Hi! I’m C.J., a freelance storyteller, editor, and published author with a focus on conveying stories that exemplify the human spirit. My goal is, and has always been, to truthfully capture, via words, the lives and work of those who have shared some of their most authentic and vulnerable moments with me, trusting that I would honor these experiences and share them in a way that teaches us all how to create positive change in our world.
I have written for numerous companies and nonprofit organizations including Executive Speakers Bureau and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. For more than six years I penned the blog River City Rising for cityCURRENT, a Memphis-based organization that “works to power the GOOD through events, media, and philanthropy.”
In a collaborative effort with the nonprofit Project 2020, SELF MADE: Boley, Oklahoma was published in 2023. A collection of essays based on my interviews with current and former residents of the historic all-Black town Boley, Oklahoma, it is a book that celebrates the importance of Boley, and those who built it, as part of our country’s rich history, particularly that of the African American community.
A proud HBCU graduate, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Spelman College, where I attended on a full academic scholarship. I then began my graduate work at Morgan State University and completed the requirements for my Master of Arts in International Relations at UCLA after moving to Los Angeles.
Following a short internship at CNN (Los Angeles), at the advice of my mentor I had a brief, yet successful, stint working as a commercial and voice-over actress. It wasn’t long before I was once again doing that which I have loved since high school: writing.
While residing in Los Angeles, I began a creative writing group at a residential home for at-risk youth and, after moving to Memphis, volunteered at a nonprofit organization helping students build their writing and English skills in preparation for the GED exam. In 2011, I was asked to be the graduation keynote speaker at BRIDGES, an organization in Memphis that works to “break down barriers and unify our community.”
In addition to my work as a storyteller and editor, I run a small production company with my husband, Andre. GRANDchild Productions was formed after years of us working as professionals separately, yet together. We chose to create a home for our collective works that, hopefully, will shine a light on the best of humanity yet not shy away from subject matter that exposes the pain, agony and life-changing decisions which make us distinctly human.
I also homeschool our son and have been a competitive distance runner since high school. I’ve run the St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis and the NYRR Midnight Run numerous times in New York City. Maybe I’ll run the full marathon one of these years!
I have written for numerous companies and nonprofit organizations including Executive Speakers Bureau and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. For more than six years I penned the blog River City Rising for cityCURRENT, a Memphis-based organization that “works to power the GOOD through events, media, and philanthropy.”
In a collaborative effort with the nonprofit Project 2020, SELF MADE: Boley, Oklahoma was published in 2023. A collection of essays based on my interviews with current and former residents of the historic all-Black town Boley, Oklahoma, it is a book that celebrates the importance of Boley, and those who built it, as part of our country’s rich history, particularly that of the African American community.
A proud HBCU graduate, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Spelman College, where I attended on a full academic scholarship. I then began my graduate work at Morgan State University and completed the requirements for my Master of Arts in International Relations at UCLA after moving to Los Angeles.
Following a short internship at CNN (Los Angeles), at the advice of my mentor I had a brief, yet successful, stint working as a commercial and voice-over actress. It wasn’t long before I was once again doing that which I have loved since high school: writing.
While residing in Los Angeles, I began a creative writing group at a residential home for at-risk youth and, after moving to Memphis, volunteered at a nonprofit organization helping students build their writing and English skills in preparation for the GED exam. In 2011, I was asked to be the graduation keynote speaker at BRIDGES, an organization in Memphis that works to “break down barriers and unify our community.”
In addition to my work as a storyteller and editor, I run a small production company with my husband, Andre. GRANDchild Productions was formed after years of us working as professionals separately, yet together. We chose to create a home for our collective works that, hopefully, will shine a light on the best of humanity yet not shy away from subject matter that exposes the pain, agony and life-changing decisions which make us distinctly human.
I also homeschool our son and have been a competitive distance runner since high school. I’ve run the St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis and the NYRR Midnight Run numerous times in New York City. Maybe I’ll run the full marathon one of these years!