As the seasons change, so does Ex Fabula. If you’ve been to an Ex Fabula event you’ve probably received a survey. If you’re nice, you even filled it out and returned it. Well, guess what? We actually read them all. And the one surprising thing that people said time and again was that they were more likely to share their stories on stage if there were no judging. So, this Tuesday, Oct. 9, we’re hosting our first non-competitive Ex Fabula StorySlam "Misunderstood" at Bay View’s Sugar Maple. This is the chance you’ve been waiting for, and we’ll be ready for a stage full of new faces.
Speaking of misunderstood: When Monica Bonilla showed up for her middle school history class one morning, she couldn’t understand why Mr. Allen, the best teacher ever, was beginning the day’s lecture with a lesson on self-defense. Monica walked to her neighborhood school on 70th and Lisbon everyday without incident, an innocent 13-year-old. Why was Mr. Allen teaching them about what to do to protect themselves if they were to ever be attacked? Little did Monica know, Mr. Allen’s insight into what was happening in the neighborhood and what could happen to his students, prepared Monica for exactly what she never saw coming. But could it prepare her for what came after?
Our second storyteller, Shawn Mitchell, had a misunderstanding of a different kind. Language barriers can bring out all sorts of implicit biases, especially when there is a goal or a deadline to meet. When Shawn enrolled at ITTech for computer networking, he was warned that the first class, Networking Essentials, was the hardest and most important. However, the instructor had a very strong accent, so strong that Shawn and many other students found it almost unintelligible. Knowing that the success of his academic and professional career depended on what he learned in this class, Shawn panicked and went to the administration. What came next was a lesson we can all learn from.
Before next week’s "Misunderstood" storytelling event, Ex Fabula joins the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s On The Table:Race & Inequity & Misunderstandings at Sugar Maple. Registration is free but space is limited, so please register today! And don’t forget, Sugar Maple is a small and intimate venue that always sells out. Get your “Misunderstood” tickets today.
