Stir The Style: Destination New Haven

Amy Joy Myers is a Connecticut native and the youngest child of parents who migrated from The South to New York City and then to the hills of Litchfield County, Connecticut, making Amy many times removed from her origin story.  Growing up always feeling like the thing that was not like the other things made Amy an observer.  While she often feels like an outsider, Amy appreciates the connective experiences made possible by storytelling.   Amy hopes that by discovering and telling her own stories she will better understand herself and be better understood by others.  Amy is grateful to her father for introducing her to stories, spoken and written, when she was a girl.   Amy lives in New Haven with her wife and their four-legged loved ones.  

A love of stories has found Bekah Wright conveying them on various mediums, including journalism, film/TV, animation Virtual Reality, and novels. Recently added to that list: storytelling.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Bekah’s articles have been featured in outlets including the Los Angeles Magazine, Los Angeles Times, TakePart (Participant Media), GOOD, Yahoo Travel, Bon Appetit, National Geographic Kids, Parentology, TV Guide, CT Insider, Connecticut Magazine, plus many more.

For many years, Bekah worked in the entertainment industry, focusing on film, television, and documentaries. She was a producer on the award-winning documentary Old Man River. Her heart led her to children’s programming and animation. One of the episodes she wrote, “A Little Bit Something Extra! Extra!” from the PBS series Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks was a finalist for Literacy in Media’s Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Programming.

Excited by the possibilities of using Virtual Reality to share stories, she formed the VR Company Change Your Life Travels. Through it, she executive produced and wrote a project for the Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim. That project, Experience the Winter Majesty: Grand Canyon South Rim, became a semi-finalist in both LA Cinefest and France’s 360 Film Festival.

When she moved from Los Angeles to Chester, Connecticut, in September 2021, the first thing she did was post an ad looking for area writers with whom to form a writing group. Over 40 writers responded. The group has been going strong ever since. Happily, the town of Clinton requested she start a group there, as well.

It was through these groups that Bekah stumbled onto Connecticut’s storytelling scene. Her life hasn’t been the same since. To say she’s passionate about storytelling would be an understatement. A driving force for Bekah – traveling the globe and learning about new cultures by engaging in “talk story” with unique individuals around the world. Now, she’s sharing those experiences from behind the microphone.

Discover a new perspective on Connecticut's Indigenous Peoples. Darlene, an experienced educator, tour guide, and Traditional Native American Storyteller, sheds light on the misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding her ancestors. Her truthful and compassionate teaching style offers both children and adults a fresh understanding of their lives in the past and present. Join us to learn and appreciate the rich history and stories of Connecticut's Indigenous Peoples. Have a new 

Brittana VersatilePoetiq Tatum was born at Hartford Hospital. She was raised for nine years in Simsbury, CT and ten years in Avon, CT. She played basketball throughout high school with aspirations of playing in college. She graduated from Avon High School in 2005. In the fall of 2005 she attended University of Hartford as a marketing major. She put away her basketball sneakers and picked up a pen to become a Poet.

She graduated from UHART with a Business Administration degree in May of 2009. She has been performing Spoken Word for 15 years and teaching Spoken Word for 12 years. She works for Charter Oak Cultural Center and Arts for Learning Connecticut. She was the Spoken Word Teacher at The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (Colt Campus) 2014-2015. She performed in front of 20,000 people at The Greater Hartford Jazz Festival in 2019 and 2021. She hosted the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival in 2019. She was the Key Note Speaker at the Connecticut Association of Schools High School Outstanding Arts Award Ceremony in April 2023 and Hosted the Hartford Creative Arts Ceremony for 4th-12th Grade in June of 2023. Her stage name is VesatilePoetiq due to her universal appeal and unique mix of Spoken Word and Rap. She has all her students call her Miss. Versatile. 

Rick Reyes is a troubadour, a songwriter, producer, and a storyteller performer. Although born in Bridgeport CT, Reyes grew up in the countryside of his parents’ native Puerto Rico. It was here, listening to traditional Puerto Rican folk music, that Reyes forged his love of Jibaro – a music of the people full of wistful melodies and steeped in longing.  Reyes and his family returned to Bridgeport. Feeling like an outsider, homesick, unable to speak English, he started to write as a creative outlet. He kept journals of his thoughts, impressions, and observations. His father bought him a guitar and he taught himself to play. When Reyes took one of his poems and set it to music his lifelong journey as a songwriter began.