​​​Cousin Gaeya

"We must dream, for dreams add color to the creative process and take us to places of wonder and light.  They paint pictures of what the world could be if it cast off the burdens of prejudice, indifference, and despair, and instead grew in love, compassion, and joy.  Our dreams give us hope..."     Evette Evans

Hailing from the US mid-Atlantic region, Evette Evans (Cousin Gaeya) was born into a family of storytellers.  As a child, she was immersed in her own ancestral history through her grandmother's vivid accounts of long-gone, but unforgettable family members.  These family portraits, amplified by her mother's daily animated readings of the works of Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar, James Weldon Johnson, and others, gave birth to Evette's deep respect for the spoken word and her passion to communicate in unique ways.

With an uncanny ear for language and chameleon-like ability to imitate accents and mannerisms, Evette takes listeners on exciting journeys around the world.  From Jamaica to Ireland, to deep in the Bayou, she sinks into the personalities of her alter egos, respectfully giving them life and believability.  Often adding songs or pulling in soft melodies on a kalimba, she draws her audience into an ageless world of warmth, beauty, and laughter.

As an adult, Evette worked for over thirty-five years in local government, but was always drawn to her first love, writing and telling stories.  Creating the character of the 'Sock Lady', she shared her stories at community and senior centers, libraries, and recreation facilities around the Metro Washington area.  Those years of sharing taught her that stories have the power to transport the listener to places where only their hearts could take them.  It was then that she decided to change the direction of her life and devote herself to the delights of storytelling.  Early retirement allowed her to pursue her lifelong desire to produce stories that bring a smile and capture the heart.

An award-winning writer, Evette received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Jacobs/Jones African American Writer's Contest.  More recently, her short story captured first place in the 2022 North Carolina State Silver Arts Competition for Literary Arts.  She is a member of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, the National Association of Black Storytellers and its North Carolina affiliate (NCABS), the North Carolina Writers' Network, the Folklore Society of Greater Washington, and other state, regional and national organizations for storytellers and writers.  She is also an External Associate of the George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling at the University of South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer..."   Harriet Tubman