Storyteller Joe Hayes Grades K-2

What

Storyteller Joe Hayes Grades K-2

When

2/9/2024, 8:45 AM – 9:30 AM

Joe Hayes has traveled the country telling stories for over 40 years. This pioneer of
bilingual Spanish/English storytelling has published over 25 books, many in both
English and Spanish. He was the resident storyteller at the Wheelwright Museum of
the American Indian for 39 years. Born in Pennsylvania, he moved to Benson, AZ
with his family at a young age. It was there that Joe picked up the Spanish that
would become an integral part of his storytelling and writing. He feels his bilingual
approach to storytelling helps Spanish-speaking children feel proud of their
heritage and helps non-Hispanic children appreciate the Spanish language and
Hispanic culture. "I think it's really important that my own heritage is not Hispanic.
It defuses the 'us and them' way of looking at language. For Hispanic kids I'm one
of 'them' honoring 'our' language, and for non-Hispanic kids it's one of 'us' honoring 'their' language. Barriers are lowered; rigid attitudes are softened; a better sense of community is
fostered." Someone has said that enemies are just people whose stories we don’t know. Joe sees a lot of
truth in that. The more other peoples’ stories are hidden from us, the easier it is for us to view them as
enemies. When we learn their stories, we recognize all we share in common, and we delight in how the
unique beauty of their traditions enriches our own lives.