Carrie Sue Ayvar
Growing up surrounded by stories, Carrie Sue Ayvar learned early on the power of the oral tradition and its capacity for healing, inspiration, education, and entertainment. An internationally recognized Speaker, Storyteller, Chautauqua Scholar, and a National Credentialed Teaching Artist some of her awards include: National Storytelling Network’s Oracle Award for Service and Leadership; “Sun Award” for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through the Arts; Florida Storytelling Association’s Chuck Larkin Distinguished Service Award; Broward Teaching Artist; ArtsEd Forever Award; National Parenting Publications Honors Award; iParenting Award. She has been connecting people, languages, cultures, and curriculums in both English and Spanish, for over forty years. Since 1996 she has worked with the Florida Humanities Council’s Speakers Bureau often sharing stories that should be in the history books… but aren’t! She believes, like her Grandpa Nat taught her, that “If you don’t know the trees you may be lost in the forest, but if you don’t know the stories you may be lost in life.”
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More Than Orange Blossoms: Feisty, Fabulous Females Of Florida
Though not always in the history books, the women who helped build, form, shape and develop this state of Florida certainly have inspired hope & possibility! Stories of strong, courageous women like Julia Tuttle, known as the Mother of Miami, or Mary McCloud Bethune, daughter of enslaved parents who went on to become an advisor to several US Presidents, and other women who influenced and impacted their communities, the State of Florida and our nation. Discover and rediscover some of the remarkable women who grew and shaped the state that we live in.
Mama’s Gifts
Mothers teach us everything from how to feed ourselves, to find our place in the world and how to make that world a better place. Internationally renowned storyteller Carrie Sue Ayvar, chooses from her large repertoire of personal, historical and traditional tales to remind us of why we celebrate our Mama’s gifts, their lessons, love, and yes, even their mishigas, their unique quirks! Stories to inspire, think, laugh and honor our maternal influences and their many contributions.
Rose Weiss, Mother Of Miami Beach
Rose Weiss, known as the “Mother of Miami Beach,” was a wife and a mother of three who came to Miami Beach before women like her could vote, when Jews like herself faced antisemitism everywhere and were only allowed to live below 5th Street. With persistence, integrity, charm and a smile, this feisty and compassionate Jewish mother guided the city from its earliest days, creating jobs, fighting prejudice, helping those in need and even designing the city’s flag! Rosie helped build Miami Beach from a sparsely populated sandbar into the international tourist center it has become.
Doc Anner, Petticoat Doctor Of The Everglades
In 1909, Dr. Anna Darrow, a pioneering female physician on the Florida frontier, became only the 2nd ever female doctor in Florida. Sometimes called the Petticoat Doctor of the Everglades, she often traveled alone braving swampland, alligators, venomous snakes, and dangerous outlaw gangs in order to heal the sick, nurse the wounded and deliver babies. A wife, mother, physician, pharmacist, artist and even veterinarian when called upon, she followed her dreams and found beauty, friendships and adventures along the way.
Stories Of La Florida
Our stories have never been the same since Ponce De Leon first arrived on our shores in 1513. Using the Art of Storytelling to demonstrate how engrained our Hispanic influence is on the development of Florida, from place names to major economic industries like cattle and citrus, Carrie Sue flows seamlessly between Spanish and English. She shares personal, historical and traditional tales with an emphasis on the history and folk tales of the Hispanic and Latino cultures here in our State of Florida.
Walking The Florida Lands And Sands: Meeting Florida Folk Through Their Tales & Lore
Folktales, passed down from generation to generation, convey and preserve the cultural knowledge, the beliefs, values, and customs of the cultures that they come from. They are like windows into each community, often dealing with universal problems and ideas but tinted with their own cultural viewpoints. We also talk about how folk tales and folklore can tell a great deal about the values and views of a culture and serve as a means to understand one another and connect to each other. Meet some of our diverse Florida folk and their communities through their folktales and lore.