Notes On Our Rebuild, Issue 6: All Flourishing Is Mutual
Our rebuild becomes real with the launch of The Storytellers' Circle
Listen to me read this post!
Over the last few months I’ve broken down different parts of You Had Me at Black’s next chapter. Each note goes deeper into a different piece of the rebuild, so that you can have a full view of what we’re building and how you might step in. Catch up on notes one through five at the end of this post. If you missed the People’s Assembly in June, you can watch the 15-minute replay at the end as well.
Contents
A message from Martina
Our rebuild so far, and what comes next
Introducing: The Storytellers’ Circle
A message from Martina
Hey Y’all,
A friend recently asked me, what is the biggest difference between You Had Me at Black’s first chapter and this new one we’re moving into?
My answer: the relationship between YHMAB and all of us. This new chapter is calling for a complete paradigm shift in our roles and relationships: You Had Me at Black going from something made for us to something built by us; our audience evolving from listener to storyteller, from consumer to co-creator, and from fan to villager.
This new chapter rests on our collective participation: embracing the responsibility to tell, keep and preserve our stories.
Throughout my research and exploration, I’ve looked for possibility models - examples that indicate what I envision for You Had Me at Black is possible. Time and time again, I am directed towards nature.
One of my ancestral motherlands is Alabama, where my grandparents grew up before migrating to New York in the 60s. My Dad tells stories of summers spent down south, and the pecan and peach trees in his grandparents’ yard. He’ll reminisce about sitting on the porch with his father, cracking open pecans and watching the sun set.
Last month I happened to start a book with a whole chapter on pecan trees. I learned that because pecan nuts are so high in calories, pecan trees have to build up enough nutrient reserves in order to produce them. It’s a process that takes years at a time. And while each pecan tree has its own individual reserves, individual trees don’t grow pecans on their own schedule. In a grove, pecan trees produce pecans as a pack, either all or nothing.
“The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective... But what we see is the power of unity: What happens to one happens to us all. We can starve together or feast together. All flourishing is mutual.”
- Robyn Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
Nature is the prototype of what is possible. Expansive ecosystems where autonomy, cooperation and reciprocity are both method and output. Below the ground, pecan tree roots can spread outwards of 50 to 70 feet, connecting to other trees and plants. They communicate and exchange nutrients. Those very same roots can also extend as far as 30 feet deep, helping the trees remain sturdy in the face of storms.
This is how we could be, how we are meant to be. A network of determined people connected through intention and care, exchanging our gifts and resources, held down by our roots, protected against external forces, our flourishing mutual.
That lesson from the pecan grove - that our flourishing is mutual - is what this next chapter is all about. Are you ready to take your place in this future?
Our rebuild so far, and what comes next
This is the final post of the Notes on Our Rebuild series. Over the course of six notes I’ve laid out the blueprint and building materials for You Had Me at Black’s new chapter: a home for our stories, our storytelling and ourselves.
It’s a home that affirms our sacred self worth. Where wayward imagination urges us to create what doesn’t yet exist; and where our relationships are guided by a radical connection that centers love, kinship, and solidarity. Instead of one person holding the keys, steward ownership will ensure power and profit circulate within our community.
This home is built on a foundation of participation: exchanges of time, funds and stories that make everything we do possible. Publishing decorates this home, artifacts - like podcasts, zines, books, and more - will tell and preserve our stories. Productions fill the home with life, bringing us together to create moments of intimacy and shared memory, through performances, experiences and exhibitions.
And last but not least, this home has rooms where you can settle in and find your place. Patrons who contribute funds towards sustaining our activities. Stewards who contribute their time to shape how our home is run and will evolve into the future. And Storytellers who contribute their stories, the wisdom and experiences that make this place sacred.
Now that the blueprint’s been shared, let’s get to building.
I’m excited to introduce the pilot of The Storytellers’ Circle. It is You Had Me at Black’s first paid offering and an essential step toward financial stability independent of institutions. The Storytellers’ Circle lays the foundation for our rebuild— next, in 2026, comes the return of our award-winning podcast and the rollout of the Patrons and Steward Circles.
Introducing: The Storytellers’ Circle
To be Black in this world is to be a history and culture bearer. Our stories have never been safe in the hands of others. They’ve only ever been passed down and preserved by those of us who dare to do so. As attempts to remove our stories, monuments, and persons grow more aggressive, I take comfort in this simple truth:
They cannot erase our stories if we continue to tell and keep them.
You Had Me at Black started with the idea that we each have a story (or few) to tell. And the belief that we must be the ones to tell them.
What would happen if you gave yourself permission to speak? To put words to what you’ve always wanted to say, to declare with your voice that you are here and cannot be erased?
What do you risk if you don’t?
Our stories aren’t nice-to-haves, afterthoughts for when time is convenient. Our stories are our strength and our fortune. Now, more than ever.
That’s why I’ve created a new space for us to practice the very act of storytelling. After years helping dozens of everyday people tell their story on our podcast, I know wanting to tell a story is one thing. Having the confidence and skills to do so is another.
That’s what The Storytellers’ Circle is for: to help you become a better storyteller and fuller you.
It’s a five-week, small group experience where you’ll develop, perform and record a true-life story.
It’s an opportunity to hone your authentic voice and embark on a journey of self confidence - to practice taking up space and expressing yourself with honesty.
Along the way, you’ll learn to shape your narrative, captivate listeners, and bring your thoughts and experiences to life with clarity and purpose.
At the end, you’ll leave with a recording of your story as a personal keepsake and storytelling skills that you can take anywhere. You may also have the chance for your story to be featured in future You Had Me at Black podcast episodes or publications.
You’re invited to participate in a pilot cohort that begins November 8 and ends December 13. 5 spaces are available.
To make this journey accessible while sustaining our community-driven work, The Storytellers’ Circle is priced on a sliding scale, meaning, you can choose the pricing tier that best fits your budget. Regardless of which tier you choose, you’ll receive the same transformative experience.
Like those pecan trees, our stories bear fruit when we grow together.
Get comfy in our new digital dwelling place
If you’re new to Substack, I encourage you to check out the web or app experience, where you can leave comments on this post, respond in chats I host with the You Had Me at Black community, and follow other writers and publishers.
