Shelia Payton is an entrepreneur, former journalist, corporate manager, and educator who spent much of her life and career living and working during a period of significant change for people of color and women. During that time she learned how to overcome barriers and obstacles to achieve her life goals.

Previous written works by Shelia include Cultures of America: African Americans (a volume in a middle-school book series); a play, Facing the Shadow, about free woman of color in pre-Civil War Baltimore who must decide whether to help a runaway slave escape (produced by the St. Louis Black Rep); the libretto (lyrics) for an opera, Black Caesar, based on a true story about an African king captured by slave traders who became a feared pirate (the music was written by Broadway’s first Black music director, Neal Tate), and lyrics for Christian, soul and country songs.

Shelia’s focus as a writer is on books, plays and music that people can connect with, and that also break down barriers and stereotypes.