“Story is something I believe is instinctive. It is in our blueprint, in our DNA, as human beings. We also learn it by osmosis, because we grow up with story all around us. For those of us who choose storytelling as a vocation, I believe our role is to help people make sense of the world and to feel connected to one another. I believe story is the best way to bring change, as well.”
Cheryl Foggo of Calgary embraces various forms of narrative – film, literature, theatre, and journalism – to tell compelling stories of Prairie Black pioneers. By shining a light on this rich and diverse history, she helps us understand the significance of the contributions made by Black people to Canada. Works include Heaven, John Ware Reclaimed, John Ware Reimagined, and Pourin’ Down Rain: A Black Woman Claims Her Place in the Canadian West. She is a past recipient of multiple Provincial, National, and International awards and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Mount Royal University in June of 2023. She has recently launched the short films For Caesar, Keystone Is, and We Call Him Sir Charles.