The Emotional Cost of Storytelling

On this episode of The Kolby Kulture Show, host Derrick Jakolby Washington, known as Kolby, sits down with author and multidisciplinary artist Antonio Michael Downing for an honest, soul-level conversation about what it truly costs to tell your story.

Antonio reflects on growing up in Trinidad, the influence of his grandmother, and the emotional journey behind writing his memoir Saga Boy. Together, we explore themes of migration, identity, and the intersection of Black and Indigenous histories, including how those experiences shape his work in Black Cherokee.

This episode goes beyond writing as a craft and into storytelling as an act of courage. We talk about memory, healing, music, and the idea that home isn’t always a physical place but something we carry within us. If you’ve ever wrestled with telling your truth, honoring your roots, or understanding the emotional weight behind creative work, this conversation will resonate deeply.

Tune in for a powerful reminder that our stories matter, even when telling them comes at a cost.