Acknowledging the Author
Jean Abernathy-Smith is the proud author of this book of poems that rhyme. She has been writing poems for about forty-five years. With that being said, never in her wildest dreams did she think that her poems would ever be published. Now that she knows that they are now being published, here are some facts about Jean, the author.
She was born on June 24, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up on a street called Hazlett. In 1974, she relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, and settled in a small community called Highland Hills Village. She joined the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in 1982, where she is still a member today. Her two previous church homes were Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan, and Temple Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio.
After being a long-time employee of Ohio Bell and AT&T and becoming active in her community, she became very interested in the political arena. She became a member of the Advisory Council of the Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility. Another organization she was appointed to was the Warrensville Heights City School District Family Community Action Engagement Committee. She also became a member of the Greater Cleveland Congregational Educational Committee. She was elected to the Warrensville Heights School Board in 1999 and later became the vice president and president, which was a great honor. In 2011, she was then elected to Highland Hills Village Council where she served as their vice president and president before becoming their senior director for the senior department in December 2017.
Poet Jean Abernathy-Smith has received numerous recognitions and awards over the years: "Who's Who among Professionals," first edition of Who's Who in Black Cleveland Magazine, Call and Post Newspaper, AT&T Global Award, Outstanding School Board Member Award, and The Warrensville Heights City School District Booster Club Award. She also was awarded the Citizen's Award and the Employee of the Year award for the year 2020.
Jean is a wife, mother, and grandmother.
