Aretha Franklin – Singer and Civil Rights Icon
Portrayed by: Betty Sawyer (NSOUL)
Betty Sawyer brings fierce conviction and soul to her portrayal of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul whose voice became a civil rights anthem. A civil rights leader in her own right, Betty has served as President of the Ogden NAACP, founded Project Success Coalition, and helped establish both Utah’s Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission and the state recognition of Juneteenth.
An educator with degrees from Morgan State University and the University of Utah, Betty merges grassroots activism with scholarly insight. She currently works as Community Engagement Coordinator at Weber State University and mentors youth through the NAACP College Chapter. In storytelling, she channels the same blend of grace, power, and purpose that made Aretha an icon of music and justice.
Julia Ward Howe – Composer and Abolitionist
Portrayed by: Holly Robison (Utah Storytelling Guild)
Holly Robison illuminates the story of Julia Ward Howe—poet, reformer, and the voice behind “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” With a degree in theater from Brigham Young University and over a decade of storytelling, Holly uses her performance background and deep empathy to embody Howe’s intellectual fervor and moral resolve.
A bilingual storyteller fluent in German and a specialist in Oregon Trail stories, Holly is no stranger to journeys—literal and metaphorical. Her experience as a mother, teacher, and mentor infuses her storytelling with depth and heart. Paired with Betty Sawyer’s Aretha Franklin, Holly helps explore two women who harnessed the power of language and music to rally a nation toward justice.