Black Her Stories

Shining a Light on the Wellbeing of Professional Caregivers

In this bonus episode, Michaela turns the lens toward the people who show up every day — the social workers, coaches, and human services professionals who carry the weight of this work alongside the families they serve. Through conversations with licensed therapist Jeffery Williams and COTS Director of Coaching and Training LaTonia Walker, we explore what vicarious and secondary trauma actually look like — and what it takes to sustain yourself when you're in close proximity to other people's pain. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in a helping profession, or anyone curious about what wellness might look like when you're a caregiver. Links and Resources: * BHS Newsletter 💌: Subscribe to our newsletter [https://blackherstories.substack.com/] for updates on future episodes, behind-the-scenes insights, and more stories from Black Her Stories. [https://www.instagram.com/blackherstories/] * COTS — Creating Opportunities to Succeed: Learn more about the organization supporting families experiencing homelessness in Detroit, and how you can get involved or donate. cots-detroit.org [https://www.cots-detroit.org] * Follow them on Instagram (@cotsdetroit [https://www.instagram.com/cotsdetroit/] * Revive Mind Counseling: Learn more about Jeffery Williams and his private practice. revivemindcounseling.com [https://revivedmindcounseling.com/] * Follow Jeffery on Instagram (@revivemindcounselingservices [https://www.instagram.com/revivedmindcounselingservices/]) * ACEs — Adverse Childhood Experiences: Learn more about the research behind the ACE score referenced in this episode and how childhood trauma shapes adult outcomes. cdc.gov/ace [https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces]

ACT TWO: Peeling Back the Layers of Poverty, Homelessness, and Motherhood

In this episode, Michaela steps into the courtyard of Peggy's Place — COTS's emergency shelter on Detroit's west side. What unfolds is an intimate portrait of caregivers navigating homelessness and generational poverty, told through art and honest conversations. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to challenge what they think they know about homelessness — and who gets to tell that story. Links and Resources: * COTS — Coalition on Temporary Shelter: Learn more about the organization Creating Opportunities to Succeed for families experiencing homelessness in Detroit. cots-detroit.org [https://www.cots-detroit.org] * Follow them on Instagram (@cotsmichigan [https://www.instagram.com/cotsmichigan]) * Detroit Action: Discover the culture and community organizing work of Anthony Baber and the Detroit Action team. detroitaction.org [https://www.detroitaction.org] * Revive Mind Counseling: Learn more about Jeffery Williams and his practice in Southfield, Michigan. revivemindcounseling.com [https://www.revivemindcounseling.com] * Poverty Solutions at U of M: Explore the research behind the child poverty statistics referenced in this episode. poverty.umich.edu [https://poverty.umich.edu] * BHS Newsletter 💌: Subscribe to our newsletter [https://blackherstories.substack.com/] for updates on future episodes, behind-the-scenes insights, and more stories from Black Her Stories [https://blackherstories.substack.com/].

ACT THREE: Uprooting Poverty Narratives Through the Power of Family

In this episode, Michaela returns to COTS — this time at the Peterboro Arms Apartments, a dignified affordable housing community in Detroit's Midtown. With collage materials in hand, she facilitates a workshop that invites residents and staff to examine the narratives they've inherited about poverty — and imagine new ones. Through intimate conversations, this episode asks: what becomes possible when a community decides to rewrite its story together? This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to challenge the narratives that keep cycles of poverty in place — and find hope in the power of family, chosen or blood, to change them. Links and Resources: * COTS — Creating Opportunities to Succeed: Learn more about the organization supporting families experiencing homelessness in Detroit, and how you can get involved or donate. cots-detroit.org [https://www.cots-detroit.org] * Follow them on Instagram (@cotsmichigan [https://www.instagram.com/cotsmichigan]) * Detroit Action: Discover the culture and community organizing work of co-facilitator Anthony Baber and the Detroit Action team. detroitaction.org [https://www.detroitaction.org] * Revive Mind Counseling: Learn more about licensed therapist and change agent Jeffery Williams and his practice in Southfield, Michigan. revivemindcounseling.com [https://www.revivemindcounseling.com] * Collages from the Project: To see images from the creative storytelling engagement — including the collages made at Peterboro — visit Black Her Stories on Substack. blackherstories.substack.com [https://blackherstories.substack.com] * BHS Newsletter 💌: Subscribe to our newsletter [https://blackherstories.substack.com/] for updates on future episodes, behind-the-scenes insights, and more stories from Black Her Stories [https://blackherstories.substack.com/].

Remembering Dr. Rosa Slade Gragg and the Detroit Association of Women's Clubs

In this episode, Michaela is in conversation with Candace and Cidney Calloway of the Detroit Association of Women's Clubs during a live recording of With Love and Flowers, a collaborative event with Black Bottom Archives. Together, they honor the life and legacy of Dr. Rosa Slade Gragg, a visionary matriarch whose leadership cultivated a space for education, political activism, and collective care in Detroit. From the story of the DAWC clubhouse to the enduring power of archives, this conversation reminds us that our stories are precious—and are best remembered when we tell them ourselves. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to learn more about Black women's leadership, Detroit's living history, and the communities working to preserve both. Links and Resources: * Detroit Association of Women's Clubs [https://www.friendsofdawc.com/] Support the restoration of the historic DAWC clubhouse and learn more about the legacy of Dr. Rosa Slade Gragg and the women who helped shape this enduring institution. * Black Bottom Archives [https://www.blackbottomarchives.com/] Discover the exhibit From the Bottom Up and the ongoing work of Black Bottom Archives to preserve Detroit's history. * Marsha Music on Black Her Stories [https://nourish.community/beholding-oral-histories-with-marsha-music/] Listen back to our conversation with Marsha Music for another doorway into the story of Dr. Rosa Slade Gragg and the DAWC clubhouse. * Black Her Stories Newsletter [http://blackherstories.substack.com/] 💌 Join the newsletter on Substack for updates, reflections, and more stories!

Sound Journal, Vol. I: A Sonic Collection of Memories from 2025

In this episode of Black Her Stories, Michaela welcomes the new year with a playful offering—a sound journal composed of voices, moments, and memories gathered in 2025. This expression is less about arriving somewhere and more about honoring where we've been. To view images that accompany these sounds, visit Michaela on Substack and follow Black Her Stories on Instagram for more reflections from the journey. Links and Resources * BHS Newsletter 💌: Subscribe to our newsletter [https://blackherstories.substack.com/] for a peek behind-the-scenes and join us on Instagram. [https://instagram.com/blackherstories] * Nourish: Discover upcoming workshops, creative offerings, and narrative projects led by Michaela at https://nourish.community/ [https://nourish.community/]