Ayanna Murray

Blogger, Christian, Concerned citizen, Connector, Consultant, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Event planner, Life mentor, Parent, Performer, Producer, Writer/Editor

Ayanna Murray is a children's book author and entrepreneur focused on publishing diverse, unknown, and untold stories. Ayanna understands the value of representation and has made it her mission to add a plethora of multi-ethnic books and products into the marketplace to impact how under-represented children see themselves in the world. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Ayanna has a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Minor in Spanish from the University of Oregon. She often jokes that after raising four children and serving as a homeschool educator for almost two decades, she now has a Master's in "Mothering." While educating her children from preschool through high school and developing curriculum, Ayanna saw the immense need for children's stories that feature children of color. With this need in mind, Ayanna started her media company, Power of the Pen, LLC. She hopes to address the lack of diversity in literature, create positive narratives and expose children's curiosity about life experiences and stories beyond their own. Ayanna believes that by tapping into these stories, she can inspire children and adults to keep learning about the world around them and realize that although we are different, we all have much more in common. She loves speaking to children in classrooms and after-school programs and helping them create stories to share with the world. Every voice matters to Ayanna, so she has volunteered to plan and execute the TEDxPeabody Park Youth event for Memphis youth in October 2023. Ayanna moved to Memphis, TN, in 2019 and was quickly impressed with the talented youth she encountered. Selected during the 2020 Covid Pandemic Lockdown, her eldest daughter Jayda Murray gave a virtual TED-ED Student Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMXqbVOW5js). Afterward, Ayanna saw TEDx Talks as a fantastic platform for youth to share their experiences and ideas with the world. Due to her daughter's positive experience, Ayanna has volunteered her event planning expertise by hosting the 2023 TEDxPeabody Park Youth event for her local community and allowing other young people to shine on stage.