Strength, Courage & Wisdom
An Intergenerational Storytelling Experience & World AIDS Day Fundraiser
December 1, 2026 | Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs | Atlanta, GA
Every generation has stories to tell. Stories of resilience and resistance. Of love and loss. Of finding our voices, confronting our fears, and discovering the wisdom that comes from living, learning, and growing together.
In recognition of World AIDS Day, The Rustin Institute, in partnership with StoryMuse, presents Strength, Courage & Wisdom, an intimate and inspiring evening celebrating the power of storytelling to connect us across generations, identities, and lived experiences.
Co-curated by Shannon M. Turner of StoryMuse and Tim'm T. West of The Rustin Institute, the evening will feature nine storytellers representing the rich intergenerational community of YOU(th) Belong, the National Youth Advocacy Corps (NYAC), Rustin Fellows, the Bayard Rustin Society, The Rustin Institute Board of Directors, and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs.
Through personal narratives that are heartfelt, humorous, vulnerable, and transformative, our storytellers will remind us that strength is not always loud, courage takes many forms, and wisdom is not reserved for the old.
On World AIDS Day, we gather not only to honor lives lost and celebrate lives lived, but to affirm the enduring power of community, compassion, and collective action.
Nine storytellers. Three powerful themes. One unforgettable evening.
Join us for a night of connection, reflection, and generosity in support of The Rustin Institute's mission to cultivate the next generation of advocates and leaders for a more just future.
Rooted in Legacy. Rising Through Leadership.
About our Co-Curators
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StoryMuse offers storytelling techniques as a tool for personal discernment, team building, advocacy, and community development in effort to cultivate a world where all stories are heard and honored. Shannon M. Turner, StoryMuse’s Founder and Creative Director, is a nonprofit professional who specializes in partnership development, program and event management, content development, storytelling, and writing. Shannon serves as an independent consultant who conducts workshops and provides coaching to individuals and organizations seeking to use true, personal stories for transformative potential. She is the producer of Carapace, Atlanta’s premiere monthly true, personal storytelling event and has an MFA from Virginia Tech. Read more at StoryMuse.net.
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Tim’m T. West is a poet, hip-hop artist, educator, and nationally recognized advocate whose work bridges storytelling, social justice, and intergenerational leadership. He is the Founder and Executive Director of The Rustin Institute for Leadership Development, an Atlanta-based nonprofit cultivating the next generation of advocates through mentorship, civic engagement, and community building. With more than 30 years of experience in education, nonprofit leadership, and LGBTQ+ advocacy, Tim’m has held leadership roles at Teach For America, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the Center on Halsted. A pioneering openly Black queer hip-hop artist and spoken-word performer, he has used poetry, music, and personal narrative to explore identity, faith, HIV/AIDS, and the transformative power of authenticity. A graduate of Duke University, Tim’m holds master's degrees from Stanford University and The New School. His work reflects a lifelong commitment to using art, education, and storytelling to build bridges across difference and inspire collective action.