Writer.
The gift for words is genuinely in Penda L. James’ DNA. When her beloved mother passed on, Penda discovered that she had written beautiful poetry in her youth and was considered by her friends to be the next Maya Angelou. While she was not previously aware of that, Penda found her calling during her college years, at Wilberforce University, helping others develop their stories.
This journey led her to compile her first anthology, Free to Fly – Wisdom for the Seasons in a Woman’s Life. She is the author of several inspirational books and journals, one novel and a short film.
Scribe Coach®.
My dad once said, "When you write down your thoughts, your reader has your full attention."
In high school, I wrote in a beautiful kente cloth-covered journal. My mother chose it because it had my favorite colors: orange and green. I filled the journal with so much of my life; the pages were worn and seasoned with my tears. Sadly, years later, I ripped it up because I was ashamed of some parts of my story.
This is why I advocate for Scribes to record their rite-of-passage moments. I'm a Scribe Coach who was stuck with a book for 10 years. Now I help other writers finish theirs.
Creator.
Bring your pieces.
My pastor once called me a "Mystic." Initially, I didn't know how to digest that term. I was offended until, upon further study, I began to understand that my gifts are God-given. I always seek clarity before I make decisions that effect me or the people I serve.
In my work as a writer, Scribe Coach®, and creator, I believe that God is in our hurts and healing is accessible. I have used my creativity to embrace healing. Poetry, crafting, writing short films, podcasting, and other creative activities keep me youthful and heal pieces of me. I am a trained Self Care Ritualist Facilitator®, and I strive to help others heal, too.
I wrote a book called Remember Your Strength to help me work through my grief. My novel, Running Between Dandelions was written to honor my parents’ love story and the lessons they taught me in a different form. My short film, Yellow, tells the story of healing between a mother and daughter.
COLLABORATE WITH US
Partners collaborate with us to host workshops, training sessions, retreats, or other community events to support youth, senior citizens, and other marginalized populations.
Sponsors offer financial support. (I.e., scholarships to help marginalized populations complete projects, or the purchase of books to gift to schools, non-profit organizations, or faith-serving communities.
Beta Readers receive advanced copies of projects and offer constructive feedback to help the creator. Some projects offer a small stipend.