7 Powerful Ways Felicia Kelly Brookins Uses Literature Mental Health Justice and Healing to Transform Culture

How an award winning author and cultural thought leader is reshaping how words drive healing identity and social change

Felicia Kelly-Brookins is an award winning author, screenwriter, playwright, and cultural thought leader whose work stands at the powerful intersection of literature, mental health, justice, healing, and the transformative force of words. Over the past decade, her voice has become one of the most respected and influential in contemporary Black storytelling because she does not simply write to entertain. She writes to restore, to challenge, and to build bridges between pain and possibility. Her work is deeply rooted in lived experience as well as disciplined literary craft, which allows her stories to reach people on both an emotional and intellectual level. Through novels, plays, cultural essays, and public advocacy, Felicia has made it clear that language is not neutral, but instead shapes how we see ourselves, how we treat one another, and how society decides who is worthy of dignity.

As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Inspired Resources, LLC, Felicia built a creative ecosystem that supports writers, artists, and thinkers who want their work to have impact. In 2015, she launched the Write The Vision Virtual Authors and Writers Conference, which has since grown into one of the most respected platforms for literary development in the region and beyond. Write The Vision was designed not only to teach people how to write, but to teach them how to build sustainable careers from their voices. The conference connects aspiring and established writers with professionals in publishing, branding, marketing, and creative development, giving participants tools to move from passion to professional practice. What makes Write The Vision stand out is its focus on both creative excellence and economic empowerment, which reflects Felicia’s own understanding that words can be instruments of both expression and liberation.

Felicia’s commitment to healing and social change is also embodied in her creation of SAFE SPACE, a Youth and Teen Mental Health nonprofit that blends storytelling and wellness education. Through original theater skits, dialogue driven performances, and guided discussions, SAFE SPACE gives young people a way to confront anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, and identity struggles in a format that feels real and relatable. By using scripted stories to reflect the daily realities of youth, Felicia has created a space where students can recognize their own experiences in the characters they see on stage and feel less alone in what they are going through. This approach allows mental health conversations to happen in a way that is accessible, compassionate, and free from stigma.

Her literary body of work continues that same mission of healing and empowerment. The WAYS Trilogy is a powerful exploration of womanhood, emotional survival, trauma, and recovery told through layered, character driven storytelling. These books speak directly to readers who have faced loss, betrayal, fear, and uncertainty and are searching for a way forward. Her theater therapy stage production, “The Brownie An Unforgettable Trip” takes this even further by inviting women into a live experience that combines performance and self reflection. The accompanying workbook series transforms the audience from passive viewers into active participants in their own healing journey, giving them space to examine their past, understand their emotions, and reclaim their voices.

In Spring 2026, Felicia will release a highly anticipated new book that examines justice, language, and the power of words to shape systems, relationships, and societal outcomes. This work builds on her lifelong exploration of how narratives create reality and how the stories we tell about people determine who receives empathy and who is denied it. By analyzing the role of language in law, culture, and personal identity, Felicia continues her mission to show that words are not just communication tools, but instruments of power that can either wound or heal.

Beyond her fiction and theater, Felicia is also a respected cultural commentator and op ed writer who offers sharp political and social analysis from the perspective of a Black woman. Her recent reflections on the film Wicked and the holiday classic The Grinch starring Benedict Cumberbatch demonstrate her ability to use popular culture as a lens for examining deeper questions about morality, power, and emotional truth. These essays reveal how even familiar stories can expose the values and fears that shape society.

Felicia’s impact has been recognized with numerous literary and cultural honors, including the Southern Laced Literary Award, AAMBC Urban Book of the Year, American Book Fest Best Book Award Finalist, Worldwide Writers Best Selling Author of the Year, Mississippi Success Honoree, Best of Mississippi Author of the Year, and recognition as one of Twenty Five Mississippians You Should Know in 2025 by MS Success Magazine. Each of these honors reflects the reach and resonance of her work as well as her role in shaping conversations about literature, healing, and justice.

Felicia Kelly Brookins is not simply telling stories, she is using them to challenge systems, uplift communities, and guide people toward wholeness. Through every book, every play, every program, and every word, she continues to prove that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to change both ourselves and the world around us.

CHECK OUT FELICIA’S CREDENTIALS!!!

In addition to her creative works, Felicia is also a respected op-ed and cultural commentary writer, offering political and social analysis from the perspective of a Black woman. Her recent editorials include  reflections on the very popular film, ‘ Wicked’ and the holiday  film Classic ‘The Grinch’ featuring the voice-over of Actor-Benedict Cumberbatch, as the grinch we all love to hate. 

Her literary and cultural honors include the Southern Laced Literary Award (2016)

AAMBC Urban Book of the Year (2018)

American Book Fest Best Book Award Finalist (2018)

Worldwide Writers Best-Selling Author of the Year (2020)

Mississippi Success Honoree (2021)

Best of Mississippi Author of the Year (2022), and recognition as one of “25 Mississippians You Should Know in 2025” by MS Success Magazine.