Teresa Short Mitchell was born the third oldest of ten children, reared in Brooklyn, Georgia (the outskirts of the small town of Richland), graduated Valedictorian from Stewart-Quitman High School, Honors from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), and holds an Educational Specialist degree from Troy State University (earning a 4.0 in the Masters and Educational Specialist degree programs), and has served as an administrator for Harris County and Fulton County Schools in Georgia. She began her educational career as a teacher in Pinellas County Florida and has taught for Fort Benning Schools in Georgia. She has been writing short stories, speeches and poetry since high school, and has several pieces published in the International House of Poetry. She frequently shares her gifts and talents at school functions and churches by reciting, motivating, presenting and/or introducing others with inspirational words of wisdom. She also has a self-published poetry book entitled, Heartfelt Words: Words Speak When Hearts Cannot. She dedicates this book to her grandson, Brian and her mother, Ardella Short who has taught by example, the power of faith. She has two children and ten grandchildren and currently resides in the Atlanta Metropolitan area.