We recently connected with Dr. Zylia Knowlin and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dr. Zylia, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents were very instrumental in the fabric of my life today. There instilled in me the value of hard work network and humility. They have and will forever impact my story and my journey. My parents were well-educated, they valued education and they understood that through the power of creativity and imagination that one can reach any goal that they set for themselves. To this day, I have leveraged this understanding in all facets of my life. It continues to bring me closer to my goals as I remember who I am and the ability in which I can achieve all that I dream of. I am forever in debt to my parents for the values in the lessons they instilled in me. And I hope one day that my children will see the same values in me that I see in my parents.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Dr. Zylia N. Knowlin is an extraordinary leader, educator, author, and visionary whose professional achievements, community impact, and unwavering commitment to empowering women make her profoundly deserving of this award. With more than 23 years of experience in public education and a distinguished career as a published, award-winning author, Dr. Knowlin has established herself as a transformative force in both the literary and educational spheres. Her milestone works—The Memoirs of an Empress, 1991, and her children’s book Mama, Why Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side?—have been celebrated for their authenticity, cultural resonance, and ability to inspire readers across generations. As a founder and CEO, she leads with clarity, purpose, and vision, motivating others to dream boldly, pursue excellence, and use their voices with authority.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
In 2019, I published my first book the Memoirs of an Empress by Zylia Knowlin. It was at that time I realized that as a woman of color, it would be a little bit more challenging to connect with the global market as it is already saturated with a plethora of authors. And because of this, I wanted to create a platform where Brown and Black authors could share their published stories and published works. They’re in the making works, visions their dreams and anything related to literacy and spreading the love of literacy in our global community. And, I created an online platform… through Facebook called. Black Girls Write 2 and I share the stories… of Brown and Black authors throughout the world and help them to market their books and reach their niche. It took a lot of courage for me to go online and to find a community of people that share the same value as I do in wanting to spread the good news of Brown and Black authors. I began to create Zoom calls where authors from around the world could join in to share their story and how they add value to the Author community. I’m super proud of the connections in the networks that I’ve created and this day, the platform continues to grow.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
On July 18, 2025 I rang the bell in the Cancer center at Broward North General Hospital. It was that day that my life started over. From that ring grew a new life a new mission a new desire to share my story. I am a breast cancer survivor, and I am on a mission to create a network of people that can support the mission of eradicating cancer. I want to see the day that Cancer no longer exist. I am confident in the human race in our intelligence that we can provide the necessary, medical engineering and education that’s going to create possibilities that have never been seen. Cancer your time is limited. I know it sounds strange, but in a way Cancer changed my life and today. I am proud to say I joined forces with every warrior that battles cancer or every caretaker that has a system because it also takes a toll on you. My Cancer journey is a personal story and one day. I will write that book as well
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blackgirlswrite2.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zylia-knowlin-8522b1181?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@empresshaberdashery?si=MMCd4vKQrhlJ72kr
- Other: https://www.empresshaberdashery.com
