Raleigh’s Poet Laureate Johnny Lee Chapman III will organize and facilitate a series of intergenerational Story Circles at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. Centered on the voices of Black elders in Raleigh, these gatherings are designed to connect deeply with young adults — the next generation of leaders. The Gregg is hosting the series as part of its ongoing exploration of sanctuary, community memory and collective care.

The Story Circles are inspired by two exhibitions at the museum: Crafting Sanctuaries: Black Spaces of the Great Depression South and Community Stories: Sustaining North Carolina Black Heritage.

Through facilitated dialogue and storytelling, the series will explore how Black communities in Raleigh built networks of mutual support and sanctuary. These gatherings will create powerful opportunities for Black elders to pass down lived histories and welcome all NC State students and the broader community to join in intergenerational dialogue and preserving vital community memory.

The featured guest speaker for this Story Circles event will be Octavia Rainey, a lifelong advocate for justice whose leadership has shaped communities across Raleigh and beyond for over 50 years.

Space is limited to preserve the intimacy of the circle. Registration is required for this free event.