Shondra Bowie Riley
Poet. Writer. Fierce Stroke Survivor.
Embedded Files
photo by Hadley Norris
“Soulful, evocative poetry and essays with a brilliantly playful, honest and questioning edge” - Nelly Bryce
Biography
Shondra is a Black American Writer, Poet, Creative Practitioner, and Facilitator based in Scotland. Originally from Tongva Land (a.k.a. Los Angeles), she grew up in South L.A. in the 1980s. She has since lived on three continents, four countries, and ten cities, including London and Dubai. Her poetry essays and short stories have been described as accessible, deeply connecting, and "stories that will help so many."
Shondra believes that storytelling, in all its art forms, is what keeps us connected even when it seems all we want to do is disconnect.
In the 1990s, Shondra was a DJ on the L.A. pirate radio station, KBLT, and appeared in the documentary 40 Watts from Nowhere directed by Sue Carpenter, who also penned a book of the same name. Shondra became the first-ever resident DJ at the world-renowned Akbar, located in Silver Lake on Sunset Boulevard. She continued to DJ well into the 2010s in the US and UK.
Now living just outside Scotland's capital, Shondra is focused on community building and anti-racism in creative spaces. Writing has become her passion.
As well as writing poetry, she is currently writing a book about the experiences of a young black girl in South Los Angeles in 1984.
Published Writing
photo by Hadley Norris
As former Co-Editor and Writer for the blog and digital magazine True & Woke (now ZYA), Shondra has published articles on equity, climate change, gender-based violence, and personal essays on living with a disability. She has been published on Heroica and the University of Lincoln’s virtual exhibition ‘Rooms of Our Own: The Lockdown House’.
Shondra's Substack Relevant Sense presents her intersectional perspective in poetry and personal essays on themes of home, loss, and reclaiming.
Her short story, ‘Unmarked,’ is being published by Open Book as part of their May 2026 programme.
Shondra is a member of the Scottish BPOC Writers Network.
Poetry Performance and Hosting
Shondra at Load Poets Open Mic - Photo by Gilad Zinman
In 2024, Shondra was selected to read at Push the Boat Out’s showcase in Edinburgh’s International Book Festival. She was also a featured Poet at Rock the Boat, Push the Boat Out’s Open Mic as part of their 2024 International Poetry Festival.
Shondra has led a series of BPOC poetry workshops and co-led an interactive poetry installation, collaborating with One Dalkieth, The Men's Shed, Garvauld, and other local community groups for the 2025 Vogrie Pogrie Festival, where she was asked to host an Open Mic in the Poet-Tree Tent.
Community Work
Strategic Planning Consultant, Livity Youth Edinburgh, 2025-present
Trustee, One Dalkeith Development Trust, 2021- 2022
Director for Made in Midlothian C.I.C. - 2019-2022
Nominated for Midlothian Volunteer Awards “Manager of the Year” - March 2021
Received a commendation from the Scottish Parliament for dedication to supporting the local community during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020
Nominated for the Women’s Business Conference “Giving Back Award” - Nov 2020.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse