LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER TWIN CITIES ALUMNI HOLIDAY SHOW 2019
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT -- GRATEFULLY -- TO ANN MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY
LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER TWIN CITIES
2019 ALUMNI HOLIDAY SHOW CAST
Avivah Brown
2018 CAST ALUMNI
2018 HOLIDAY SHOW ALUMNI
Avivah Brown was born in NY, raised in Atlanta and is now a self proclaimed Minnesotan. She is a public speaker, non-profit manager, singer, and an adoptive and foster mom. Her career finds her spending days partnering local organizations with schools to provide meals to kids living in food insecurity. In addition, she is a local advocate for the needs within the foster care system, and is passionate about seeing kiddos in healthy homes. In her spare time she can be found drinking great coffee, trying a new dish and fully embracing each new day. You can find her adventures here: as1wefoster.com.
In 2018, Avivah read, “A Mother To Many” from the LTYM stage. And later that same year, she read, “Her Baby’s First Christmas” in the first ever holiday alumni show.
Danielle Daniel
2017 CAST ALUMNI
2018 HOLIDAY SHOW ALUMNI
Danielle Daniel loves family time, gardening, traveling and the arts. She is an actress, creative writer, teaching artist and master storyteller. Her storytelling programs and tour shows have been presented in Europe and the United States. During her career, she has received a Jim Dusso Artist Award, Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship, Many Voices from the Playwright Center, and a Jerome Fellowship. She is the author of a children book and written four plays. She has a B. A. Degree from the University of Minnesota, and completed the Kennedy Performance Arts Center “Artist as Educators Program” through Iowa University.
In 2017, Danielle read, “A Mother’s Love” from the LTYM stage. And in December 2018 she read, “Best Christmas Ever” in the first alumni holiday show.
Junita Flowers
2016 CAST ALUMNI
2019 EMCEE
Junita Flowers is known as the Hope Muncher-in-Chief, a title coined to represent an initiative dedicated to spreading a message of hope and inspiring women to live their best lives, Junita Flowers is an inspirational speaker and entrepreneur. Driven by the limitless opportunities to strengthen communities through entrepreneurship, she’s the Founder/CEO of Junita's Jar, a mission-driven cookie company, committed to using it’s retail platform to reduce the occurrences of relationship violence against women, by fostering open dialogue and increasing awareness among college students. Junita is also mom to two awesome teenagers and one “pre-teen in dog years” puppy.
In 2016, Junita read, “Lost and Found” from the LTYM stage. Junita stepped on the LTYM stage again in 2019 as that cast’s emcee.
Cherish Sonja Gibson
2016 CAST ALUMNI
Cherish Sonja Gibson is a perpetual poet and occasional essayist whose art is grounded in her Liberian-American identity. She was born and raised in South Minneapolis by her fantastic mother and is partial to belly-born laughter, puppies and well-seasoned food.
In 2016, Cherish read, “Dominant Traits” from the LTYM stage.
Lindsey Henke
2015 CAST ALUMNI
Lindsey Henke is the founder and Executive Director of Pregnancy After Loss Support, writer, clinical social worker, wife, and most importantly a mother to two beautiful daughters and one sweet-cheeked baby boy. Tragically, her oldest daughter, Nora was stillborn after a healthy full-term pregnancy in December of 2012. Lindsey’s second daughter, Zoe, was born healthy and alive in March of 2014. Her writing about life after loss can be found at Still Breathing and her work has been featured on, Listen to Your Mother, Scary Mommy, Healthline, and The New York Times. She is currently working on her first book.
In 2015, Lindsey read, “Invisible Motherhood” from the LTYM stage.
Amoke Kubat
2017 CAST ALUMNI
Amoke Kubat remains curious about self, (as an older African American woman), the natural world, and the Sacred. Self taught, Amoke uses artmaking and writing to continue to define herself and hold a position o wellness in an America sick with inequalities and inequities. Her first play, ANGRY BLACK WOMAN & Well Intentioned White Girl continues to tour. She will debut, Old Good Kit Kat and Good Old Kit Kat at Pillsbury House in 2020. Amoke is the creator of YO MAMA’s The Art of Mothering Workshops. Amoke is a 2017 LTYM alumni .This is her first Holiday Show.
In 2017, Amoke read, “Missing Mama, Her Name Is Ernestine” from the LTYM stage.
