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Atlanta, GA - The Power of Words

  • Waller's Coffee Shop 240 Dekalb Industrial Way Decatur, GA, 30030 United States (map)

The power of words is strong! Intentional or misspoken, words have the power to stay with you. Come join the Story Collider in Atlanta for an evening of true, personal stories about science. See how our storytellers have used the power of words or been impacted by them as they share their stories at Waller’s Coffee Shop.

Hosted by Meisa Salaita and Kellie Vinal. Doors at 7, show at 7:30.

This show will take place outdoors, weather permitting.

Stories by:

Rayne Bozeman has a deep fascination with social dynamics. She is an immigrant from South Africa, who grew up in the shadow of the apartheid regime and has been living in the United States since 2001. Dancing and sharing holidays with family bring her joy. Rayne’s passion for social justice motivated her to launch undergraduate and graduate student groups focused on uplifting minoritized individuals and serve as a facilitator for intergroup dialogues. She earned a PhD in social psychology from Loyola University Chicago in 2018 – the culmination of her research on confronting racism. Prior to becoming a faculty member at the Georgia Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC), Rayne was an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Chicago State University, where she served as the faculty advisor for the Black Student Psychological Association. Her work has been featured in Popular Science, Adler Planetarium, and the Chicago Sun Times.


Dave Coyle is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University. His Extension Forestry program focuses on forest and tree health and invasive species management in natural and managed landscapes across the Southeast. Dave completed his B.A. in Biology at Luther College, a M.S. in Entomology and Forestry at Iowa State University, and a PhD in Entomology at the University of Wisconsin. Dave lives near Athens, GA. He is married to an amazing woman and they have two young boys. He grew up on a farm in Harmony, MN, and spent most of his time in the woods. He was an active member of the Carimona Cruisers 4-H club and once had a pet cow named Kari. Together, they won a trophy at the 1986 Fillmore County Fair. He still loves cows but thinks horses are shifty.


Tamala Riddick is a social butterfly with the gift of gab. She’s a phlebotomist/Lab Tech and is absolutely passionate about what she does. As a mother of three she does stay busy, but she always makes time for new adventures and a chance to dance in the rain.


Jack Walsh is an award-winning educational television producer as well as a writer, performer, storyteller, and synthesizer mess-around-with-er. He lives in Decatur, GA, with his wife, two daughters, and his pandemic puppy, Trish.

Earlier Event: August 18
Easthampton, MA - Stories from Teachers
Later Event: August 22
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