Mississippi is synonymous with storytellers and storytelling.
Whether it’s the state’s enormous number of world-renowned, influential and transformative writers, musicians, artists or filmmakers, the Magnolia State has proven for decades to be fertile ground for producing remarkable tellers of tales.
The Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy will bring five practitioners of this craft together on Nov. 19 for a special event, “The Stories We Tell: The Unexpected Power of Storytelling.” The event, taking place at 6:30 p.m. at The Inn at Ole Miss, is the latest installment in its signature speaker initiative, the Robert C. Khayat Lecture Series.
“Mississippi has always understood the power of a good story and frankly it’s been one of our greatest strengths,” said Liz Randall, a former chair of the Women’s Council and current chair of the Khayat Lecture Series. “Nowhere is that tradition more deeply rooted in Mississippi than Ole Miss. I believe it helps to explain the reverence our alumni feel for the school and how close we remain through the generations — all bound together through Ole Miss.”
The community is invited to join the Women’s Council for an evening of conversation with distinguished individuals whose experiences in film, music, education, philanthropy and business reveal the enduring power of storytelling to connect, inspire and transform.
“The fascinating characters who tell our stories are just as fascinating as the stories themselves,” Randall said. “We have brought together five individuals from seemingly unrelated walks of life to explore the unexpected places where storytelling exists and the extraordinary influence it has on our lives.”
The panel features filmmaker Shannon Cohn, musician Keith E. Johnson, businessman Sam Lane, philanthropist Ellen Rolfes and educator Ethel Scurlock.
“Through this eclectic panel, we hope to illustrate that storytelling is not simply an art form, but one of the most powerful tools we possess to communicate ideas, inspire action and shape society,” Randall said. “As technology challenges how we communicate and connect to each other, this distinctly human skill may be more valuable than ever.”
Rolfes, founder and principal architect of the Women’s Council, is participating as a panelist because she, like the others, can trace her storytelling talents back to her childhood. While she was raised in the Mississippi Delta, she suffered from asthma and, as a result, spent a lot of time in bed at her grandparents’ house.
“That’s where my imagination blossomed,” she recalled. “It’s this time in my young life that I credit with laying the foundation for my career as a storyteller, which allowed me to become a social architect.
“Consequently, I was able to view life from a different perspective. This enabled me to change the trajectory of institutional structures. I firmly believe that institutions, like people, are remembered as long as their stories are remembered.”
Rolfes started her professional journey with the Junior League of Memphis, Tennessee, where she chaired the cookbook committee. It was there that she began to see that recipe collections could be storybooks, revealing the ways people live together at a particular time and place. She and a partner launched a seminar through which over 3,000 women learned to turn cookbooks into storybooks that eventually raised millions for charity.
Moreover, “Storytelling is how we preserve history, pass along traditions, teach our children, share our faith, build companies, inspire generosity and even shape social and political movements,” Randall said. “It’s woven into the fabric of our churches, schools, businesses, families and communities.
“In many ways, storytelling is at the heart of how we learn, lead, influence and connect with one another.”
The Women’s Council’s evening of storytelling is open to the public. Free tickets can be reserved at https://pp.events/bM3ggv4v. For more information, contact Suzanne Helveston, Women’s Council program director, at shelveston@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2956.
By Jonathan Scott/UM Foundation
Biographical sketches on storytellers:
Shannon Cohn
Before becoming a filmmaker, Cohn practiced international law and was part of the legal team that prosecuted Enron Corp., the largest white-collar crime investigation in FBI history. The Oxford, Mississippi, resident then turned to filmmaking after selling everything she owned and spending six months hitchhiking on boats around the world. This resulted in her first documentary series, “Sea Nation,” that aired on National Geographic. Her films have aired on PBS, Apple TV, Amazon and Netflix. Her latest film, “Below the Belt,” is available for streaming on Amazon and Apple TV. She has also spoken on women’s health and the social impact of storytelling at the United Nations, World Economic Forum, Clinton Global Initiative, Gates Foundation and more.
Keith E. Johnson
An accomplished guitarist, vocalist, harmonica player and songwriter, Johnson was born in the small town of Glen Allen in the Mississippi Delta. He has amassed a songwriting catalog with multiple songs released on his debut album, “Come to Mississippi.” As the great-nephew of blues icon Muddy Waters (born McKinley Morganfield) and the grandson of the late gospel singer and radio host Texellar Fields, he is continuing and upholding a family legacy in the entertainment industry. He graduated from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he earned a B.S. in audio engineering and an M.B.A. in human resource management.
Sam Lane
As chief development officer at Story Financial Partners in Jackson, Mississippi, Lane brings nearly five decades of experience and a deep commitment to the people and communities he serves. He began his banking career as a teller in 1976 and has built a distinguished career rooted in relationships, leadership and service. Lane is a graduate of Ole Miss and completed the School of Banking at LSU. Throughout his career, he has embraced opportunities to lead and give back. Lane has served as board chair of the Methodist Rehabilitation Center and remains involved. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Belhaven University.
Ellen Rolfes
In addition to founding the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy, Rolfes has excelled in a variety of disciplines, organizations and philanthropies. She was introduced to Civil Rights icon Dororthy Irene Height, president of the National Council of Negro Women, who became her mentor. Rolfes was captivated by Height’s talents as a master storyteller and she credits Height for helping her find her own voice and life’s purpose. Rolfes became a book packager in New York trade publishing and developed “The Junior League Centennial Cookbook,” “The Black Family Reunion Cookbook,” “A Gracious Plenty” and “Occasions to Savor.” A self-styled philanthropy strategist, she created the Memphis Symphony’s Circle of Friends and initiated the annual Eddy Award, which honors individuals who foster cross-cultural awareness through music.
Ethel Scurlock
A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Scurlock earned a B.A. in English from the University of Tennessee and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University of Ohio. She is the dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and an associate professor of English and African American Studies at the University of Mississippi. Previously, she directed African American Studies and was a senior faculty fellow of the Luckyday Residential College at Ole Miss. She has been recognized as the College of Liberal Arts Teacher of the Year, UM Humanities Teacher of the Year, and Elsie M. Hood Outstanding Teacher of the Year, and with the Black Alumni Trailblazers Award and the Donald Cole Award for Faculty and Staff.