Moving Forward Together: A Profile of Charlotte Storyteller, Hannah Hasan
by Cathia Friou
Women’s History Month, observed every March since 1987, is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture, and society. This year’s theme is “Moving Forward Together,” and it is a delight to spotlight master storyteller, spoken word poet, and playwright, Hannah Hasan.
You might remember Hannah from her moving spoken word poetry performance at our 20th Anniversary Annual Meeting last May. Or maybe you know her as one of the visionary artists honored with a $50,000 “mini-genius” award by way of an ASC Founders Grant. Or perhaps you were in the audience for one of her I Am Queen: Charlotte productions. If by chance her name is unfamiliar, let me introduce you to this Queen City gem.
Her foray into poetry began with an open mic night when she was a college student at NC A&T State University. She admits she had no idea what she was doing the night she stepped on that stage, but she’d long felt a desire to live a larger and more authentic version of herself. She’d been exposed to poetry by her parents but had no experience with spoken word. More accustomed to helping others achieve their dreams – like helping her high school friend get elected class president – this night was about Hannah stepping into her own dream.
After graduating from college, she moved to Charlotte and worked in the nonprofit sector. It wasn’t long before she found herself teaching kids how to perform spoken word poetry. By 2018, she decided to leave behind the security of a steady paycheck and embark on the journey of artist. Part of her was nervous, she said, but another part of her knew it was the right move. As a person of deep faith, she believes that God leads us in and out of situations if we but listen to the resonance or the discomfort. She said about that time in her life that “the faith, the freedom side of me said, ‘Let’s go.’”
Consulting and storytelling, in addition to poetry, played a big role in the business she was creating for herself. A small community storytelling project about the Enderly Park neighborhood experiencing gentrification was her first production. The feeling of connection with these folks moved her. “There’s something deeply special about seeing your story come to life on a stage, and I love doing this for others,” she said.
I Am Queen: Charlotte was the first major event of her storytelling collective Epoch Tribe, but many smaller productions preceded it. (If you’d like to hear the origin story of IAQC and its relationship to Epoch Tribe in Hannah’s own voice, check out this video reel on Facebook.) Each production tells the current day story of Black women in the community – women of impact with their work, words, and wisdom. “We exist in real time, right now. We don’t have to be dead to be celebrated on the stage,” she said. On April 19, I Am Queen: Nashville will be performed in Tennessee, and she hopes to continue staging local versions of the show in other cities throughout the south.
As a “Black, Muslim woman from the south who has often felt on the outside of things,” I asked how she felt about the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by the new administration. She said that she and a lot of folks in the Black community felt many of the DEI efforts since George Floyd’s murder in 2020 had seemed performative, so she is not surprised by this turn and said she will “hold space for what arrives in its wake.” As for the current political environment, she’s still sorting out how she feels about it, but said she’s clear on what she thinks about it: “I’m never gonna stop calling people in.”
Her greatest idol and mentor-from-afar is the late Maya Angelou. “How she showed up in the world, this is who I want to be,” she said. Also deeply influential, Hannah’s mother worked as the director of a shelter for women and children and bestowed upon her “a love for words and a love for women.” Her mother introduced her to poetry and “The Trees” (1915) by Joyce Kilmer remains one of her most cherished poems. Another woman who left her mark on Hannah was her mother-in-law, whom she described as fierce.
“Part of who I am, as Hannah, is at my best when I’m in community with young people.” She explained that since she didn’t have a career mentor it has been her job to do that for as many young people as possible. And she is grateful for the reciprocal nature of it – “they pour into me as much as I pour into them,” she said.
When I asked about her legacy, she said it feels two-fold to her. She is giving Black women the gift of feeling seen by telling their contemporary stories on stage. And she’s building a community around poetry and storytelling – creating art that’s offering “life-affirming and life-changing” experiences for the audience. Self-described as “fiercely honest,” there is an unmistakable authenticity about her, an unapologetic sense of self. And a warm and welcoming presence calling all of us in.
