On Friday, May 9 at Huron High School in Ann Arbor, the Student Advocacy Center of Michigan (SAC) will host its annual Telling Tales event — an inspiring evening of storytelling that brings together diverse voices to support SAC’s mission of advocating for students across Michigan.
“Doors open at 6:15pm. Show starts at 7 pm and will be done before 9 pm,” said Peri Stone-Palmquist, SAC Co-Executive Director for nearly 13 years.
She emphasized the event’s broad appeal. “Anyone in the community who cares about children and public education,” Peri Stone-Palmquist said. “We typically have a mix of families, community members, elected officials and professionals who work with children.”
The evening will feature powerful stories from a range of speakers — including the youngest storyteller in the event’s history, a middle school student sharing a particularly courageous experience.
Highlights of the 2025 Telling Tales event include:
- A courageous story shared by middle schooler JJ
- A story from Delphia Simpson, Washtenaw County Public Defender
- Emcee Rod Wallace, educator and hip-hop artist
- A performance from Formula734
- A special piece by EMU Applied Theater students exploring special education
- Special honors awarded to retired referee Susan Butterwick, and outstanding educators Harold Wimberly and Courtney Vanderbilt
- Delicious refreshments provided by MAIZ, Zingerman’s, Dawn Keech, Better Made Snacks, Meijer, and others
“We believe stories connect us, help us grow and better understand the world,” said Stone-Palmquist. “Our storytellers share stories that are often not told or known by your average person.”
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Although Telling Tales is a fundraiser, Stone-Palmquist emphasized its broader value.
“This is a fundraiser for SAC — but more than that, it is a community builder,” she said.
“My personal favorite thing about the event is seeing the growth in our storytellers, especially students,” she continued. “They confront a lot of fears and uncertainty to bravely stand on stage to tell their story. It is powerful to have a room full of community supporting you, cheering you on, believing the best in you. They leave the stage a little lighter, more hopeful, buoyed by community. They carry that support and light with them as they move forward.”
The presenting sponsor for this year’s event is Lear Corporation.
SAC believes that education is a human right and works with more than one thousand students and their families each year across Michigan. Through education advocacy, long-term mentoring, and organizing, SAC helps students — especially those facing harsh discipline, foster care, homelessness, mental illness or disabilities — stay in school and succeed. The organization is committed to ensuring that all students grow in spaces where they feel safe, heard, loved, and challenged.
Tickets are available now at bit.ly/telling-tales-25.
For more information, contact Peri Stone-Palmquist at (734) 482-0489 or peri@studentadvocacycenter.org.
