The Author and Artist Hour, February 15, 2022
The Author and Artist Hour with Kez Wickham St George and Toni Lontis
Karen Connell, Born in Los Angeles, California, raised in the desert community of Newberry Springs, Karen returned to the city for college. Attended UCLA majoring in economics and minoring in history. Survived severe domestic violence and used her experience to become an award-winning speaker as a community educator. She had numerous local and national television appearances speaking about her harrowing experience and using her platform to speak out against domestic violence.
She went on to lobby with a coalition of advocates for the first domestic violence training law in California. Served along with other advocates and law enforcement officials on the State Attorney General’s task force to create a law enforcement training manual then trained L.A.P.D.
Served on the Los Angeles Domestic Violence Council
Recruited to create a domestic violence advocate program in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office which is now a special unit.
Is also a Reiki Master, a Certified Hypnotherapist with a master’s in Therapeutic Imagery, and an EFT (emotional freedom technique) practitioner.
Go Beyond Surviving
My debut book has been 40 years in the manifesting. It's about one woman's path surviving domestic violence, giving back to the domestic violence community, and learning how to use the power of choice to transform herself. It includes many life lessons learned and resources to help others help themselves and pay it forward.
Welcome to the show Karen we are delighted to have you here today!
Kez. The title of your book Goes beyond Surviving is an interesting title. Can you explain why?
Toni. What were the challenges for you to become an author?
Kez. I read it’s been 40 years in the making, why was that?
Toni. What is meant by giving back to the domestic violence community?
Kez. I read you’re also an artist, what is your Genre, and is your work exhibited? Have creative passions helped you in recovery?
The Author and Artist Hour
Kez is ever the storyteller and a popular speaker at many local events; However mentoring others to tell their stories has become a large part of Kez’s life, running creative writing workshops for those that have a story to tell.
Encouraging and mentoring others to follow their passion for writing has resulted in four of her writing protégés becoming published authors. Kez also invites published authors in fiction to contact her, as she enjoys introducing their work to Facebook and Instagram by video.
