Shewanda Riley, PhD is a Fort Worth, Texas based educator, speaker and published author. She has made presentations on issues regarding racial equity and diversity at NCORE (National Conference of Race and Ethnicity), the University of Texas at Arlington and Northwest Oklahoma State University. She is an Associate Professor of English Composition and Literature at a Texas community college. Her doctoral research was centered on depictions of African American women in contemporary African American Christian fiction. Her academic research focuses on the areas of faith, pop culture and the African American Experience. She is also an Essence magazine best selling author of “Love Hangover: Moving from Pain to Purpose After a Relationship Ends” and “Writing to the Beat of God’s Heart: A Book of Prayers for Writers.” Email her at chocolateauntiepodcast@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @shewanda. Her writings have been published in Aspire: The Women of Color Study Bible, The Dallas Weekly, The Charleston Chronicle, The Mississippi Link, The Los Angeles Sentinel and the St. Louis American. She has been featured in JET Magazine and the Potter’s Touch TV show hosted by Bishop TD Jakes.
Dr. Riley received her BA degree in English Communications Arts from St. Mary’s University, where she was President of the Black Student Union. She received a MA degree in English Language and Literature/Letters from SMU and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas at Arlington.