How do we grow up?

Sometimes it’s in the crucible of one unforeseen and unforgettable moment when actions and decisions with real consequences have to be taken and made.

Sometimes it’s when blinders come off and one’s value in society becomes evident as clear as day.

And sometimes it follows a journey reminiscent of the gospel story of the prodigal son in which a person goes far afield only to find their place in the world.

Thursday night, local residents speaking at The Cincy Storytellers Project tell such stories about their own coming of age. By turn, these tales are humorous, sad, dramatic and subtle. There are two separate shows, one at 6 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m., at 1421 Main St. in Cincinnati.

Tickets are $10 general admission and half that for students and for members of The Enquirer’s Xtras! program. Buy tickets at

The storytellers include:

Sam Berrin Shonkoff, who led a backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park and saw the unthinkable happen to one of his campers.

Shawn Braley, a pastor who talks about how his faith was tested as a youth and how that shapes his life now.

Omar Cummings, a striker for FC Cincinnati who tells of how he gave up playing soccer as a teenager and what brought him back to the sport he loves.

Jasmine Humphries, a nonprofit leader who got into Girl Scouts for the “pins and patches” and learned how she can make the world better for those around her.

Damon Lynch IV, who practically grew up in his family’s church and found his calling only after leaving for a time to find his own way.

Enquirer higher education reporter Kate Murphy, who was the captain of her college soccer team at a time a key player was diagnosed with a fatal disease.

The Cincy Storytellers Project is in its third year, having touched in the past on subjects ranging from food to baseball to the experiences of those in the LGBTQ community.

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