The Moth: What's YOUR Story

Episode Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Christina Norman

Overview

This episode of The Moth Podcast explores the profound influence of family legacy and personal courage in shaping our identities. Through true, unscripted stories told live, it celebrates the beauty of discovering who we are through the people who raised us and the moments that dared us to hope. The episode features two storytellers: Maxwell Pierce, whose relationship with his remarkable grandmother helped turn his life around, and Adele Onyango, who recalls an act of hope and defiance shared with her mother during a time of turmoil.

Segment 1: Maxwell Pierce – “Legacy and Finding My Place”

[02:44 – 13:47]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Childhood Dual Passions and Academic Struggles

  • Maxwell shares how he loved art and basketball from a young age, but struggled academically, feeling disconnected from schoolwork. His shyness kept him from participating in class despite being the grandson of a famed educator, Lovely Hill.

• A Formative Car Ride and Family Education

  • After being told by his teacher that he was failing, Maxwell’s grandmother drove him to their favorite local Thai restaurant (Garlic and Pepper). Instead of homework, she shared family photos and stories, linking family history with personal learning.
  • Quote:
    “We only retain information if we care enough about it. I didn’t quite understand this, but it was enough to open my mind.” — Maxwell Pierce [05:13]

• Building Connection Through Personal History

  • Regular sessions at the restaurant became their ritual, where his grandmother's endless stories made history come alive for him and inspired academic improvement. Maxwell shares how meaningful it was to see his grandmother’s pride, not just through grades, but through shared family legacy.

• Honoring a Trailblazing Grandmother

  • Lovely Hill, a Harlem-born educator and one of the first Black models for Pepsi and Clairol, also graced two JET magazine covers. Maxwell recounts her resilience, fashion sense, and commitment to passing down family achievements.

• Achieving Dreams & Family Pride

  • Maxwell’s journey leads him to compete in a televised college slam dunk contest—the dream of his younger self. Although he didn’t win, he attracted the attention of the Harlem Globetrotters and ultimately joined their ranks. He orchestrates a family gathering to celebrate the news.

• Revelation: The Gift of Life and Legacy

  • Maxwell’s grandmother recounts narrowly avoiding a potentially unnecessary sterilization procedure after being called for a modeling job by Ebony magazine, which set off a chain of events leading to the birth of Maxwell’s mother—and thus, Maxwell himself.
  • Quote:
    “All this time I thought that the greatest contribution that my grandmother had given me was riding to Garlic and Pepper and watching my grades improve... but in reality, the greatest thing that my grandmother, along with my parents, has given me was me. And my grandmother was a Globetrotter. And so am I.” — Maxwell Pierce [13:31]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• The anticipation of his grandmother’s magical purses:
  “Anytime my grandmother would reach into that purse, it felt like waiting for lottery numbers to be called. You didn’t quite know what was going to be pulled, but you knew something good was coming.” — Maxwell Pierce [07:53]

• Report card moments:
  “Anytime I read the words, ‘Maxwell has improved,’ I could physically see my grandmother step out of the chair and start to dance.” — Maxwell Pierce [10:36]

Notable Segment Timestamps

• [02:44] Maxwell begins his storytelling journey
• [05:13] Grandma’s lesson on the value of caring about history
• [10:36] Celebrating academic improvement with his grandmother
• [13:31] The profound realization about the gift of life

Bonus: Interview with Lovely Hill Billups (Maxwell’s Grandmother)

[14:15 – 16:02]

• Lovely Hill Billups recounts her pride and surprise hearing Maxwell tell their family story on stage.
  • Quote:
    “I had no idea that he had organized all of that in his head. But he’s always been magnificent. Even as a child, there’s just something beautiful inside of him. ...I’m very proud of him.” — Lovely Hill Billups [14:51, 15:24]
• Maxwell’s art—a unique fusion of athletic materials—commended by his grandmother for its originality.

Segment 2: Adele Onyango – “Learning Courage from My Mother”

[18:55 – 25:09]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Mother-Daughter Bond Beyond Tradition

  • Adele describes her late mother as her best friend, sharing everything from clothes to music. They even attended a Shaggy concert together while others crammed for math exams.

• Daring to Hope Amidst Crisis

  • During post-election violence in Kenya (2007), Adele’s mother insists on attending a protest despite being in the midst of cancer treatment. Adele, feeling guilt and a need to stand up for her beliefs, pledges to join.
    • Quote:
      “I quickly said, ‘Me too.’ Amanda was the rational one in the home. So she quickly told us that this was a terrible idea.” — Adele Onyango [20:25]

• Mother’s Defiant Courage

  • On protest day, they defy family warnings and arm themselves only with water and towels “to combat tear gas.” Adele narrates the fear and adrenaline of her first protest, especially when a stranger ties a red ribbon—a symbol for identifying allies and casualties.
    • Quote:
      “This is in case, if at the protest you get injured or killed, we will carry you with us because we’ll know you’re one of us.” — Protester to Adele Onyango [21:42]

• Chaos, Separation, Identity

  • As chaos erupts, Adele is separated from her mother, guided only by following others with red ribbons. She endures tear gas and panic, ultimately reuniting with her indomitable mother—unharmed and calmly recounting the day’s events.

• A New Sense of Self

  • Despite exhaustion and pain, Adele realizes she has inherited her mother’s courage and capacity for hope.
    • Quote:
      “But I also knew for sure that I am my mother’s daughter and that despite the fear, I dared to stand up for what I believed in. That’s my daring to hope story.” — Adele Onyango [24:47]

Notable Segment Timestamps

• [19:08] Adele introduces her close relationship with her mother
• [20:25] Decision to protest together
• [21:42] Red ribbon moment and escalation of protest
• [22:49] Tear gas and chaos; separating from her mother
• [24:47] Adele’s closing realization about hope and courage

Concluding Notes & Reflections

• Christina Norman encapsulates the episode, inviting listeners to reflect on untold stories in their own families and to consider what stories are waiting within them.
• The episode concludes with encouragements for sharing one’s story, whether at a Moth open-mic, through the pitch line, or in The Moth’s new guided journal.

Notable Quotes

• “We only retain information if we care enough about it.”
  — Maxwell Pierce [05:13]

• “There’s just something beautiful inside of him. ...For him to use to have such realistic artwork with no paint or pencils or sketching. It’s all athletic materials. What a concept. I’m very proud of him.”
  — Lovely Hill Billups [15:24]

• “This is in case, if at the protest you get injured or killed, we will carry you with us because we’ll know you’re one of us.”
  — Protester to Adele Onyango [21:42]

• “Despite the fear, I dared to stand up for what I believed in.”
  — Adele Onyango [24:47]

Additional Resources

• See images of Maxwell’s artwork at themoth.org/extras
• Learn about Adele Onyango’s wellness programs and podcast at Legally Clueless Africa
• Information on pitching your own story, The Moth’s new journal “My Life in Stories,” and live events at themoth.org

This episode is a testament to how stories connect us to lineage and legacy, emboldening us to discover and share our unique voice—no matter how ordinary or extraordinary our roots may seem.