A 2003 graduate of Oxford High School, Melissa St.Pierre, performed in the Detroit showing of the nationwide Listen to Your Mother tour held Sunday at the historic Saint Andrew’s Hall.

St. Pierre dubbed the show “an overwhelming success.”

Listen to Your Mother brings together on-line writers who cover the “real experience of motherhood.” Metro Detroit writers, bloggers and performers took to the stage with live readings– taking the audience on the journey of motherhood, with all its complexity, diversity and humor.

After auditioning, St.Pierre was selected, along with 11 other writers, to read her work as part of the showcase.

The memoirist, poet and writing teacher at Oakland University said she focused her story on the relationship she had with her great-grandmother and telling her story through photographs of her life.

Her first-ever publicly-read piece, entitled “Angels and Aliens,” reflected on childhood memories of cooking, piano lessons and tall tales told by her great-grandmother.

“I wanted to honor my great-grandmother and give her the recognition she deserves,” she said.

To St. Pierre, the show provided a deeper understanding for the audience of what it means to be a mother.

“I feel like the stories shared are universal,” she said. “There’s something in each story that anybody who has ever been a mother, had a mother or has known a mother can identify with.”

A portion of proceeds from the show will be donated to Cass Community Social Services (CCSS), a local nonprofit organization that provides programs for food, health, housing and jobs to homeless men, women and children.