Meet Rowana
Founder, CEO, Editor-in-Chief, Author & Speaker
Photo credit: Khidar Rich
Rowana Abbensetts- Dobson (She/her/hers) is a wordsmith and editor from Brooklyn, NY. She holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Kenyon College. As a lifelong writer, she has made it her mission to help women heal through telling her own story and inspiring others to do the same. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Spokenblackgirl.com, a publication designed for women of color to share mental and emotional holistic wellness experiences.
Rowana’s journey into digital entrepreneurship has given her a specialized skill set that includes web content writing, editing, event coordination, and web design. When she’s not making waves on the web, Rowana writes short stories and is the author of Departure Story, Published by Spoken Black Girl Publishing in June 2021. She enjoys performing readings of her work as well as speaking at events and panels about women’s empowerment, wellness, and mental health. Her fiction and poetry have been published in Obsidian Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, Moko Magazine, Free Verse, Late Fee, and many other publications.
As a speaker, Rowana has delivered speeches at the Black Women Writers Virtual Summit and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, NYU and Kenyon College. Spoken Black Girl was nominated for best business commercial at the Queens International Underground Film Festival and was selected as the winner of a $10,000 small business grant from the Local Initiatives Support Cooperation and Verizon. In 2022, she became a board member for the International Women's Writers Guild after winning the Livingkindness Art and Activism Award.
I’m available for brand collaborations and speaking engagements. Let’s connect!
Workshops & Panels
Mental Health Awareness
As a mental health advocate, I’m passionate about educating the public and spreading mental health awareness. In my workshops, I separate myth and stigma from fact, address the ways mental health affects the population and help participants learn about how to cultivate better mental health for themselves as well as friends and family in everyday life.
Self-Care
This workshop explores the ways in which individuals can use self-care to improve mental health, wellness, and personal productivity. Self-care is much more than spa days. This workshop dives into the practical aspects of self-care that we often forget our hectic daily life.
Healing Through Writing
The Healing Through Writing Workshop focuses on creating a safe space for a cathartic, personal writing experience. The workshop incorporates meditation, discussion, and analysis of literary works. Participants are encouraged (although not required) to share their stories of healing and growth for a transformative workshop experience.