What does Berkeley sound like through the voices of the people who have lived it?
Stories of Berkeley is an evening of live storytelling featuring artists, residents, activists, students, longtime community members, and cultural voices sharing personal stories connected to Berkeley across generations, decades, and perspectives. Through stories of movement, memory, protest, creativity, belonging, and everyday life, the program explores the layered identities and lived experiences that have shaped the city over time.
The evening invites audiences into an intimate storytelling environment where humor, reflection, and personal history come together to create a living portrait of Berkeley. Stories may range from deeply personal memories to unexpected encounters, neighborhood histories, cultural transformations, and moments of connection that reveal the spirit of the city through human experience rather than headlines or institutions.
Part of the inaugural Berkeley Storytelling Festival, Stories of Berkeley opens the festival by centering community voices and creating space for intergenerational dialogue and cultural exchange.
The announced storytellers include:
Bella Ramezannia, an accomplished actor and theatre maker who will bring her personal perspective to the festival’s opening-night portrait of Berkeley.
Max Houghton, an award-winning storyteller, humorist, human-rights activist and content creator.
Kelly Richardson, a Berkeley-raised writer, independent documentary filmmaker and stunt performer who holds degrees from UC Berkeley and NYU and received a Fulbright award in Rio de Janeiro.
Isaiah Dylan Clark, a Berkeley writer and multidisciplinary artist behind The Streetside Library, a street-level literary project through which he shares his own writing and independent poetry on Shattuck Avenue.
Sara Saberi, a musician, singer and yoga instructor whose practice brings together Persian classical music, the barbat, healing sound and mindful movement.
Payman Najafpour, a business leader and supporter of arts and culture whose work reflects a commitment to strengthening creative communities and cultural initiatives in the Bay Area.
The Berkeley Storytelling Festival is an initiative of Diaspora Arts Connection (DAC), a Bay Area nonprofit organization supporting immigrant and diaspora artists and communities through cultural programming, live performance, and community-centered arts experiences. Through its storytelling initiative, Third Culture Tales, DAC has produced storytelling events in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam exploring migration, identity, and life between cultures.
🎤 Full lineup of storytellers and musicians to be announced soon—stay tuned!
🎟️ Tickets available now!
Additional donations are welcome and deeply appreciated.
💛 Reserve your spot and support the journey
