About Author

ABOUT the AUTHOR 

NOTICE: Enjoy this story as it unfolds...In other words, it's not complete. Thank-you for your patience, :)                        

      Ranya Elajah Snowden, born May 2, 1972 to Daisy Snowden and Anthony Thompson in Waukegan, IL. Ranya has always had an imaginative heart and mental capacity; she told her kindergarten classmates and teachers/aides that her original name was "Anthonette" (an-thwa-nett), after her father, and that she had two older sisters that worked as airline stewardesses.

     She was the only child born to her Mother, and the third eldest of nine children born to her Father.  Living in a single-parent home with her Mother, Ranya shared her Father with her siblings, and was surrounded by a complete family; included that her Mother's sister was living in the home just above their home on 834 Adams Street in Waukegan, IL.

     Ranya's imaginitive behavior found her on an invisible stage during her 1st grade schoolyear, as she arrived to school wearing her Mother's bra, stuffed with tissue; imagine the sight of a six-year old with boobs, standing at the chalkboard reciting "Roses Are Red".

     By her 3rd grade schoolyear, Ranya and her Mother moved to Detroit, Michigan.  It wasn't long before Ranya cranked up her imagination, and entertained any and every person she cam in contact with.  It was in Detroit, that a star was born.

     By the start of her secondary schoolyears, Ranya's imgination had taken her places only she could dream of, casting her dreams in a lake of curiosity among her classmates and teachers.  It was during these years that Ranya took her creativity level beyond her journals.  She participated in school plays, talent shows, and clubs.  Inspired by a school visit from Gary Coleman, Ranya knew what she wanted to do in life: Be Somebody.  Not just somebody, but SOMEBODY.  At that moment, Ranya's shyness took the backseat as she exceled in academics and extra-curricular activities.

     Another move within the metro Detroit area, Linwood or should we say, "Central" part of Detroit gave Ranya's imagination a whole other level to play with.  Attending Durfee Middle School inspired Ranya's imagination to let her fellow classmates and peers know that she was NO virgin, when indeed she was.  Of course, this gave her more credit than she actually wanted.  But, it wasn't long for the others to realize that Ranya wasn't, and hadn't "given up" anything.  That realization would be her entrance and description for years to come by her peers; it did more help than hurt.

     The High School years ... what a wonderful time for Ranya to spread her imginative wings.  It was during her high school years that Ranya earned the name, "RONYAE" - Creativity in the making - and it was here that RONYAE was born.

     RONYAE took over, and Ranya was co-pilot during the most fundamental part of Ranya's life; gaining accredited, positive exposure for her imagination and creativity, RONYAE participated in almost every sholastic course offered at Central High School.

     Being recognized for her academic productiveness, Ranya found herself in Project Challenge after making a 3.81 gpa (grade point average) in her Sophomore year at CHS.  The opportunity to take on more accelerated courses, Ranya wasted no time in joining various clus (FHA, Yearbook Staff, Spanish/French Clubs, Glee Club, JA, and NAACP School Program).  Out of all, the most helpful for her future would be her position on the Yearbook Staff: The Centralite, Central High School's yearbook's staff was RONYAE's home away from home for two consecutive years.