Narratives Are Made of People is a reflective essay inspired by four years of narrative change work with ideas42. Drawing from qualitative interviews, behavioral science, and community engagement, the piece explores how stories shape the systems we live within and how harmful narratives become embedded in institutions, policies, and everyday interactions. Through reflections on trust, choice, paternalism, and fatalism, the essay argues that meaningful systems change begins with recognizing that narratives are not abstract concepts…they are created, reinforced, and transformed by people. At its heart, the piece is an exploration of power, possibility, and the role storytelling plays in creating more equitable futures.

When the Truth Arrives is a narrative reflection commissioned by ITW Automotive for its Juneteenth celebration in Troy, Michigan. Written and performed in real time, the piece weaves together observations from the day's speakers, employees, youth performers, and members of the African American Network to explore the connections between labor, freedom, belonging, and the ongoing legacy of Juneteenth. Moving between personal reflection and historical context, the work examines how the stories we inherit continue to shape our workplaces, communities, and understanding of one another. At its core, the piece asks a simple but enduring question: What do we do once the truth arrives?

We Are the Ones is a narrative reflection commissioned by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint for the National Day of Racial Healing. Originally written and performed in real time, the piece emerged from a day of listening to community members, artists, facilitators, youth leaders, and organizers as they gathered to explore racial healing, truth-telling, and collective responsibility. Blending observation with reflection, the essay examines what it means to practice beloved community in a time of division and uncertainty. The work serves as both a record of the gathering and a reminder that meaningful change is built through relationships, courage, and the willingness to continue showing up for one another.

An Angelic Repair is a character study and narrative reflection on Detroit harpist Anjel, The Black Harpist, written during a live fundraising performance to repair her instrument. Blending performance review, storytelling, and spiritual inquiry, the essay follows the threads between artistry, purpose, and healing. As the harp slowly pulls itself apart, the piece draws parallels between the maintenance of our instruments and the maintenance of ourselves, asking what it means to honor our gifts while tending to the wear and tear of living. At its heart, the essay is an offering to the artists who continue creating, even while in need of repair themselves.

Don't Cry for Me is a personal narrative exploring grief, forgiveness, ancestry, and the complicated legacy of family. Written following the passing of the author's grandmother, the essay traces a relationship shaped by both harm and healing, revealing how memory, storytelling, and ritual can coexist alongside loss. Moving between childhood experiences, ancestral wisdom, and moments of spiritual reckoning, the piece reflects on what it means to inherit both wounds and gifts from those who came before us. At its heart, Don't Cry for Me is a meditation on the stories our elders leave behind and the responsibility of carrying them forward.