BEN TUCKER a.k.a. Brother Ben is a storyteller, author, and podcaster, with a passion for sharing stories that uplift and connect communities. He specializes in folk tales, fairytales, personal stories and African-American heroes and heroines.
His memoir, A Good Run, captures his journey—from growing up during the Great Migration, becoming a world class athlete, serving as an educator, and ultimately embracing his role as a storyteller. He is a co-producer of What’s Your Story? and serves on the board of the Storytelling Association of California and the Prescott Circus Children’s Theater in Oakland. You can find out more about Brother Ben at iambentucker.com
After years in high tech in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, CLAIRE CASTELL retired and took a new direction. Storytelling.
One day she met Stuart Kandell, the founder of Stagebridge, in her Tango Class. She learned about all the Storytelling classes at Stagebridge, a senior performing arts organization, and signed up within days of retiring!
Almost 10 years later she is co-producing What’s Your Story? at the Monkey House. Claire also started a Storytelling Club at Rossmoor in Walnut Creek, and she is on the board for Storytelling Association of California. She has told at The Marsh, The Moth, Six Feet Apart Productions, Storyslam Oakland and various swaps throughout the Bay Area.
BILL ZARCHY (billzarchy.com) is a writer, photographer, and storyteller, as well as a retired teacher and director of photography. His debut novel, Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale, has sold over 3000 copies. His memoir, Showdown at Shinagawa: Tales of Filming from Bombay to Brazil, chronicles his film work on six continents.
He taught Advanced Cinematography and Lighting at San Francisco State for twelve years, and he is a graduate of the Epic Storytelling Program at Stagebridge in Oakland. He has performed his stories at Tell It On Tuesday, Monday Night Marsh, Contra Costa Talespinners, Lunchtime Storytelling, various house parties, and at What’s Your Story?, where he is a co-producer.
When GINGER PARNES was three years old, her brothers wanted her to help them win a bicycle by participating in a talent contest at a theater in Miami, so they encouraged her to go on stage and sing a song. She sang and had so much fun!
She still feels that surge of joy when she shares a song or tells a story at The Marsh in San Francisco, Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, and to anyone who will listen. As a volunteer storyteller at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, she tells folktales to school groups. Ginger is truly in her element as a storyteller and as a co-producer of What’s Your Story?
ALBERTINA ZARAZÚA PADILLA is the Co-founder and Director of Storytelling for http://www.MiHistoria.net and curator for its online story archive and workshop facilitator. She began her journey with storytelling as a child working with puppets and producing shows for younger school mates.
Born in Monterey, California to Mexican Immigrant parents and as a first-generation college student at Mills College, she became student body president. She has worked for the California Mini-Corps, EBMUD and as a bilingual classroom teacher and union representative. Her community activism has included serving as a mentor for the National Latina Health Organization, board member of Luna Dance and Creativity, Clinica de La Raza, and the Teacher Advisory Board of the Oakland Museum of California. Albertina dances with the Elders Dance Group of Destiny Arts Center and is a co-producer of What’s Your Story?.
