal narrative’s ability to break down systemic barriers. In so doing, he creates a space where story transcends plot and hearing becomes listening. Come prepared to write, receive, and get curious about others! Everyone has a story.

About the Presenter

Paul Michael Thomson is a theatre artist, interdisciplinary scholar, educator, and founder of The Story Theatre, 501(c)(3) in Chicago, IL. Currently pursuing his PhD in Afro-American Studies through the W.E.B. Du Bois Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Paul Michael’s research centers on the intersections between creative practice and Black liberation.

He graduated summa cum laude from the Honors College at the University of Arizona with a BA in Africana Studies, a BFA in Acting Performance, and minors in Spanish & Art History. As a scholar, he has received research fellowships from the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, the W.E.B. Du Bois Center, the Flinn Foundation, and the College of Humanities & Fine Arts. As a playwright, his works have been produced nationally to critical acclaim.

The Story Theatre was named “Best New Theatre Company” by the Chicago Reader in 2020 and has received support from the Illinois Arts Council, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Chicago Bulls Charities in order to produce three sold-out seasons.