upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024

upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024

Thelma Shelton Robinson

view profile
Thelmasheltonrobinson

2006 Leeway Transformation Award – $15,000

Thelma's goal is to do what elders in her family and neighborhood have always taught her, to "keep on keeping on". For Thelma this happens through poetic storytelling, a natural extension of herself. Thelma is a 74-year-old African American woman born and raised in South Philadelphia, her gift for storytelling was passed on to her through her father, a master storyteller. After 34 years of service with the City of Philadelphia, she retired and began pursuing her love of poetry and storytelling. Through poetic rhyme she tells stories about Black history in Philadelphia-ranging from stories about the injustice of Corrine Sykes' trial to the boycott of Tasty-Kake products led by Black ministers to the story of the first Black men to drive trolleys-at venues like the Afro-American Museum, Painted Bride Art Center, and Robin's Bookstore. These stories stand as significant pieces of history, many of which are not well known. Following many of her storytelling performances, Thelma is approached by other elders who share their own 'back-in-the-day' stories, and in this "story swap" her work as a storyteller and its importance in community is validated. Emphasizing the importance of learning from the past, her stories illustrate the old African truth symbolized by a Sankofa bird that is looking back over its shoulder, proving that "you cannot know where you are going, if you do not know where you've been".

APPLY FOR A

Leeway grant?

Window of Opportunity Grant

The Window of Opportunity (WOO) grant provides financial assistance of up to $1,500 to Leeway grant and award recipients to help them take advantage of imminent, time-sensitive opportunities to support their art for social change practice. The Community Care Fund (CCF) provides financial assistance of up to $1,250 to Leeway grant and award recipients to support with immediate and essential emergency needs. [read more]

deadline
Upcoming events
04/025:30 pm - 7:00 pm

4/2 Transformation Award (LTA) Awardee Panel + Info Session (In Person)

Have questions about the application process for the Leeway Transformation Award (LTA)?

[learn more]

04/185:30 pm - 6:30 pm

4/18 Transformation Award (LTA) Info Session (Virtual)

Have questions about the application process for the Leeway Transformation Award?

[learn more]