Ibelisse Sánchez, also known as Mimi by family and friends, is a writer and an artist. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and comes from a family of Puerto Rican heritage. Ibelisse was raised by her maternal grandparents and introduced to the Christian faith at a tender age. As far back as she can remember, she was exposed to the visual arts by her grandfather, a notable expressionist painter. Her hunger for learning and passion for making a difference in the world was influenced by her grandfather’s dedication to his craft until the age of 84 and her grandmother’s heart of hospitality. She dedicated 15 years to caring for her grandparents at home during their older years living with Alzheimer’s and Chronic Kidney Disease and has a heart of compassion for caregivers.
Ibelisse received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she also studied art education. She was later accepted into a dual-degree program of study receiving a Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary and a Master of Social Work from The University of Chicago. Although Ibelisse is passionate about many things, her unwavering faith in Jesus has driven her work. As a Licensed Social Worker, she recently devoted almost a decade to helping those incarcerated successfully reintegrate into society by sharing messages of freedom through healthy mindsets, behaviors, and relationships.
When Ibelisse is not writing, she enjoys reading, art, crochet, WWII-based movies, and coconut desserts. She also delights in taking air or road trips with her musician and producer husband Merl, recently checking off a bucket list cross-country trip to the Redwood Forest in California via Amtrak. They currently make their home in Chicago.
If you want to learn more about Ibelisse or connect with her, you can find her on social media or write to her at ibelisse@awritersinkhorn.com.
