Writer and Editor

I write to save my life and transform the world, and guide others to unleash the power of their beliefs and values through writing.

I do this as an Award-winning free-lance writer, academic author, a seasoned editor, and as a writing coach.

In 2015, the Black Press of America named me “Best Columnist in the Nation.” I earned Insight News of Minneapolis the 1st Place, Emory O. Jackson National Column Award at the 2015 Annual Convention of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). The award is named after Emory O. Jackson, a Civil Rights activist and editor of the Birmingham News from 1941-1975.

My writing encompasses a range of styles: I am a feature story writer, technical writer who translates science for public consumption, speech writer, blogger, tweeter, interviewer, and biographer. I also can write/edit press releases, annual reports, web content, documentation, federal and national grants, etc.

I believe that she who holds the pen welds the power, and my pen is always ready to fight the good fight and speak out about issues such as sexual harassment (hyperlink to Ms. blog on sexual harassment on my blog page), police violence against black men (hyperlink to blog “A Black Mother Weeps”), or how to be a resilient leader (link to blog on the Perils of Leadership).

Writing Coach and Editor – Communications Strategist

As a writing coach/editor, I work with people who want to find their voice and gain power through writing. I have developed writing workshops aimed at achieving this goal: “Writing for Advocacy, to “Save My Life”, and Become More Resilient.  Clients include the University of Washington and the University of Rochester.  With organizations, I can develop a communications strategy, design key messages, analyze social media platforms, write Annual Reports, edit documents, write speeches, and translate technical writing for a general reading audience.

For individuals (academics or those who work in the nonprofit sector), who want to find their public writing voice, I often work one-on-one (via SKYPE, Uber Conf, or Zoom), or in small groups. My aim is to guide you  towards honing your writing skills and support you as you translate your research and ideas into powerful op-eds, features, or blogs. It may not get you tenure, but it will keep you sane. I also can show you how to make your academic writing more interesting, turn that dissertation or idea into a book proposal, and provide non-legal interpretations of contracts–before you sign your life away.

I have an MFA in English, have penned over 80+ newspaper columns, and my poetry has been published in over 16 magazines and anthologies, and also translated into Spanish and Swedish.

Other Services
Speaker and Facilitator
Diversity Strategist
Leadership Consultant and Guru
Executive Coach
Research, Audits & Evaluations
Immigration Asylum Expert Witness

A graduate of the OpEd Project, I currently serve as a mentor-editor and a member of the Ms. Magazine Committee of Scholars, whom I helped design their feminist writing workshops for academic scholars.

For seven years, I was Editor of Transforming Anthropology, the peer-reviewed journal of the Association of Black Anthropologists, bringing it back from a two-year hiatus. I have served on the editorial boards of Feminist Studies and the American Anthropologist. I currently sit on the editorial board of Fire!!!: The Multimedia Journal of Black Studies (http://fire-jbs.org/) and I am a member of the Triangle Association of Freelancers (https://tafnc.com/find-a-freelancer/#!directory/tag=mcc).