Why I Care About Who Gets to Tell the Story

I care deeply about who gets to tell the story. Not because only one person can tell it, but because voice shapes meaning. Who tells the story affects what gets centered, softened, ignored, or misunderstood.

Perspective is not decoration

Perspective changes everything. A food story told by a worker’s daughter may sound different from one told by a critic. A travel story told by a Black woman may notice different risks, beauties, and contradictions.

This sits naturally with Black women storytellers and digital storytelling. We need more rooms for independent voices.

The danger of being spoken for

Communities are often studied, marketed, photographed, and narrated by outsiders. Sometimes that work is done with care. Other times, it strips people of complexity.

I want storytelling that makes people more visible, not flatter.

Building my own platform

Tools from my Amazon shop may support the work, but the real foundation is commitment. Writing, publishing, and documenting are ways of claiming space.

The bigger lesson is that storytelling is power. I want that power used with honesty and care.

You might also enjoy DG Speaks Travel, DG Speaks Food, and DG Speaks Culture.