Phoenix has become a hotspot for storytelling over the last few years. Folks like Liz Warren, Dan Hull, and Rachel Egboro have been organizing events and spreading the gospel of yarn-spinning across the Valley. The storytelling community in Arizona is large yet tight-knit: Go to a handful of shows, and you're bound to see a few regular faces like Joy Young bring the house down with their heartfelt and hysterical stories. In addition to being a storyteller, Young (who uses they/them pronouns) is a poet, juggler, and occasional zinemaker. Their years of experience doing poetry slams have given them major stage chops, which is part of the reason why Young is so compelling to watch and listen to. They have a natural ease on stage; listening to them talk on the mic feels as intimate as sitting in a friend's kitchen while they tell you all about what they did last night. But in a field crowded with dynamic personalities, Young stands out for their willingness to experiment. Young brings their circus training to bear during storytelling shows, making juggling, balloon animals, and other fun sideshow flourishes a part of their work.