About Me

Growing up on Edisto Island under the loving care of my grandmother, affectionately called “Mama Doonk”, helped to shaped the person I am and the author, storyteller, tour guide and retired civil servant that I would become.  After later moving to Maryville/Ashleyville and graduating from Wallace High School, I went on to earn a B.S. Degree from Southern Illinois University.  My husband, Franklin and I, raised a family of three children and ten grandchildren, whom we adore. My passion for cooking is evident in the delicious meals I prepare for loved ones, and I use this love for food as a foundation for my Gullah history lectures and storytelling. I have received numerous accolades, including being a recipient of President Obama’s Drum Major for Volunteer Award and a MOJA Festival Honoree. My work has been featured in National Geographic, Essence, Garden & Gun, and many other publications, and I have appeared on Fox News and other television shows. I sing with the Charleston Gospel Choir and is a City of Charleston Certified Tour Guide, Historian, and an Artist in Residence.  Above all, I treasure sharing my rich Gullah Heritage with others and spreading awareness of its importance.