Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton: Acclaimed author and advocate transforming personal and social challenges into powerful stories that inspire resilience and compassion.
Sandra Kearse-Stockton’s Journey of Resilience
Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton’s inspiring journey from author to advocate highlights her transformative power of storytelling, as she turns struggles into legacies, fostering empathy, resilience, and empowerment for readers and communities.
Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton is an extraordinary name in the landscape of storytelling and advocacy, using her craft to inspire, connect, and empower. As a skilled author, devoted mentor, and passionate changemaker, Sandra has touched countless lives. Her widely celebrated trilogy, 480 Codorus Street, has become a shining example of storytelling excellence. Through its vivid exploration of family, race, and adversity in 1950s America, Sandra uses her own personal journey to deliver relatable and powerful messages of resilience, grace, and perseverance.
In this issue of Mosaic Digest, we had the honour of delving into Sandra’s world, exploring how she transformed challenges into lessons and created stories that inspire readers to overcome adversities in their own lives.
Building Generational Wealth Through Storytelling
Sandra’s first memoir, 480 Codorus Street, opens a poignant window into her upbringing in York, Pennsylvania. Her primary intent in writing the book was to leave a meaningful legacy for her children. At the time, Sandra and her husband were contemplating how they could pass something of value to their children. “We didn’t have money or properties to leave behind,” Sandra explained, “but I realised that sharing my story could be their generational wealth. Money can be spent, but stories, and the lessons within, last forever.”
Her decision to share her family’s history sparked a new tradition—preserving meaningful legacies through storytelling. By baring her own struggles and triumphs, Sandra gives not only her children but also readers everywhere an enduring testament to perseverance and strength.
Highlights
- Writing 480 Codorus Street as generational wealth for her children to preserve family history and inspire others.
- Co-authoring Runaway Train with her daughter, addressing emotional struggles caused by memory loss.
- Sharing transformative experiences from 26 years in foster care, fostering over 100 children.
- Reflecting on her military service, which taught her vital lessons of discipline and patience for her writing journey.
- Encouraging aspiring authors to seek mentors and approach their craft with persistence and discernment.
- Using storytelling to bridge societal divides and promote empathy through her life-changing narratives.
- Plans to expand her body of work into fiction while continuing to focus on lasting legacies.
Strength, Patience, and Creativity Shaped by Life
Sandra attributes much of her resilience and creativity to her service in the United States Air Force and Army. Her time in the military taught her endurance and patience, traits that continue to serve her well as a writer. “The military is one of the most mentally and physically challenging experiences. It teaches you patience—something every writer needs,” she said.
“We didn’t have savings or property to leave,
but my story became my children’s generational wealth.”
– Kearse-Stockton
But storytelling has been part of Sandra’s life for as long as she can remember. The second eldest of seven siblings, she grew up sharing stories to entertain her brothers and sisters. This love for storytelling continued, passing naturally to her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
Fostering Hope and Breaking Barriers
During her 26 years as a foster carer, Sandra opened her home to more than 100 children. From this experience, she shares many inspiring stories, including a profound one involving a 17-year-old boy who was raised in a household steeped in racism.
“The military is one of the most physically and mentally
challenging experiences; it taught me patience—a necessary trait for writing.”
– Kearse-Stockton
“One day, we took him and another foster child to a restaurant,” Sandra recounted. “He had tears in his eyes and said he didn’t know Black people went out to dinner like White people.” By providing the boy with love and positive experiences, she helped challenge his limited worldview. Remarkably, after the boy’s untimely death, his father—a known Ku Klux Klan supporter—approached Sandra and her husband at the funeral, thanking them for caring for his son and hugging them both.
This emotional journey reflects Sandra’s belief that foster care is about more than providing a home—it is about offering hope, fostering understanding, and bridging societal divides.
Writing With Purpose and Healing
Sandra’s writing also expands beyond personal narratives, delving into social issues that resonate deeply. Her book Runaway Train, co-authored with her daughter Karmentrina Kearse, tackles the emotional struggles caused by memory loss. Inspired by their own personal experiences of caregiving within their family, the work is a resource for those grappling with similar challenges. “Memory loss is emotionally devastating,” Sandra shared. “This book offers tools to help families navigate these painful situations.”
Sandra’s ability to face past struggles and transform them into empowering lessons shines in her work. By reframing painful memories as opportunities to help others, she delivers healing, courage, and hope through each word she writes.
Inspiring Future Generations and Aspiring Authors
Family remains a central part of Sandra’s storytelling and life. Her husband and children have always been steadfast in their support of her writing journey, and their encouragement has fueled her work.
Sandra also advises aspiring authors to seek guidance carefully. She highlights the value of mentorship, crediting a mentor with guiding her early writing success. However, she encourages writers to research mentors thoroughly and avoid predatory individuals seeking to exploit new talent. “Writing takes so much more than creativity—it takes guidance, persistence, and discernment,” she stated.
A Future of Stories That Last Forever
While her current works are rooted in personal experience, Sandra dreams of exploring fiction to further expand her storytelling. Her belief that “a book is forever” compels her to create works with lasting impact, encouraging others to find courage in their own stories and to pass their experiences on to future generations.
Sandra L. Kearse-Stockton’s path from adversity to triumph showcases the transformative power of storytelling. Her works inspire connection, healing, and resilience, leaving a legacy that will touch lives for generations. Mosaic Digest is honoured to spotlight her journey and her remarkable contributions.
