Keisha L. Jackson is a retired Air Force Veteran, creative writer, storyteller, family caregiver consultant, and founder of Encouraging Stories LLC, an online, multimedia hub that provides encouraging, entertaining, and educational content to its family caregiver community. Keisha's desire to write became apparent when her Creative Writing teacher challenged her to describe a color to someone blind. She had no idea that someone would later be her grandfather.
After graduating high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where the "ABCs" of writing weren't taught, they were ingrained. After twenty-two years of honorable service, Keisha signed to become an inspirational writer for Global Woman Magazine. Shortly after her mother was diagnosed with Stage Four inoperable lung cancer. Keisha resigned to become her primary caregiver. Six months after her mother's death, one of her brothers fell causing internal bleeding, broken ribs, and was placed on life support. Keisha became his primary caregiver.
While helping her brother, Keisha started attending caregiver conferences. She noticed invaluable information was shared but few people of color and even fewer men were in attendance. She started thinking of creative ways to help "get the word out" about caregiver topics-the impetus to Encouraging Stories LLC.
- In 2016/2017, Keisha drafted her first screenplay loosely based upon the last three years of caring for her mom. A former Congresswoman learned of her project and expressed interest in financing it, but her spouse became ill.
- In 2019, Keisha executive-produced and released a single "You're a Caregiver" with two-time Grammy nominee, Chris "Big Dog" Davis--the song received a 2019 Caregiver Friendly Award in Media and reached #16 on the Indie Soul Chart.
- In 2020, Keisha became the guest panelist for Chicago's WVON 1690AM's America's Heroes Group Roundtable We Are Globally Connected," a monthly Family Caregiver radio show for veterans. She also recaps each show in an article printed in the Chicago Crusader Newspaper and is a content contributor to SheVet Media.
- In 2021 Keisha and Mr. Davis teamed again to release a smooth jazz version of "CAREGIVER." She is also co-authoring her first children's caregiver book "Karegiver Kidz: Steve and Max" with former NFL player, motivational speaker, and children's book author Ken Harvey, as well as partnering with retired Army Veteran and Creative Strategist Wanda "Sistah Soldier" Petty to create "SheVet Caregivers" a YouTube Channel for military family caregivers.
Keisha has a Master's in Information Systems degree, is a member of the Virginia Production Alliance, Women in Film & Video, Washington, DC, Veterans in Media and Entertainment, DC Chapter, a SheVet Media affiliate, an AARP, Northern Virginia Community Ambassador and Speakers Bureau volunteer, an AARP Houston volunteer, and a Red Cross Military and Veteran Caregiver Network volunteer.
Keisha resides in Northern, Virginia.
