Paige Gadson
(We Only Live to
Die)
"At sixteen, I was faced with a situation
that I thought I would never get out of...
In a place full of destruction, I found a perfect
distraction – writing became my escape.
This wasn’t always my life. I was raised by two
strong & caring people – two people I owe
my life to: my great-grandparents. All I
asked for was placed right in front of me.
Still, hungrily, I searched for attention
from the people who created me. I thought it
was cool to play with fire, because no one
warned me that it would burn. So society
took my truth & replaced it with lies...
Everything you need to know about me,
I’ve written on a piece of paper – but
beware for what's stored in between each
line. In a place of kids yarning & hustling
to survive is where I learned the ugliest
truth: We only live to die..."
George Sanchez Garcia, Jr.
(Words from the Deep
Core of My Brown Corazón)
George began
writing at age 13, when he was
in juvenile hall. He has published
two books:
An Aztec Slave and
Words From the Deep Core of My Brown
Corazón. He continues to write and to
share his story as an artist with
WordsUncaged,
a nonprofit dedicated to "empowering people
that are currently and formerly incarcerated
through art, education and community."
Lowell Noble
(From Oppression To Jubilee Justice)
Lowell was professor of sociology and anthropology at Spring Arbor University for 25 years.
Starting in 1994, he served for many years as
a volunteer at the John Perkins Foundation
in Jackson, Mississippi. His passion in retirement was to create a theology of society to undergird Christian Community Development.
Paul V. Sorrentino
(editor, A Transforming Vision)
Paul began his career as a crisis counselor and
family therapist in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
He then moved into campus ministry with
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and later
served as Protestant Religious Advisor and
Director of Religious Life at Amherst College
in Massachusetts. Throughout his career,
and now in retirement, he has maintained a
commitment to fostering constructive dialogue
and interchange across religious traditions.
Alexis Spencer-Byers
(Another’s Treasure, Urban Verses)
Alexis was raised
in San Francisco; completed a degree in
English at Amherst College in Massachusetts;
engaged in various types of community
development work (including co-founding Koinonia
Coffee House, an inner-city café and community
gathering place) in Jackson, Mississippi, and
Los Angeles, California; and recently returned
to San Francisco, where she works as a web software
developer and volunteers as an editor/mentor for
incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth and
young adult writers.
Rosie Weary
(Stepping Out from the Shadows)
Rosie grew up poor in Mississippi and left for a
better life, only to be called
back by God to serve those still trapped by
poverty, racism, substandard education and
other hardships. For 27 years, she worked at
Mendenhall Ministries alongisde her husband, Dolphus.
In 1998, Rosie and Dolphus co-founded
REAL
Christian Foundation (REAL), where Rosie served
as executive director and chief executive
officer from 1998 to 2008, and as vice
president from 2009 to 2016. Since January 1,
2017, Rosie has enjoyed being retired and
spending time with her grandchildren.