With the release of her first CD, "Coming to America to Find My Fortune or to Find Myself," Connie takes a new step in her spoken word and storytelling journey that began in 1988.
This program of stories weaves through the historical realities of the Great Depression, the San Francisco Earthquake, the conditions among European peasants in the 20th century, and the Communist domination and fall in the Slavic nations of Poland and Lithuania. The effects of these events are brought to life through the emotions of Victoria, Constantine, Kazimeras and Teofile. The heroes and heroines are Connie's four grandparents, all of whom immigrated to the United States in the 20th century. Each of the four chose to assimilate or to preserve his or her culture of origin in different ways.
In another vein, drawing upon her skills as performer, teacher, coach and leadership trainer, Connie in the fall of 2001,created "Connections," a community-building storytelling event for participants who were Jewish, Muslim and Christian in background. Using personal stories and folk tales, the event countered the divisive aftermath of the tragedy of 911 by drawing people into personal communication. The event was awarded a Dekalb County Community, Service Award for 2001.
In 2004, believing in the power of the spoken word and stories to change the world, Connie participated in "It's There in Black and White", A collaboration of Black and White storytellers, designed to explore racial attitudes through story.
Since 1993, one of Connie's great loves has been teaching a leadership course for teenagers. Young people hone their communication skills, both listening and speaking, to build self-confidence and an awareness of their innate leadership skills. Connie has taught variations of this program in public and private schools and venues to young people of every faith, age and ethnicity.
From 2000-2005, Connie taught storytelling courses for the Alliance Theatre Department of Education. Her courses included: "An eye for an Eye or Turning the other Cheek", "Beginning Storytelling", "Immersing Yourself in Story", "Exploring New Vistas in Story", "Finding Creating and Telling Character Education Stories", and "Historical Stories".
Among Connie's performance venues in the Atlanta area are the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library,The Swan house, Callaway Gardens Summer Camp, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Atlanta Ballet Christmas Brunch, Marian Manor Hispanic Camp, Spruill Center for the Arts, Williams Payne House, The Tully Smith House, the Swan House, the Westminster summer camp, Stone Mountain, Columbus Children's Museum, Anti-Defamation League's "Mission Against Hate", El Shedaya Mosque, and the Roswell Magnolia Storytelling Festival.
Connie was featured the Winterfest Regional Concert in 2003, the Atlanta Tellabration in 1995, and as a keynote speaker for the Atlanta Conference of Catholic Women.
Connie has an M.A. in Public Affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles in 1974 and a B.A. in Communication Arts from the University of Dayton in 1969. She spent a year in Vienna, Austria at the Institute of European Studies from 1967-68. She was chosen as a Coro Foundation Fellow in Public Affairs in 1972.
Connie is currently an Assistant Director at Plymouth Harbor, a day program for older adults in Atlanta.
Before moving into performance work,Connie worked at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois,serving as Assistant to the Academic Vice President, drafting long-range planning documents, preparing budgets, maintaining the employee data base, preparing federal reports, handling student appeals, staffing the Deans Council and interacting with all academic departments from 1975-79.
In 1974 Connie work with the California State Employees Association and served as an employee representative and trainer in work-related conferences and conflict resolution settings.
In San Francisco from 1970 until 1972, Connie worked for Avco Broadcasting Corporation-KYAKOIT Radio. As Community Affairs Coordinator, she wrote the community service segment of station license renewal, produced a radio call-in show, and coordinated artistic and political events for students from a hundred area high schools.
Connie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son. She was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Peoria.
Track List:
1. The Story of Victoria
2. The Colossus of Rhodes
3. Finding Prunskunas
4. That's a Long, Long Trail Awinding
Other Genres:
