Jelisa Jay Robinson

The Stories of Us is a collection of stories that dig deep into intercultural conflict between African Americans and Latinos, African Diaspora identity and Afrolatinidad. Think of it as a scrapbook of experiences, histories and feelings on the stage. It’s takes you through stories about African roots in Mexico, the time you told your brother you were dating a “Black girl” and that moment you were proud of your heritage. The Stories of US details our stories as people of color trying to navigate each other’s worlds and build one together.

When high school juniors Murdr, Mani and Javier find themselves in Ms. Tolivar’s English class, they begin to find themselves and express their views of the world around them. They compete for a space in the end of the year poetry competition for scholarship money and bragging rights. Welcome to the world of Black and Brown voices as they navigate living in the hood, police brutality, and the adventures of teen-hood.

Hakeem is a recent college graduate who doesn't drive, has no job and is nowhere close to achieving his dream of being a famous writer. After reconnecting with a high school sweetheart, Hakeem goes on a journey of self-discovery and gratitude, realizing that your path might not be a straight line; sometimes life is like a circle.

Igbo class is a safe space for Black students at Texas Harris University. When that class becomes the backdrop of a viral video of an intense argument between Faith, a Black American Senior and Uchenna, a Nigerian American graduate student, the divide between the African community and the Black American community on campus is pushed to the forefront. In order to alleviate her campus' issues, Dean Thompson assigns Faith and Uchenna a mandatory project that will seek to connect the members of the Black community... if only they can put aside their differences long enough to create it. In this funny, ensemble-driven love story, We Both Suck Our Teeth explores the division and unity within the African diaspora.

Set in Texas, Fae and Paciencia tells the story of Jorge, a Mexican-American college student whose life is quickly spiraling out of control until he has an unexpected encounter with Fae, an optimistic Black millennial who has a habit of being in the right place at the right time. The play depicts young people of color navigating college, family, mental health issues.