The Process Is the Purpose: Black Identity Through Storytelling

The History of Being Black · Mar 5, 2026 · 44m

In this powerful episode of The History of Being Black, Dr. White sits down with author and storyteller Antonio Michael Downing for a rich conversation about Black identity across the diaspora. Drawing from his West African roots, Trinidadian upbringing, and lived experience in Canada, Antonio unpacks what it means to be Black in spaces that often erase or oversimplify Black narratives. He reflects on the meaning of freedom and justice, the responsibility of storytelling, and why the writing process itself is just as important as the finished work. Antonio also shares how his characters carry…