“My greatest desire is for people to know who they are from the inside-out, and to use that knowledge to create the life they desire and deserve.”

Born in Brooklyn in the back of a taxi, Vanzant was raised by her grandmother from the of age two after her mother died. A troubled and abusive childhood was followed by teen pregnancy, abusive marriages, and welfare. But it is from this very less-than-inspiring background that Vanzant has built the foundation for transformation. Not merely a survivor, Vanzant has become a standard bearer, a trend setter, and an inspiration to millions of people.

Finding her inner strength. Vanzant earned a B.S. degree from Medgar Evers College and a J.D. degree from Queens College Law School. She went on to become a practicing attorney, serving nearly four years as a public defender in Philadelphia. But what was still missing from her endeavors was what she refers to as spiritual growth. She began working with a group of women receiving public assistance, and based on her observations and relationship with the community, created lectures about changing their lives. Vanzant penned Tapping The Power Within: A Path To Empowerment For Black Women shortly thereafter. Her published contributions devising self-affirmations and personal rituals became a bestseller in 1992. Vanzant had discovered her cause and, the effect she could have on it.

In addition to Tapping the Power Within, Vanzant’s New York Times bestsellers include Yesterday I Cried, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, and In the Meantime, among many others.

Working for the empowerment of others. In addition to her books, Vanzant has established the Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she heads a training program for life coaches and regularly conducts weekend workshops for both men and women. She makes regular appearances on radio and national television.

Vanzant has appeared as a special guest on Oprah, The Tavis Smiley Show, The Chris Rock Show, and Moesha. Her work in print, in the media, and in a public forum, serves as a tool for finding balance and inner strength in our lives. She encourages audiences to learn how love, faith, forgiveness, and surrender are steps to gaining emotional power. She helps them identify and access their hidden strengths. Iyanla Vanzant’s personal, guided meditations for healing, clearing, and balancing, are from the heart for a healthier mind.

Hailed as one of the country’s most influential African Americans (Ebony Magazine) and among the 100 most influential women (Women’s Day), Iyanla Vanzant is a woman of passion, clear vision, and purpose dedicated to motivate others to create a better life, a better community, and a better world.