Maurisa Li-A-Ping, 
 M.S.Ed., M.F.A.

My journey began with poetry; it was one of my first languages for making sense of the world. I began writing around 12 years old, and I was slamming competitively by the time I was 15.

 

My passion and commitment to poetry opened doors. It led to a fully-funded scholarship at St. John’s University, where I became curious about how students connect and grow outside of the classroom. This curiosity inspired me to further my education in Higher Education Student Affairs at Indiana University. At IU I explored how poetry and creative practices foster identity development, team building, and storytelling for students.

As I worked with students, educators, and non-profit leaders, I noticed that data-driven approaches often overlooked creative practices and somatic knowledge. Learning Praxis Consulting emerged from this realization. We bridge traditional data with embodied wisdom to design and facilitate retreats, trainings, and learning strategies that foster goal alignment, team cohesion, and continuous growth.

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As Learning Praxis grew, I continued to deepen my creative writing practice. I was awarded a Nancy Craig Blackburn Fellowship in Randolph College's Creative Writing program. At Randolph, I began to explore: What might it feel like to make more space to honor the interiority of Black Queer Women, in addition to our resistance?

 

That question reshaped my creative work and led to the creation of Tulips in the Garden: A Black Queer Supper Club. We are a soft landing space for Black Queer millennials in Durham, North Carolina. We queer Sunday dinner, celebrate Black Queer joy, and engage in place-based solidarity. 

 

When I’m not writing, facilitating retreats, or stewarding community, you’ll find me taking a trail walk, painting my nails pink, or practicing yoga.