Meet Rolanda T. Pyle | Author and Social Worker, LMSW

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rolanda T. Pyle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rolanda T., is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?

I think the most important factor behind the success of my writing is that writing is one of my gifts. It was not something that I planned to do. I just used to write because I was shy, inhibited and found it easier to write to express myself than to talk to people. So I started writing, especially poetry for every occasion. Eventually, folks started asking me why haven’t I published my poems or when did I plan to do so.

I think folks relate to my writing because I write about anything and everything. I started by writing poems for people for special occasions, for birthdays, for holidays, for Black History Month, etc., and then expanded to other areas.
After many years, I published my first book of poetry – “FINALLY’ – because I finally accomplished it. My second book of poetry, “All Things,” won the Poetry of Life contest and was published this past year (2023). I also published a devotional collection, “Beneath His Everlasting Wings” with contributions from many writers and my first children’s book, “Grandma’s Hands.”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I am a licensed social worker in the field of aging. I work with caregivers of persons with Alzheimers and Dementia, grandparents who are raising grandchildren and seniors in need. I consider myself a seniors’ advocate and specialize in helping seniors obtain the services they need.

I started out wanting to help people. First I wanted to be a teacher until I went to junior high and saw how students really acted out with our teachers. Even with those experiences, all I knew was that I wanted to help people. While in college, I started interning at an alcohol detox unit.  A woman complained about their children in the foster care system and what was happening with them. So I decided upon graduating that I was going to work in the foster care system and I was going to change it.

Well, I worked in it for a few years, but I hated it. It kept me down and depressed. Then I started working in foster care prevention (where we would work with the families to help prevent them from having their children placed in the foster care system).

I started a project where I would place volunteers in the homes to help these mothers. One of the things I noticed was that when the volunteer was an older woman/man, the biological parent would get along with them and learn from them, usually forming a bond that helped the entire family.

A couple of years later, a friend went to work for an agency that got a grant to assist grandparents raising grandchildren.  He asked me to come on board to run the program. The program was great and I was later asked by New York City’s Department for the Aging to run their “Grandparent Resource Center.” The program grew and became a national model.

I received numerous awards including the distinguished Sloan Public Service Award and HBO’s Beah Richards Spirit Award.  The New York Daily News named me one of the “100 Women Who Shape Our City.”

One day I was reflecting on the work I do and how it had grown, and it came to me that one of the reasons I knew how to do this work was because I had lived it. One of the greatest lessons I learned was that our life experiences, even the bad, can be turned around and used for good.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I would take them to see a Broadway play. I love Broadway and the plays and there is always something great to see.  If it was around Christmas time, I would take them to Radio City to see the Rockettes and view the Rockefeller Center tree. I would take them to eat and try different cuisines in NY whether Italian, Mexican, Southern Soul Food, Caribbean, Thai, Spanish, and more. And of course, we would have to go to a sports game, depending on the season – either to see the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, New York Mets or Yankees, or the NY Rangers.

Then, we could go to one of the museums and view an exhibit.
If it’s summer time, definitely a boat ride up the Hudson or a lunch cruise and then go to Coney Island and the beach. We could always get tickets to the taping of a TV show –  “The View,” “Tamron Hall,” “Stephen Colbert,” “Sherri Shepherd,” or others.
We would definitely go on a ride on the subway, especially if they have never been on one.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My appreciation goes to all the authors I read as a young girl. I loved to read and spent hours in the library. Reading took me to places I had never gone, nor thought I would go to. One of the authors I have to definitely acknowledge is Maya Angelou. Her book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” was required reading in junior high school and it helped me to overcome the pain from a life situation. It also motivated me to write my children’s story book, “Grandma’s Hands,” because I wanted to reach children in the same situation, but at a younger age.

I would also have to mention my 8th grade teacher, Ms. Giskin. She told me I had a creative writing ability and that stuck with me throughout the years.

I also honor my father – he made sure that we read books and did well in school, and then all of my family, friends, my church brothers and sisters who have encouraged me and supported me by buying and reading my books and giving me their honest reviews.

And of course, I have to thank God,  who gave me this gift and talent!

Website: https://bit.ly/roroscommunications

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roroscommunications/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rolanda-pyle-b91ba314

Twitter: @RolandaPyle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rorosrainbow/

Image Credits
Rolanda Pyle