Tracy M. Lewis Ph.D.

I was born in the tiny town of Clarksburg, West Virginia. At the age of 12, I was sent to live with my cousins in South Central Los Angeles. My life changed drastically when I stepped off the Greyhound bus into downtown Los Angeles. Quickly, I realized that “I was not in Kansas anymore!” My days of inner-tubing down the creek, climbing trees to pick apples and berries, and walking the backcountry roads and railroad tracks for hours on end with my friends were over. They were replaced by the constant threat of gang violence, crime, and drugs. Afraid to leave the confines of my block, I went from being extroverted and outgoing to timid, shy, and introverted. On a positive note, I used the time to journal about my life, my fears, and my struggles. I continued to journal for over 25 years, and my books are a product of my journaling, filled with testimonies and stories from those times.

As a kid, I read a lot and was often teased for always having a book in my hand. My proper grammar did not go over very well when I moved to South Central. Being called “Oreo” and “white girl” by both grownups and kids at school was a never-ending occurrence in my life. No wonder I hid in my room, with only my books and music for company. Despite the many obstacles in my path, I hurdled each of them and survived inner-city Los Angeles. For years, however, I struggled with PTSD and its ensuing fear, depression, anxiety, and anger, residue resulting from the culture of violence, crime, and death that surrounded me in L.A., and I wasn’t alone.

Eventually, I did leave my house and my block. I bought a one-way ticket to Alaska when I was 21 and fell in love with its gorgeous scenery and people. A year later, I returned to California and joined the Air Force. By divine providence, I ended up back in Alaska and lived there for several years before moving to Virginia to attend graduate school. Altogether, I’ve lived in eight different states: Alaska, Texas, California, Colorado, Tennessee, and Virginia. I currently reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I teach World History and U.S. History.