Sunday, May 3, 2026
1-3 pm
Strong Like Bamboo brings together seven American storytellers of multiple ethnic and cultural origins. Their stories of racism, courage and wisdom will inspire, bring together and humanize audiences as we learn from each other and know that we are not alone. As allies, we know that we can rely on each other to get us through difficult times.
This program is presented by Eth-noh-tec and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the G&G Education Fund, and private donors.
Register for tickets (suggested donation $20) at the link below. All proceeds will support both OACC and Eth-noh-tec.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Johnny Moses is a Tualip Native American master storyteller, oral historian, author, healer and spiritual leader. He is a living link with Pacific Northwest ancestral philosophy and cultural practices. He has regaled thousands and thousands with his stories and is fluent in 8 native languages and the traditional sign language, having learned stories since he was a child from his grandparents and tribal elders.
Tureeda Mikell is an Oakland native, Poet in Residence at MoAd, original Black Panther alum, Story Medicine Woman, Poet, Author and Educator. She has published 73 at-risk student anthologies from 5 Bay Area counties. She is an activist for holism and hell-bent on asserting life. She is Berkeley Poetry Festival’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Olga Loya is a nationally known Latina storyteller, performance artist, keynote speaker and author. She is known for dramatically mixing Spanish and English in her telling. Her repertoire reveals the diversity and richness for collective culture in its commonality and individuality.
Asma Ghanem is a Syrian-born Palestinian awarded artist best known for her short documentary film “Wall Piano” (2020). She was raised in a refugee camp with her family, able to attend the International Academy of Art Palestine and received her Master of Fine Arts from Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Toulouse in France.
Laura Sims, born Jewish in NYC, is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, writer and educator who advocates that engaged storytelling is compassionate action for personal and community transformation. She is a wizard with words that inspire and evoke inner musings that help to heal and understand who we are as complex human beings trying to make sense of our worlds.
Archy Jamun is a Chicago-based storyteller, writer, and curator of ‘Outspoken LGBT Stories’. He is a 2-time Moth Grand Slam winner known for performances that are both humorous and biting, deep, revealing and touching. He lets his audiences become part of his many adventures within his Thai family and in his outside world.
Eth-Noh-Tec, a kinetic Asian American storytelling non-profit, was founded in 1981 by Nancy Wang, actor, dancer and choreographer, and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, actor, musician and composer. Our mission is to build cultural bridges that celebrate diversity and create compassionate communities through the art of storytelling. ENT is an award winning non-profit and has performed around the world to standing ovations with their unique form of movement storytelling laced with gesture and musicality, including performances for the Clinton and Obama Inaugural Celebrations in DC. With both ancient Asian folktales and inspiring contemporary Asian American stories, Eth-Noh-Tec’s artists are also authors and are presently archiving over 200 performance pieces.