Sharing Our Stories: Introducing the writers

Introducing Dr. Angelle M. Jones, in her words:

When I think of the weighted albatross pressing down upon the necks and backs of my brothers and sisters wearing melanated skin, I hear a cry deep down in my soul.

I hear a Voice in the wilderness calling, “Who will change the narrative?” The story that has been born in pain. The narrative that has been painted by the trauma inflicted upon the ancestors of those still struggling to overcome. When will the oppressed overcome? When will the pain of yesterday transition into the hope that the dark past has taught us? The Voice calls again, “Who will change the narrative?”

I chose to answer the Voice, with the loud stroke of my pen: I will change the narrative. I will write to change the collective narrative of shame. I will write to change, the individual narrative of guilt. I will write to change, the narratives of the emotional scars left in the hollow belly of the slave ships. I will write to change, the narratives of the lashing straps beating the dignity from Black men like they were created to be their White brother’s personal whipping posts. When I write, I will ask the hard questions, “Will the narrative of the strange black and brown fruit still found hanging low from trees today, ever change?”

When letters become words, and words become paragraphs, and paragraphs become books, that’s how the narrative will change. I will use this platform to become a scribe of hope, using written words to speak light into darkness, and to bring change to the pain. I will take the words that have historically been used to intimidate and cast fear upon the oppressed to change the narrative. The words I write will reverse the curse. The words I write will hopefully inspire the reader to share the Light with others. My prayer is that the chain reaction of the words I pen will help change the narrative.

As a woman of color who has journaled my story for over forty years, I pray God’s grace and resilience will shine through the cross I and my Black brothers and sisters bear daily. For this cause, I will write mine, yours, and whoever will share their story. 

I will use words to shed light on the truth for those who have been known to project the lies and deceit of who the oppressed really are. I will write to open the eyes and minds of those searching for a place to contain the words of the thriving, striving, and surviving of a people who have suffered long enough. 

I will turn the years of hurtful words into helpful words. I will turn hateful words into words of love. I will use His Word to change the narrative of injustice and racial division into a sacred container filled with stories of God’s compassion and mercy. 

My prayer to God is: Send me, “I will change the narrative.”

~*~
Author Bio:

“Inspiring and Motivating With the Power of Words” 

Angelle M. Jones believes that the power of words inspires, and motivate to bring about transformative change individually and collectively. 

Angelle originally hails from Cleveland, Ohio. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American studies from the University of Cincinnati. Angelle has a master’s degree in Theological Studies from Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia and an earned Doctorate in Ministry on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, and his philosophy of The Beloved Community from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

Her ministry career began as a staff member of the Northeastern Ohio Billy Graham Crusade in 1994. For twenty years, as founder and director of In The Spirit Ministries, Inc. she led teams on mission outreaches throughout the world. From 2007-2012 Angelle served as Missions Director of New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio where she currently resides. Angelle is founder and director of GlobaLife Coaching and Consulting serving as a Life and Transformation Coach and Church Consultant. 

In 2016 Angelle authored and self-published her first book, Happily Never After. Along with sharing words of hope by sharing her writings on her social media platforms, she has been published in Vantage Magazine which is a literary source for faculty, students and alumni of Columbia Theological Seminary, and Ready which is a cutting-edge online magazine addressing current events and trending socially relevant topics for women.

Angelle is the mother of an adult daughter. She is a grandmother and great-grandmother.