Preserve Kathya Alexander's Stories Forever

You got to walk into the room like God sent you there – African American Proverb

Kathya Alexander is a wonder. Playwright. Author. Storyteller. Teaching Artist. Kathya walks the walk and oh, does she ever talk the talk.

The Go Janes (Patrice O'Neill, Arni Adler, Kathleen Tracy) first met Kathya at Auntmama’s monthly Story Table on Capitol Hill. We were asked to sing but found ourselves drawn deeply into a whole new world. Kathya, along with a small cadre of regulars, practiced the ancient art of storytelling in ways none of us had experienced before. We were smitten from the moment she said the first word. Her reverberant voice fills the room with stories often centered around the Civil Rights Movement and Black Culture. Personally, each of us has been profoundly impacted by her. We love her. Lots of other people do, too. She probably needs an entire house to keep all the awards she’s won.

She is a treasure.

She never shies away from the truth but always aims for healing.

Kathya's stories articulate the forces of suppression, corruption and violent white domination that are unleashed again and again to put down the progress towards true equality. They depict the strain and strength of Black people's day-to-day survival with an ear for the urgent voices of her characters often depicted in verse and in song. Her tales encompass earlier times that impact the history being made in the present with respect to the hard tasks of living and dying in the Black community as the struggle for social justice continues with its new challenges, fears, and hopes in the present day.

We are each given only so many days on this earth and sometimes, due to a series of recent illnesses, it feels that Kathya is on the fragile end of that spectrum. We are bringing her into the studio this month to capture not just her voice but her beautiful self on professionally made video. Kathya’s stories must live on. We invite you to help us make that happen.

From Kathya, “I am committed to writing stories that unearth the truth, offer personal and cultural healing, and give rise to social transformation. My stories about Negroes during the Civil Rights era reflect the hopes and dreams of ordinary people that influenced the political makeup of a nation. I am committed to telling the stories of those s/heroes to the next generation who are often not aware of the momentous events of the most successful social justice movement in history - one that has served as a blueprint for activists all around the world. It was a time that showed the very best of our community’s power, solidarity and commitment - a vision reflected in the Black Lives Matter Movement today. My plays often explore the beauty and complexity of contemporary African American life and investigate how living in America affects the lives of Black people and how life in this country is influenced by Black culture. ”

Funds raised will go to pay for studio time and to support Kathya.