On a hot night in Oakland, a packed house listened to Black men get vulnerable and share stories about their journeys.
Produced by Create the Space, 2ME4U: Stories of Self-Exploration from the Heart took place last weekend at Kinfolk, a Black-owned coffee shop and event space on Telegraph Avenue that provided the perfect backdrop for the evening. The airy, plant-filled room with art by local artists adorning the walls lent a feeling of intimacy indicative of the stories the men would share.
According to its website, Create the Space, an organization founded by Denzel Herrera-Davis, is “a wellness concierge that centers Black Male health.” Herrera-Davis envisioned using storytelling and other mechanisms to “leverage the power of shared vulnerability,” and five years ago this September began producing live events that actualize that goal.
Live storytelling is a staple in the Oakland creative community. On most nights, you can find an event with all kinds of people sharing moments from their lives and about their communities in front of audiences large and small, but this was different.
As the audience filtered in for 2ME4U, the speakers for the evening mingled with the crowd and a buzz of anticipation filled the room. It was heartening to see Black men greet one another with hugs and daps as they smiled and laughed, belying the notion of the angry Black man.
The lights lowered, and Herrera-Davis took the stage. He was the first one to share as he sat underneath a large painting of a young girl whose afro-puffed “crown” dominated the canvass. As his story unfolded, we learned how he perceives his “crown,” how he developed, carries, and values it, and how that understanding allowed him to step into his power as a Black man and leader.
Next, the evening’s host, Love Mor, took the stage to introduce the rest of the men sharing their stories that night: Jermaine Hughes, Todd Barrett, and Brother Peace, all of whom captivated the audience as they talked about everything from Black Joy and identity to relationships and how they find peace in a racist world. Each one of the stories pulled us deeper into the wonder of what it means to be a Black man today and gave us a glimpse into their humanity.
Barrett, a fair-skinned man, approached the stage hesitantly because, as we learned, he was unsure if this was a space for him, a man who identifies as Black but could pass as white if he chose. Barrett talked about the challenges of being “white adjacent” and how that had impacted his life. He told us how he came to be a part of 2ME4U and the work that they do and how he didn’t initially think his voice was needed or wanted in the dialogue.
“I told Herrera-Davis, that I understand what I have, and I don’t think I should get up there,” he recalled. And Herrera- Davis responded, “Man, there are people who look like you, who identify like you have the same experiences as you, who want to hear from you, they need to hear from you.”
“That’s why I’m here tonight,” Barrett said, to share my story for anyone who needs to hear it. He also talked about being “on the spectrum” and how that is a part of his life and what that means for him as a Black man. He told how it has colored how he approaches relationships and life and what he does to “fit in.” He closed by sharing that he is grateful for this community and the ability to speak his truth.
After the show audience members got to interact with the storytellers. I asked Jermaine Hughes, a seasoned storyteller and familiar face in the Oakland story slam circuit, why this project resonated with him. “The reality is that I rarely find space where not only are Black men encouraged to share their stories and voices alone but also to share their voices and stories around people,” he said: Too often when they are, it is performative. Here, Herrera-Davis encourages you to be human and be accepted simply for that.
2ME4U resonated with me as a listener for reasons similar to Hughes’. Too often we see and hear stories that portray Black men as threats who carry anger and unleash it with impunity. We do not often see Black men painted with a soft stroke; this event did that. It allowed Black men to share their joy and triumphs and receive positive feedback from other men and the community. The focus on mental health and wellness and how men navigate that was interesting and, for me, evoked thoughts of family members and friends with similar struggles, making it personal as well as communal.
Then of course there was the storytelling. These men gave us complex stories filled with sensory details and imagery. They used voice to create character and allowed us to see and understand them personally but also Black men universally. Their stories touched on the common experiences Black men encounter in their daily lives, the macro and micro aggressions that show them how little they are valued and how through this, they persevere and move forward. These stories were raw and unfiltered. They gave insight and showed how these men remained hopeful, whether unhoused, battling addiction, or struggling to claim identity.
The evening ended with a communal thank you, an asè, to the men for their willingness to open up and let us into their lives and realities.
Click here to learn more about upcoming events at Create The Space.
