All poetry in this book is by CYNTHIA ROSE, and all photography is by STAN JOHNSON.
CYNTHIA ROSE is an author, artist, editor, and poet who began writing and journaling at the age of seven. Penning poems, cartoons and short stories, her love of recording experiences led her to earn Bachelor of Arts degrees in print journalism and Spanish. As a young adult, she wrote briefly for the Advocate Daily Newspaper, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then had a 20-year career with the United States Department of Agriculture as a public relations specialist in the southeast U.S. She received numerous awards for increasing outreach to socially disadvantaged farmers, and she also served four years as a USDA Liaison and 1890 Program Manager, where she advocated for scholarships, federal career internships, and research funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
When not writing, editing, performing poetry, creating art, or cooking, Cynthia leads writing sessions on sharing heart stories and healing through poetry and journaling. She is a member of the Tallahassee Authors Network (TAN), Big Bend Poets and Writers, Cross-Cultural Coalition of the Southside, Inc., and TAN's Christian Authors Network. A native New Yorker, she now calls Florida home.
Find her online at:
Instagram: @lapoetachina and @creativewords4light
Facebook: Cynthia Rose (La Poeta China).
Editing Website: www.creativewords4light.com
Poetry Website / Blog: www.ojoscafe.weebly.com.
Prior publications: "Forever," a poem published (as Cynthia Portalatin), in Cadence, Florida State Poets Association's 35th Anthology (2017). When Love Hurts, a short story in the e-book Truth Awaits You on the Other Side: An Anthology about the Consequences of Sin (as Cynthia Portalatín) – published by Global Multi Media Enterprises (December 2014). Bloom Forever – A Poetry Journal," a collection of 115 poems written between the ages of 17 to 45. (2013, published by Amani Publishing – as Cynthia Lamb)
STAN JOHNSON -- Stan Johnson is a photographer, fine artist, and graphic designer. Born in Quincy, Florida he gained an interest in photography while in high school after he was given a camera by his father – a novice photographer who purchased the camera in Germany while serving in the U.S. Army. Stan began honing his skills photographing family and friends and further developed his love for photography as a graphic communications student at Florida A&M University. He later served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a communications specialist. But it wasn't until he captured the images of foster children that were to be used in adoption marketing materials that he started to take photography seriously as a career. This highly visible project began Stan's quest to use his photography skills to bring positivity to the world, help as many people as possible, and to give greater meaning to his life. To widen his range of photographic skills, Stan also earned a Master of Arts degree at the Academy of Art University, where he won second place in the 2019 Academy of Art International Spring Showcase.
Stan's mission is to be a catalyst for positive, social advocacy.
Find him online at:
Instagram & Twitter: @stanjohnsonpg
Facebook: Stan Johnson.39
Blog: www.stanjohnsoncreative.com/blog
Email: stanjphotos@gmail.com
Phone: (850) 294-9668.
Prior exhibits: "Color Theory: An Exploration of Pigments," LeMoyne Arts (Tallahassee, FL August 5 – 28, 2021. "Walls," Anderson Brickler Art Gallery, (Tallahassee, Florida - October 30 - December 31, 2020). "Walls," Justice Through Art Exhibition, LeMoyne Arts (Tallahassee, Florida - September 10-21, 2020). "Visions of Italy, A Study Abroad Exhibition," 688 Sutter Gallery, San Francisco, California (December 2018). "Perspectives of Italy," photography exhibit at SRISA, Santa Reparata International School of Art, Florence, Italy (August 2018).
Prior publications: Beautiful Grace pictorial e-book available at www.stanjohnsoncreative.com/shop (May 2020). "Artist of Color" YouTube series (2020 through present).