We recently connected with Kelicia Jessie and have shared our conversation below.

Kelicia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As a podcaster, interviewing fellow military spouses about their journeys and bringing light to an often overlooked population in U.S. society has been enlightening for me as well as my podcast’s audience. Topics such as family separation, military child resilience, and managing one’s own career as a military spouse have all been areas I’ve covered in Stationed with Stories. I have also cherished bringing my experience as an educator to mentoring programs for middle and high school students as a consultant and teacher. To see students benefit from my mentoring one-on-one and to see how I’m impacting mentoring organizations to become more intentional and effective is very rewarding.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a lifelong writer, educator and currently the host of Stationed with Stories, a podcast focused on the lives of military spouses and families. I wrote my first true poem at eight years old, and have enjoyed writing performance poetry, was a Creative Writing major in college where I was a staff writer for the school paper, and later branched out into novel writing and flash fiction. I started my journey as a mentor in high school and have worked with mentoring organizations professionally in various capacities for over 15 years. My most recent role as a podcast host began in spring 2022 upon moving to Yokosuka, Japan where my husband was stationed with the U.S. Navy. I’ve combined my love for writing, my interest in the human experience, and my desire to help others navigate new systems into the Stationed with Stories podcast which is heading into its third season this spring. I am proud that throughout my life I have always found ways to integrate my natural love for writing and being an educator into creative projects and professional pursuits. I’m even more proud that I’ve done these things with integrity, adventure, and a continual spirit of joy.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

It may be an unconventional answer, but the Bible has guided me not just spiritually as a Christian, but professionally as well. There are a few scriptures in particular that are guiding principles for me as a creative and businesswoman. First, Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This scripture gives me confidence that as long as my foundation is in God, all that I wish for in my professional life will happen. Another verse I turn to especially when times are challenging comes from Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” I’m often someone who moves quickly when sparked with a creative idea, but when things don’t go as planned or don’t happen as quickly as I would like, this scripture reminds me that sometimes I need to play the long game, build my resilience, and rely on God to give me the strength that I need to soar. Finally, when it comes to interpersonal relationships/networking/etc., I find that Colossians 4:6 is helpful. It says “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” This scripture reminds me that I should strive to have both kind and effective words to say. I should steer clear from being too harsh if I have a criticism, but I should also not neglect to say things that are truly effective and impactful even if it may not be as comfortable.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Ultimately, I want to be a published novelist! That is my biggest professional goal at this point in my career, and I’m working consistently to reach it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stationedwithstories.com
• Instagram: @stationed_story
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keliciahollisjessie/
• Twitter: @stationed_story

Image Credits
Darius Jessie, Linda Griffith