For many years, I have worked with people in organizations to enhance their writing skills. When I started Communicating Simply, I devised a process that I called ‘Black Woman Writing’. As a Black woman who grew up in apartheid South Africa, I have experienced the fear of putting myself out there with my writing, the fear of not measuring up to peoples’ expectations, and the difficulty of overcoming the hurdles of my perceived lesser-ness. In this work I’ve also seen how writing in organizations can become disconnected from people’s realities.

Writing, I believe, can be a tremendous instrument for self-discovery, affirmation, soul growth, and, eventually, healing. As I envisioned it, Black Woman Writing incorporates soul contemplation, growth, and healing through writing; as well as writing from that soul reflection. It is about the process of soul growth as much as the end result.