Nneka Howell

Nneka J. Howell (Lady Poet) was born on May 17, 1990 on the south side of Chicago, IL. Growing up on the south side of chicago wasn't always the most safe place to be. Keeping a positive mindset and having a relationship with God was always key when negativity struck. Aside from positive thoughts, reality was also a must. For Nneka, she knew at a young age that sometimes you had to make hard decision in order to best benefit your future. Blessed with three brothers, Nneka grew up as the only girl in a single parent home. She was mostly rasied by her amazing mother, Sandra J. Banks and her grandmother, Willie Mae Davis. In her free time she found herself highly interested in the arts at a young age. Nneka quickly became addicted to writing, drawing, music, modeling, and basketball. Picking up a camera was always a pleasure for Ms. Howell as she took pride in the beauty around her. Nneka has been writing songs, stories, and poetry since she was in the fourth grade. While she is currently a junior at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and studying Communications, she is also the author of A Poet’s Heart. To her, writing is more than just ink on paper. Most of her work is dedicated to her grandmother, Willie Mae Davis, who passed away during October 2008. Ms. Davis was a huge role model in her life and was a positive figure for this young writer. For Nneka, writing is a personal reminder that every idea can become an action and every action is an opportunity. Nneka plans to continue her success and change the world one person at a time as she uses her God sent gift as a stepping stone for others. She plans to continue to be an inspiration to those around her so that they too may find themselves.