Hedi LaMarr
Danielle Hairston Green.
Green started as an audience member at The Moth before taking the stage herself.
Co-host of Madison’s monthly The Moth storytelling event since 2022, Danielle Hairston Green is a performer. Off the stage, she also draws on her storytelling skills in her day job at the UW-Madison Division of Extension, which helps families and communities be “healthier and more connected,” and as the founder and president of Embracing ARMS Inc.
Hairston Green says the nonprofit group teaches young people advocacy and storytelling so that they can participate in their communities — whether that’s by “public speaking, creating legislative packages, or showing up at their city council meeting. We help them find their voices.”
She’s also active in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and serves on the board of Wisconsin Humanities. “Across everything I do, it’s about giving people the tools they need to tell the story of their heart, their work, and their impact, and giving them spaces to be heard.” Isthmus talked with Hairston Green about her life and purpose onstage.
Isthmus: What was your path to becoming co-host of The Moth?
Hairston Green: I first came as an audience member. A colleague at UW overheard me telling a story at lunch about moving from Pennsylvania to Texas. He said, “You have to come to The Moth and tell that.” I’d never heard of The Moth before. I went a couple of times, but didn’t put my name in. Over time, I became a super fan — usually in the front row, laughing too loud and sometimes crying at the stories.
In 2021, I brought my staff to a show as part of a training we’d done about the importance of storytelling in our work. I told them to put their names in the bucket, but they were like, “There’s no way.” To set an example, I put mine in — never thinking they’d actually call me. They did. I had nothing prepared, and I had to figure out a story on the way from my chair to the stage. My staff was going wild, and I was trying to act confident. I took the mic and told that story about relocating to Texas. I won that night.
That sent me to the GrandSLAM — and I won that too. After that, the producer asked me to try hosting. I was hesitant — to keep people entertained for two hours is hard — but I gave it a shot. I started in 2022 and have been co-hosting with Kevin [Willmott II] since then. I still get goosebumps every time I get on stage.
How did you become interested in storytelling?
In my family, if you didn’t have a good story at dinner, you weren’t getting seconds. My mom was such a good storyteller — she was one of the first African American women to become a Pennsylvania state trooper in the late ‘70s, and she’d come home with these fantastic stories, even though some were heavy. I didn’t think of it as an art form then; it was just this fun thing my mom knew how to do.
I carried that into raising my kids — at breakfast, I’d ask them to tell me a dream they’d had the night before. Professionally, I saw how telling a story could disarm people in tense situations and build connection. Even on a plane, it’s a good way to get strangers to hand me some snacks.
This surprises people, but I was very shy growing up. I’m still introverted, so going on stage takes a lot of energy for me. The stories I told helped me break through some of that shyness.
What would you say to people who are shy or unsure what story to tell? What impact does sharing our personal stories have?
Storytelling is our greatest cultural currency — it’s the oldest form of communication. When we tell our stories, we might be giving voice to someone else’s experience, too. You hear someone sharing a story of trauma, of loss, success, or change, and suddenly you don’t feel alone. It goes both ways: When you’re on stage telling your story, the energy you get from the audience makes you walk away feeling a little lighter.
What’s your top tip for crafting a short story that has impact?
Don’t focus on impressing the audience. Tell it like you’re talking to your best friend on the phone or yapping with your mama at the end of her bed. People have so many different ideas about what makes a good story, but authenticity is what makes your story shine. Pick a single moment in time rather than trying to cover your whole life. It’s okay if your voice shakes, if you’re nervous, if you’re sweaty. That just means you’re passionate about what you’re sharing. And know that people actually want to hear your story.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Take advantage of the arts — storytelling or otherwise — and all the opportunities they offer. The Moth in Madison is nearing its 10th year, and we just celebrated our 100th show. Even if you just come to listen, it might inspire you to share your own story someday.
Madison’s Moth group holds a monthly Monday event at the High Noon Saloon; the next is Sept. 8. The group also holds storytelling workshops, listed on its Facebook page. The Moth GrandSLAM, featuring winners of previous monthly slams, is Oct. 24 at the Barrymore Theatre.
