Preserving Local Black History
The preservation and telling of local Black history matters. In 2025, the Foundation launched the Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot program in keeping with this belief. Through the program, a group of 10 high school students gathered at the Foundation to learn from community leaders about the local Black history makers who came before them. During a six-week summer intensive program and bimonthly Saturday sessions into the spring of 2026, students also built skills in storytelling mediums including drumming, dance, visual arts, journalism, and public speaking. By teaching the students about our local history and helping them strengthen their storytelling skills, the Foundation is preparing the next generation of griots to keep our stories and histories alive.
“What I’m looking forward to most is taking what I’ve learned here and bringing it to my school,” Youth Griot Caleb Williams told Spectrum Bay News 9 reporter Saundra Weathers. “For example, in the school newspaper, I’m going to start a column specifically on St. Pete Black history, to bring this local history and to show, ‘Hey, this is where this comes from.’”
Watch the video below to learn more about these young storytellers and this dynamic learning experience.
Meet the Youth Griots
Marques Clark, Jr.
9th Grade, Osceola Fundamental High School
“I applied to the Youth Griot Program, to learn more about the program and the history of my community…I am hoping to learn how to be more expressive and vocal about what is important to me and my peers…I am excited to meet new people and explore new opportunities by participating in activities in the community.”
Malia Council
10th Grade, Boca Ciega High School
“I believe that in preserving history will help to educate the younger generation after me, and with more knowledge on the back stories of what happened to our ancestors will help to make all of us better people for the future.”
Santiago DeMora
10th Grade, St. Petersburg Collegiate High School
“I want to gain more confidence in expressing myself without letting anxiety control my words. Moreover, I’m looking forward to building new friendships and connections within my community, which, to me, is the main purpose of this program.”
Nadia Hardy
9th Grade, Lakewood High School
“I am excited to explore storytelling across different medium like photography and understand how it shapes our culture.”
Ke’veah Marion
12th Grade, St. Pete Collegiate
“The chance to learn more about my community’s history, amplify important stories, and contribute to shaping the future through storytelling is truly inspiring.”
Marley Poole
11th Grade, St. Petersburg Collegiate STEM High School
“…the more I learn about the past, the more I can work towards improving the future. This knowledge can shape my perspectives and actions in today’s world by giving me insight on the things that worked in the past and the things that caused harm. I can learn from past mistakes and work to better improve my community, which has the potential to bring about greater change.”
Kenadi Smith
9th Grade, Boca Ciega High School
“I applied to Their Stories Our Youth Griot Program because I wanted to know more about my community and what happens in the world. I also care a lot about Black history. I am excited to participate in this program because not only is it an opportunity for me to meet other teenagers like me, but it’s a great opportunity to learn more and strengthen my knowledge.”
Michael Walker
9th Grade, Gibbs High School
“I applied to this program because we need to know about where we came from and what people did in history and what kind of example they set for us today.”
Naomi Webb
10th Grade, St. Petersburg Collegiate High School
“It is important to learn and preserve history because history needs to live on. We need to know our history to avoid repeating mistakes and learning from them. It’s also important to learn the stories of ancestors and bring light to the things they fought for. The knowledge of our past can help improve our future and let us be more grateful for the things we have today.”
Caleb Williams
11th Grade, Bethel Community Christian School
“As a community, nation, and world, we are constantly repeating the mistakes of the past. However, the purpose of learning and preserving history is to know the signs that mistakes are being repeated… This is how knowledge of history can shape one’s actions in today’s world: by recognizing the patterns of yesterday’s mistakes to create tomorrow’s solutions.”
For questions about the Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program, please reach out to Senior Impact Manager Dr. Bilan Joseph at bilan@healthystpete.foundation.