Jeanette Stephens-El writes under the pen name Raining Deer and is the current Race Co-Chairman for the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. For the past three years she has been an affiliate leader as pledge chair and now race co-chair, and was instrumental in the affiliate raising upwards of $9.9 million. A breast cancer survivor, Jeanette is the author of BCV – Rites of Passage for Breast Cancer Victors, 10 Tips to Avoid Breast Cancer (Unless it’s in the Genes)” and T-Time: A Rites of Passage Manual for the Adolescent Female.
Born in southern New Jersey, Jeanette resided in Miami, Florida for 24 years where she was a contributing writer for several newspapers; served as creator/editor-in-chief of Southern Dawn Magazine; was publicist for Philip Michael Thomas (star of MIAMI VICE); founding director of a writers workshop; coordinator of a book fair for many years, and theatrical producer. While executive director of a cultural arts commission and serving on the boards of numerous arts organizations, she co-produced Today’s Children – Tomorrow’s World, a celebrity gala for a Children’s Aids Hospital featuring Dionne Warwick, Lauren Hutton and other stars. Additionally she has traveled extensively, studying Native American Medicine and Spirituality with a traditional shaman, as well as African spiritual and cultural traditions.
Jeanette’s unique perspective on "walking in your power" on the path to self-realization has her in demand as a much sought after speaker for events from Miami to New York, including radio and television. She has been featured in ABC News.com, the Philadelphia Tribune, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Boomer Living.com, WOW Magazine and in various publications from South Florida to California. Jeanette is the recipient of various awards, including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s Candace Award, the William R. Klaus Community Service Award from Pepper Hamilton LLP, and she is a 2011 City of Camden Mayor's Youth Council Honoree. She is featured in the 2010 book, Forever Young at 50+ and received a 2011 "Yes You Can" Award from Greater St. Augustine AME Zion Church.
Jeanette was a Knight Scholarship Recipient to Miami-Dade College where she worked closely with the Phi Theta Kappa Sorority. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Women and has one child, a son Sage.
In addition to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, other charities which Jeanette has supported are: BreastCancer.org; National Breast Cancer Coalition; Sisters Network Inc.; Army of Women; The American Cancer Society; Habitat for Humanity; Native Heritage Foundation of the Sioux Reservation; United People of the Cherokee Nation; and Disabled Veterans; St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital; The National Diabetes Foundation; and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Foundation.
