The Story That Builds Bridges
Master Storyteller · Cultural Connector · Community Leader · Educator · Advocate for Human Understanding
Some storytellers take you somewhere you have never been. Kristie Lazenberry helps you see the world you have always known in an entirely different way.
A master storyteller rooted in African and African American oral traditions, Kristie has a remarkable gift for turning everyday experiences into meaningful moments of discovery, connection, and reflection.
With warmth, wisdom, and a natural curiosity about people, she invites audiences to laugh, listen, reflect, and recognize pieces of themselves in the stories of others. Her storytelling reminds us that even when our journeys look different, the human experiences connecting us are often surprisingly familiar.
But Kristie’s ability to bring people together does not end when the storytelling concludes.
Throughout her professional career, she has helped build bridges across communities, organizations, and cultures. Her leadership experience includes serving as Program Director of the DEI Collaborative at the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and contributing to initiatives focused on equity, leadership, and community understanding.
Selected for the 2026 Wilmington Black Storytelling Residency, Kristie continues to deepen her artistic practice while honoring the storytelling traditions that have connected generations.
Like the legendary spider Anansi, whose tales have traveled across generations, Kristie understands that storytelling is about more than the words we speak. It is about the wisdom we uncover, the relationships we nurture, and the connections we create.
For Kristie, storytelling is an invitation to understand, to question, to remember, and perhaps most importantly, to recognize the humanity in someone else’s experience.
Her stories do not simply end when she finishes speaking. They continue in the conversations, connections, and reflections they inspire.
“Every person carries a story. Sometimes, all it takes to build a bridge is the willingness to listen.”
An editorial reflection inspired by Kristie’s work, not a direct quotation.