Lakeisha Bell Cadogan

Name: Lakeisha Bell Cadogan

Age: 38

Where you are from: Maryland, United States

Where you live: Maryland, United States

I am storyformed. Who I am in the world is heavily influenced by the stories that have burned

themselves into my heart and memory. Books have been a constant in my life since childhood.

From a very young age, I had a vivid imagination and felt that I was very different from the

people around me. The ideas and concepts I learned from books seemed “too out there” or “too

far-fetched” for someone like me. I was often teased for choosing to stay inside and read instead

of going outside to play. Apparently, it wasn’t normal for a brown-skinned girl to read so much.

This led to me feeling like I didn’t belong. So naturally, I tried my best to fit it. It didn’t work.

Prior to 2020, I spent the last fifteen years working as a corporate executive assistant in various

organizations. These positions allowed me to work with wonderful people on interesting

projects. Yet, I was very unfulfilled. I knew that there was something else I should be doing. I

simply didn’t know what. All the while, I was still reading and soaking up stories.

I am a woman of faith. It’s amazing to me how no matter how far off the path I get, God has a

way of bringing me back and ordering my steps. I knew there had to be a reason I loved books as

much as I do. It’s one thing to be a bookworm. 

It’s another thing when stories are literally

imprinted on your soul and influence your day-to-day living.

When I started dreaming about starting my own business, I knew two things were certain: (1)

books would be involved and (2) I wanted to serve people. Today, I am a book coach and editor,

and I’m thriving. I get to live inside people’s stories and ideas all day long, trying to help writers

catch their vision and pin it to the page. It’s creative, generative, energizing work — making

something out of nothing, trying to make an impact in the world.

The story I want rewritten for women is the power of being authentically themselves — who

they were created to be. Unapologetically.

This is the story that I next want to write for myself.

I will serve and love on people until my last breath. My desire is to encourage community,

authenticity, storytelling and wellbeing.