Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Satori Shakoor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Satori, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
There have been many meaningful projects that I’ve founded, created and worked on. They have all prepared me to identify myself as a storyteller and social entrepreneur. When I lived in Honolulu, I produced a television show called “Satori’s Tearoom” where I would interview local artists in the community. When I lived in Los Angeles, I started a collective of poets, storytellers, visual artists and performance artists called “The Black Avante Guard” to bring the community of artists together to make us stronger. When i lived in Toronto I was the catalyst and help to found “Obsidian Theatre Company.” Obsidian Theatre Company. At the time, there was only one very small Black theatre company. The other theatre companies would hire one Afri-Canadian actor for their entire season and collect diversity money. Their seasons didn’t tell the stories of the rich diversity of the African Diaspora. Obsidian Theatre Company is now leading as the most culturally diverse theatre company in Canada. When I move back to my hometown of Detroit, I created “The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers” which is a live storytelling event we produce 10 months out of the year that features local, national and international storytellers and performing artists. Detroit had been hard hit by gentrification, emergency management, water shut offs and water contamination. I noticed that telling my own story of coming back from devastating grief that perhaps storytelling could begin to heal Detroit as it was healing me. Eleven years later and we have only made a small dent in the storytellers and stories that Detroit has to offer. All of these projects as I look back were created to bring people together to impact community at the level of transformation. Through the course of my entrepreneurial history, The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers has led to me traveling to Utrecht, The Netherlands to install a European edition of TSSOTS to address issues of racism and lift the voices of refugees. TSSOTS has led to receiving many awards and other forms of recognition. I am asked to tell stories nationally, to recommend storytellers and program storytelling events in the Detroit area and beyond. My clients are organizations, corporations, educational institutions, faith based organizations and individuals that I train in the art, craft and science of storytelling. Teaching the craft has afforded me the opportunity to meet many, many people and serve in supporting them to effectively communicate their initiatives, intentions, projects, outreach, etc. through storytelling, the most effective delivery system of information and ideas. I am most proud that I can use my gift and expertise in this most meaningful way. Lastly, I was proud to be the Executive Director, writer and performer in my first film, “Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale.”
Satori, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
In this section I will provide links to TedX Detroit talk, newspaper articles, reviews, interviews and in my own words.
IN MY OWN WORDS:
My mission and the mission of the organizations I have founded is global, to connect humanity, heal and transform community and to provide an uplifting, thought-provoking, soul-cleansing experience through the art and craft of storytelling. I believe that listening is a revolutionary act. We develop listeners by providing stories that will engage, capture their imaginations and heart. They say “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Necessity is what drives me. Wherever I am, I will look in my environment for inspiration, a place to invest, learn and develop my gifts, skills and interests. If I can’t find it or if it doesn’t exist, I am driven to create it or found it and influence people to join me to participate in it and support it. In all the projects I listed in the question before this came about as a result of needing as an artist for it to exist. What sets me apart from others is that I act and am trained to act to bring my vision into the world so that others as well as me can participate and use the platforms I envision. I am driven to give voice to that which is not spoken about. The secrets of our humanity when shared allow us to break down racial, intergenerational and other barriers so that we can learn, connect and grow from. I believe that communication is the foremost tool in solving problems. And, given that storytelling is the most effective delivery system of information and ideas it makes storytelling the most powerful tool of communication. What sets me apart is that I have gift as a storyteller and I also have the natural ability to teach others how to use storytelling as a communication tool in their lives, professions and in the initiatives they want to bring about. In the eleven years I have been Artistic Director for The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers and the Executive Director for The Society for the Re-Institutionalization of Storytelling, a Michigan 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization I have yet to seek business opportunities. Most of the business I conduct is through referrals from those who have found my work satisfying, effective and worthy to recommend to others. I’m very proud of that. Given that storytelling is, and will increasingly become a very important tool in the 21st century as we move into a digital age, I know that what I have to offer will become more and more valuable. Recently, I was asked to speak about the power of storytelling and conduct a mini storytelling workshop in Washington, D.C. at the Peer-to-Peer Conference funded by the American Rescue Plan. I was there to share with a body of national nonprofit organizations (approximately 400 people) gathered in their shared mission to end sexual assault and domestic violence . To be able to support and assist in this very important mission made me aware of the blessing of my gift and skill and my purpose as an artist. Everyone has a story to tell. Very few know how to tell their stories. That positions me as unique and sets me apart in the world. Period.
THE SECRET SOCIETY OF TWISTED STORYTELLERS: www.twistedtellers.org www.satorishakoor.com
1. Tedx Detroit talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPJd-Y7z4nU&t=45s
2. Article, The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers: https://www.metrotimes.com/arts/satori-shakoor-on-what-makes-the-secret-society-of-twisted-storytellers-a-detroit-phenomenon-30261649
3. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/2023/09/25/dumas-shakoor-encourages-healing-through-storytelling/70959889007/
4. ABOUT SATORI SHAKOOR: https://www.satorishakoor.com/about
5. About The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEqrIzlzqlE
CONFESSIONS OF A MENOPAUSAL FEMME FATALE – THE FILM
6. One Detroit Arts & Culture: https://www.pbs.org/video/satori-shakoors-confessions-of-a-menopausal-femme-fatale-6mp/
7. Metro Times Article Film: https://www.metrotimes.com/arts/satori-shakoors-one-woman-show-is-a-feminist-anthem-about-sex-grief-and-self-love-33701179
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
In my view, what society, funding organizations, governmental agencies and philanthropists can do is support artists and creatives financially. The ideas we, as artists bring to the world often are the very solutions to problems the world is seeking. However, artists are not savvy in business, they are overlooked because society doesn’t fully understand our value unless it has to do with entertainment or performance. I believe if society held the artist in high esteem we would have a world that works for everyone with no one and nothing left out. I believe that society should pay attention to the contributions of women, particularly Black women who are closest to the future of our communities and world which are children and youth.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the lesson of my role and value as a female and woman in society and the world. I understand now that I exist in an artificial structure/matrix called Patriarchy. What I’ve been taught is that I am inferior, less than as a woman and that my ideas, thoughts and contributions aren’t as valuable as male counterparts. Not only has this false and imposed philosophy, social and political structure disadvantaged me and other women, it has unfortunately disadvantaged the world and put us all in jeopardy. What gives me hope is that I choose to show up as powerful as I am, to reject the role imposed on me and to uplift myself and other women. I am encouraged to witness that women are including themselves and are gaining respect as the leaders we are. I believe that if women show up in influential and spaces of power, perhaps wars would end and real solutions to problems would come into view that would uplift humanity would. Life would be respected, revered and preserved rather than be destroyed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.satorishakoor.com & https://twistedtellers.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetwistedstorytellers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/satori.shakoor & https://www.facebook.com/TheSecretSocietyOfTwistedStorytellers
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/satori-shakoor-22731813/
- Twitter: twitter.com @satorishakoor & @twistedtellers
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TwistedStorytellers
Image Credits
Felicia Tolbert – Starpointe Photography