The Power of Words

CYC’s staff members are incredibly talented and have a wide range of impact on the people around them. Clarence Hogan, Center Director at CYC-Epstein, is a wonderful example. Through CYC programming, open mic events, presenting at conferences, and comedy shows, he uses his natural storytelling abilities to uplift those around him. He encourages others to understand all the ways stories influence and change lives. 

 On top of his years as a public speaker, he has done consulting for after school programming and often leads workshops! Because of his expertise, he was asked to represent CYC as a presenter at the Best of Out-of-School-Time (BOOST) Conference for the third time this February. This year, his presentation titled “Storytelling for a Cause” discusses how to use everyday occurrences to connect people with an organization’s mission. Clarence explains, “The objective of this workshop is to teach participants how to catch, craft, and communicate”. In a major part of his talk, he shares a quote from Plato that pushes listeners to recognize the scope and importance of this skill, “Those who tell stories rule society.” He notes that stories can be used in endless ways- they can preserve tradition, rewrite history, educate, or entertain. Whether they are telling their own story or speaking about an organization’s mission, Mr. Clarence’s workshops help others to intentionally craft stories to keep in control of their own narratives.  

BOOST Conference 2022

Clarence Hogan and Steven Willis represent CYC in a live podcast event “Kwestions & KoolAide with Kids”

 At CYC, he encourages children to share their experiences in many ways. Each day after school, they come to the Center and have Circle Time, which offers a safe space to talk about their day. Clarence actively listens to children while they express their emotions- building social emotional skills, trust, and community within their peer groups. During club activities like podcasting, entrepreneurship, or journaling, he helps kids flex their creative writing muscles while having a blast! Pathways to new passions, hobbies, and potential careers can open as they discover the power of words. Fostering a love of storytelling in children today helps support a lifetime of healthy communication skills and building connections! 

After assisting with a business plan and helping them practice public speaking, Clarence hosts 4 CYC entrepreneurs at his community storytelling event.

Clarence offers his skills to the broader Chicagoland community too. His business Sonny Speaks offers public events like Chew the Fat, The Power of Storytelling, West Side Stories, and Englewood Speaks that bring people together through stories. These open mics give neighbors of all writing and public speaking abilities a platform to share their personal experiences. Topics often encompass themes that can be tough to talk about like family dynamics and toxic masculinity. On the flip side, Clarence ensures that there’s a time to share positive stories about subjects like Black love, food, and much more. By creating spaces for others to be heard, connect, and find support, Clarence has an incredible impact on the city, his neighbors and CYC children and families. 

Storytelling is an art, not a science. The main idea that Clarence hopes people take away from his teachings is to listen intentionally. Whether he’s presenting at BOOST, running CYC programming, or hosting events, he encourages everyone to find joy in listening to and celebrating others’ stories. You never know who needs to be heard or what you might need to hear. We are incredibly grateful and lucky to have someone as supportive, passionate, and considerate as Clarence on our team. Whether a neighbor, a peer, or a CYC child, Clarence helps people find their voice and uplift their story.  

To read more about CYC’s incredible staff, you can sign up for our newsletter below. To attend a Sonny Speaks community event, click here to visit sonnyspeaks.com!