Overview of What's YOUR Story: The Moth Podcast
This episode of The Moth features two true, personal stories told live on stage about family legacy, courage, and how the people who raise us shape who we become. Maxwell Pierce shares how his grandmother unlocked his love of learning and inspired him to honor family history through art and a career in performance; Adele Onyango recounts joining her mother in a risky protest in Nairobi and discovering the daring hope she inherited. The episode also includes a short interview with Maxwell’s grandmother and closes with calls-to-action for listeners to tell their own stories.
Episode structure & stories
- Introduction
- Host Christina Norman frames the theme around stories that define us—personal legend and family legacy.
- Story 1 — Maxwell Pierce (New York City main stage; theme: Ode to Joy)
- Childhood passions: art and basketball (mini-trampoline dunk practice, drawing for hours).
- Struggled academically as a shy student until his grandmother Lovely Hill intervened.
- Grandmother’s ritual: homework sessions at a Thai restaurant (Garlic and Pepper) where she shared family artifacts, postcards, clinking bangles, and living history—this ignited Maxwell’s curiosity and improved his grades.
- Family history highlights: great-uncle Abram Hill founded the American Negro Theater; grandmother Lovely Hill was an early Black model (Pepsi, Clairol, Jet covers); grandfather/father worked as a boxing promoter (Ali, Foreman).
- Achievements: competed in an ESPN college slam dunk contest, then joined the Harlem Globetrotters.
- Emotional arc: realizes the biggest gift from his grandmother is his own existence—shares story of grandmother nearly being sterilized before an Ebony cover shoot that led to Maxwell’s mother being born.
- Creative response: Maxwell decides to make an art collection honoring his grandmother’s legacy.
- Short post-story interview with Lovely Hill Billups included (she reflects proudly on Maxwell).
- Extra: images of Maxwell’s art available at themoth.org/extras.
- Story 2 — Adele Onyango (main stage in Nairobi; theme: Daring to Hope)
- Relationship: Adele and her mother were close friends who shared culture and humor.
- Context: 2007 post-election violence in Kenya.
- Inciting moment: her mother decides to attend a protest despite being in cancer treatment; Adele goes with her.
- On the ground: mother dons a flowy kitenge dress; a stranger ties a red ribbon to Adele’s wrist—explains it marks people to be carried if injured or killed.
- Escalation: tear gas, running clashes with police, chaotic “every man for himself” reality.
- Resolution: Adele reunites with her mother after the chaos; sees her mother laughing and composed, and realizes she inherited bravery and the willingness to stand up for beliefs.
- Takeaway: a personal claim—“I am my mother’s daughter”—and a story about daring hope and solidarity.
Key takeaways
- Family stories and artifacts can transform a child’s relationship to learning and identity.
- Small rituals (a purse, postcards, a kitchen-table dance) can have outsized influence on confidence and motivation.
- Personal legacy is both historical (notable relatives, professional achievements) and intimate (saved artworks, stories that save lives).
- Courage can be inherited and performed: activism and daring hope often come from role models who embody them, even in vulnerable circumstances.
- Storytelling itself is a form of honoring family and making meaning of events—Maxwell created artwork to “give flowers back” to his grandmother.
Notable quotes & moments
- “We only retain information if we care enough about it.” — Maxwell Pierce (on how personal connection made school meaningful)
- “How can I give flowers back to my grandmother?” — Maxwell Pierce (motivation for his art project)
- Red ribbon moment (Adele): “This is in case if at the protest you get injured or killed, we will carry you with us.”
- Adele’s declaration: “I am my mother’s daughter.” (moment of self-recognition after the protest)
Practical resources & calls to action mentioned
- See Maxwell Pierce’s artwork: themoth.org/extras
- The Moth journal — My Life in Stories: 150+ prompts to write and shape personal memories into narratives (available wherever books are sold).
- Want to tell your story? The Moth Pitch Line: record a two-minute pitch at themoth.org or call 877-799-MOTH (877-799-6684).
- For more stories and info: themoth.org
Credits & sponsors (high-level)
- Host: Christina Norman
- Stories directed by: Jody Powell (Maxwell) and Sarah Austin Janess (Adele)
- Producers: Sarah Austin-Genest, Sarah Jane Johnson, Mark Sollinger; executive production and leadership credits also provided.
- Sponsors mentioned in-episode: Monarch (personal finance), Alma (mental health), TurboTax, Vistaprint, Shopify.
Why this episode matters
- It demonstrates how personal storytelling reveals hidden lineage, resilience, and the ways that small acts of nurturing and bravery ripple across generations.
- Useful for listeners who want inspiration on honoring elders, using art to process lineage, or finding courage in everyday relationships.
- Encourages listeners to archive, reflect, and share their own family stories.