Leslie Lagerstrom
2014 CAST ALUMNI
2018 HOLIDAY SHOW ALUMNI
Leslie Lagerstrom is the creator of the blog Transparenthood™, which chronicles her family’s experience raising a transgender child. Through her writing, she has built a national advocacy platform for transgender children and their families. Her essays have been featured in three anthologies, turned into a stage production that toured the United States, and can be found in The Huffington Post. Committed to spreading awareness, she is frequently invited to speak in front of audiences across the country. As a (somewhat) new empty nester, she has turned all her attention to her dog, Molly, whom her children believe is loved more than them.
In 2014, Leslie read, “The Dance” from the LTYM stage. And in December 2018 she read, “The Magic In A Name” in the first ever alumni holiday show.
Kristin Nilsen
2014 CAST ALUMNI
Kristin Nilsen is a children's author and erstwhile librarian with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things 70s and 80s. She is the author of Worldwide Crush (July 2023), a middle grade novel inspired by her own childhood crush on Shaun Cassidy. She also co-hosts The Pop Culture Preservation Society, a weekly podcast celebrating the cultural nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood. As the show’s Pro Crushologist (aka Andy-Gibb-ologist), her job legitimately involves studying why she once fantasized about being married to Andy Gibb and walking around their shared apartment in their bathrobes. Kristin lives in Minneapolis with her Gen X husband, her Gen Z son, and their rock and roll goldendoodle, Axl Rose Nilsen.
In 2014, Kristin read, “Mary Poppins Comes To Town” from the LTYM stage.
Kelly O’Sullivan
2013 CAST ALUMNI
Kelly O’Sullivan is a modern day (and hopelessly flawed) feminist, parent, and partner. She was the author of the How I Learned to Wear a Dress blog where she opined about sexism, equality, parenting, and even politics and religion (yikes!). Kelly occasionally finds herself on local stages as an actor and singer. She remains notoriously incapable of using commas correctly, but will fight to the death for her right to use the Oxford comma. Kelly enjoys the outdoors in a “waiter, I’ll have my tea on the terrace” kind of way. She shares her home with her loving family and their cats who are sitting on her keyboard right now.
In 2013, Kelly read, “I Wanted a Gloria Steinem Barbie but I Got a Baby Alive Instead” from the LTYM stage.
Sarah Pelinka
2015 CAST ALUMNI
Sarah Pelinka is a collector of stories + wayward junk and mother of two spirited kids, Poppy and Holiday - they are her heart. Married to her high school sweetheart, she and Travis remain as tight as the Girbaud jeans that first caught his attention. Each day is a gift and Sarah surely lives by this. So much so, it remains the only gift she hasn’t yet tried to return without a receipt. While Sarah finds great joy in teaching science to middle schoolers, her passion for the arts is immense. She seeks and appreciates the meaning, beauty, and laughter within every situation.
In 2015, Sarah read, “The Science of Hope and Happenstance” from the LTYM stage.
Molly Sjostrom
2019 CAST ALUMNI
Molly Sjostrom is a proud mother of three who aspires to open hearts and minds through storytelling. She’s had a fulfilling 21 year career at General Mills, where she currently works to build a culture of belonging as Senior Global Inclusion Manager. She has a passion for dogs and the elderly and hopes to one day combine the two passions to bring joy to both. She loves spending time with her large family and close friends and feels lucky to be married to her best friend, Ryan. She’s extremely proud to share that her transgender son’s book DOTSON is on shelves at Target and promises it builds empathy for all ages.
In 2019, Molly read, “Good Judgement” from the LTYM stage.
Heather Strommen
2016 CAST ALUMNI
Heather Strommen is a passionate, straight-from-the-heart storyteller. Her debut novel, VELVET, is out now (insert her jumping up and down with excitement here)! In addition to writing a whole freaking novel, Heather is an interior designer who loves making a house a home, always designing and refining the world around her. Founder of the popular Instagram, @sweetshadylane, Heather is married to her high school sweetheart. They call their four adult children "their very best friends." Heather has a simple mantra that keeps her happy: Write. Decorate. Repeat. She's thrilled to share the LTYM stage once again.
In 2016, Heather read, “Wake Up Call” from the LTYM stage.
Laura Zimmermann
2018 CAST ALUMNI
2018 HOLIDAY SHOW ALUMNI
Laura Zimmermann is a writer, a storyteller, and a maker of cheesecakes. You might find her at a softball game, a jazz concert, or a nonprofit board meeting, but you'll never find her on a ladder or entering a triathlon. Her debut YA novel, My Eyes Are Up Here, will be published by Dutton Books in June 2020. She lives in Minneapolis with her three favorite people, who show up in her stories whether they like it or not.
In 2018, Laura read, “Reading Lessons” from the LTYM stage. And later that very same year, she read, “Hanukkah Fish” in the first ever holiday alumni show.
