Biography

Julie Rainbow is a highly committed and effective social entrepreneur who possesses valuable expertise and insight in developing transformational programs. Julie has provided guidance to institutions with regard to youth development, best practice in diverse communities. In addition to her youth development work, she is an author, educator, artist, playwright and humanitarian who enjoys writing human interest stories - stories that inspire the heart to reach deeper for meaning and understanding of the human spirit. In 1995, she was selected from among more than 700 nominees as one 20 W.K. Kellogg Foundation, International Leadership Fellows. It was during this fellowship that she was charged to pursue her passion oral histories. The outcome of this pursuit is the published book, "Standing the Test of Time: Love Stories of African American Elders." Her first literary offering was fueled by her passion to honor African American elders, who have long-lasting loving, committed marriages. Collecting and documenting stories of "ordinary people" has been a life long passion. She believes that listening to one another heart-to-heart is the sustenance of life and is the foundation of much of her work. Enriching the soul by sharing stories allows us to connect with others, something we rarely do as our lives become progressively busier. As a means to further affirm the positive aspects of African American families she adapted the book into a play was invited to participate in the 2002 and 2003 National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia as a new works playwright. Her Bachelor's degree in Economics was earned from Spelman College and her Masters degree is Social Services from Bryn College School of Social Work and Social Research. Julie Rainbow, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, is an author, educator, artist, playwright and humanitarian who enjoys writing human interest stories - stories that inspire the heart to reach deeper for meaning and understanding of the human spirit. She was raised in an African American community in which relationships with elders were apart of her daily experiences. Elders provided the additional love, support and nurturance to neighborhood children, most of which had two working parents.