I have published five books, including Mary is a River, a finalist for the National Poetry Series written in the voice of Mary Magdalene, and Benjamin Banneker and Us: Eleven Generations of an American Family. This book of ancestral nonfiction was chosen as a Best Book of 2023 by The New Yorker, and an Editor’s Pick by The New York Times. I am currently finishing a book about my female ancestors and the creative processes specific to women. I have taught creative writing at Northwestern University for 18 years and have developed writing workshops through Ancestral Medicine, the Urban League, After School Matters, the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and Gallery 37. I love to inspire people to write the work that only they can write. My students have gone on to publish successful books, and to fulfill themselves with creative careers. I have also meditated for more than 20 plus years, with a special focus on psychic meditation, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and ancestral healing. These practices of writing and meditation combine in my teaching. I love to share my methods for fulfilling our creative potential.