This year started off really rough for a lot of Americans. I wanted to say – in contrast – that it’s been a great year so far for those in our storytelling community, since we’ve already hosted two fantastic storytelling shows. Sadly, our community suffered a loss a little over a week ago that makes it impossible to claim a wonderful start to the new year. Anne Thomas passed away.
Anne was an amazing writer. In addition to her other published works, Anne’s short story “Power Play” is in our anthology Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors. Anne also appeared at the Roar book launch, multiple book events, and in our traveling storytelling version of Roar that she performed in with us in DC, MD, and Virginia.
And Anne was a wonderful storyteller, bringing warmth to powerful stories that often combined humor with a lesson. Anne was one of the top 3 winners in our Best in Show storytelling slam. She also won the storytelling slam at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. She performed often with Better Said Than Done, as well as Story District in DC, and on many local and national stages.
In addition to sharing a stage with her, Anne was a friend whom I had the honor of knowing for the past 7 years. There is not time nor space enough to list the many ways in which I will miss her, the many things about her I will miss, that I miss already. A light has gone out in the world.
Anne will be missed – as will all the stories we will never get to hear her tell. Here are videos of 9 stories she told with us. Watch them in her honor and repeat their lessons often. For Anne.
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