The Weaving of the Story
I listened with all the imagination of a seven-year-old boy as my sister Julita told the story of the fictitious characters of Fatso and Skinnyso. Every night when our mom called, “lights out,” I’d hurry to turn off the lights, so I can hear the next exciting episode.
As I look back, I am amazed how she came up a different story each night. My brothers and myself couldn’t wait for the next episode because each story always had something exciting than the night before.
How could an 8-year-old little girl have the forth thought to create not just the Fatso and Skinnyso characters, but all the supporting cast. She the created the who, what, where and how of the characters life’s. The answer was simple; (little Lita, as we called her) was a great storyteller; throughout her life she was always telling the story.
Whether her story was breaking the race barriers in the 1970’s by becoming the first Black cheerleader of our mostly White high school or her love of dance and the arts; there was always a story to be told. I was intrigued how she could choregraph movement as if she’d was reading the story.
Just like the story of Fatso and Skinnyso, throughout her career, she helped to change the plight of Head Start children and families into stories of hope and possibilities. I had the honor of witnessing and collaborating with her on developing presentations and conferences where she’d combine life experiences into story. Her audiences seemed to always listen with intent.
Now the storyteller has a story to tell. Julita has taken all that was happening around us and has beautifully blended a legacy into a story. A story that will want you to feel like, “You Should’ve Been There.”
Elisha N. Braithwaite (Artist)
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