Hey there!
I’m María.

María Felicia Kelley discovered a passion for writing as a girl growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. The youngest child who rounded out a family of four, María’s relationship with her parents and older brother was a close one. Growing up, hers was one of the only black and racially mixed families of color in a predominately white neighborhood. Standing out racially in her community, María used her unintentional prominence to take on leadership roles as she entered high school. She found a home in her school’s student government when she was elected freshman class president.

Years later, moving on to college, María graduated summa cum laude with a degree in broadcast journalism from The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A paid internship as an associate producer and writer, as she worked toward her degree, led to a producer’s position for live television upon graduation. María found herself again, taking on a leadership position—this time, among a community of her broadcasting peers in public television. Searching for growth in TV production, María began working in front of the camera as a host. With a focus on broadcasting and writing endeavors spanning the years, María has found a way to complement her current, main role as mom-at-home with her passion for telling stories and writing inspirational materials.

Mother to a son with a diagnosis of trisomy-21, María found herself taking on an unforeseen mom’s crusade when her third child was born. Emotional confusion about the wellbeing of the baby she carried during her pregnancy with Constantine morphed into an elevated and concentrated devotion to his sound development after his birth. She found a new purpose in her duty to buoy her youngest child—in ways she never had to take on with her two older, typical kids. Searching for and providing access to relevant and rigorous educational resources became the focus for Constantine before he could walk. Once again, María took on a new leadership role—this time, advocating for her son’s right to a comprehensive instructional curriculum that recognized his ability to learn and synthesize information despite a label of Down syndrome.

Wife to a proud Greek American and mother to their three sons, María lives in a Southern California household with strong male energy and varied ethnic identities. As a tri-racial mix, including African, European, and Native American bloods, María taps into the traditions of many cultures and recognizes the importance of raising her sons with a knowledge of their vibrant makeup and inherent abilities. Through much of her writing, María explores the intricacies of her family’s racial heritage that is uniquely American.

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