A strong black woman, a social worker and a devoted member of a loving family, but above all else, Rolanda Pyle is a woman of God. Her first collection of poetry, Finally, is an intensely personal rumination on the way her indomitable faith has guided her path in life. Pyle writes passionately about the challenges she has faced — her painful struggles with relationships, weight loss and sickness — and the divine light, which inspired her to overcome them. Her verse sings of survival, celebrating God's love and the power of perseverance. —Long Island University Magazine
Poem "A Tribute to Daddy's Music" copyright by Rolanda T. Pyle
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Grandma's Hands
Today, millions of children are living with millions of grandparents and other relatives
without their parents. Grandma's Hands shows how patience, compassion and love start to mend a broken heart. (Illustrated by Brandon Coleman)
Formats: Perfect Bound Softcover (Color) and E-Book
Rolanda’s Story Corp interview gives some insight into why she eventually wrote her book, “Grandma’s Hands”. Here is Rolanda's interview with StoryCorp for 2015. To hear the interview, hit the link: https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/lsk001057/
"I felt your book was done very well. Each individual writer was very inspiring. Tamika Nurse touched me deeply, as well as a few others. I enjoyed the book greatly." —Felecia Coston Jordan
"...a collection of inspirational devotions, poems and short stories that make you reflect on your life and the struggles you might have endured. Reading this was like a breath of fresh air... It was a great, power-packed read."
—Cheryl Hayes, APOOO Book Club, 5-star review
THIS DEVOTIONAL MINISTERS to those going through difficult situations by providing devotional tools to help readers cope with life challenges. It features a host of authors on diverse topics that affect us in our everyday walk in life. Some authors share personal stories and testimonies.
"This wonderful devotional was compiled by Rolanda T. Pyle. It will lift your spirit when things get rough and you will be challenged to strive to live right and do right for the betterment of others. The testimonies will encourage you to: "walk in victory, expectation and power!", and "step up to the plate and let the enemy know that no matter what he throws your way, you will not strike out!" By the time you finish these devotionals you will be comforted in knowing that "Troubles don't always last." —Black Christian Book Review
"As I read each testimony I shed so many tears..."
—Jameelah, C&B's Book Reviews, 5-star review
BE INSPIRED! BE UPLIFTED! Read Rolanda T. Pyle's poem, "The Power of Social Work," on the website of The New Social Worker, the social work careers magazine.
ROLANDA SHARES A HEARTWARMING true life story of how God turned her childhood disappointments into blessings beyond her imagination on the blog, The Power of a Thankful Heart.
ROLANDA PYLE IS COAUTHOR of the chapter, "Grandparents as Family Caregivers," appearing in the new edition of The Encyclopedia of Elder Care. Sample and order it now.
GUMBO FOR THE SOUL PUBLICATIONS' fourth anthology is available now. Gumbo for the Soul: Men of Honor (Special Cancer Awareness Edition) encompasses a focus on humanitarianism, honor and the health concerns affecting men with a particular focus on prostate cancer. This anthology reflects stories woven into our legacy, carried by time and preserved with love.
Rolanda Pyle is featured in the new anthology with her memoir, "Life with Father."
ROLANDA T. PYLE is a licensed social worker and consultant. She is currently the Part-time Community Outreach Specialist at Sunnyside Community Services CARE NYC, where she was previously Assistant Director. She was a consultant with the Assigned Counsel Project, and before that, Associate Director of the Brookdale Foundation's Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) at the Brookdale Foundation. She was also the Director of the New York City Department for the Aging's Grandparent Resource Center for ten years.
She has received numerous awards for her work with grandparents raising grandchildren, including the 2004 Sloan Public Service Award and HBO's 2004 Beah Richards Spirit Award. New York's Daily News named her one of the "100 Women Who Shape Our City" in April 2004.
Rolanda was on the "Storytime - Episode 70" of the MrGentlemanLifestyle podcast on Sunday, May 9th, 2021. Here is the podcast episode on YouTube...
About Publications:
Rolanda is a contributing author to a newly published anthology, "Daughters of A King." The book, presented by Torise Hiller, is "is a collection of wealth and wisdom shared by a group of powerful, soul- bearing sisters." It is available for purchase via the link listed above.
Rolanda's March poem honoring Social Workers was itself honored by the National Association of Social Workers' NYC chapter, and on The New Social Worker website.
"Grandma's Hands" is now listed on the A.Cole Books website.
An essay by Rolanda is included in the anthology "We Made It! Essays Reflecting on the New Year, " edited by JK Larkin. It can be purchased at Amazon.
Rolanda is featured in the 2021 Growth Women's Business Networks Calendar for the month of June. Calendars can be purchased at http://bit.ly/GWBN2021Calendar
Rolanda was in the December 2020 edition of the Growth Women Business Network Magazine. Take a look here.
Two of Rolanda's poems are included in the anthology "Tis The Seasons: Poems for Your Holiday Spirit, " edited by JK Larkin. It can be purchased at Amazon.
Rolanda's story, "The Promise of the Rainbow, " is included in the book "The Beauty Within: Stories of Spiritualty, Faith and Love," edited by JK Larkin. It can be purchased at Amazon.
Don't forget to buy your favorite child a great book to read. Even Santa agrees!!!!!! (lol) To purchase "Grandma's Hands," look on the right side of this very page!
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Grandma's Hands is now on on Ruthy's Reading Room starting November 29th!
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Rolanda's full interview about grandparenting on the November 16th GrandLife podcast is now online. You can listen to it here.
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Grandma's Hands is noted on the Children's Fiction Picture Books page of the American Book Fest. View it here.
Listen to Rolanda reading her September poem in honor of grandparents here. She will also have a full interview on the November 16th GrandLife podcast. Thanks to GrandLife!
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Rolanda's essay, "Lessons From the Journey" is included in the compilation The Christian Woman: Essays from the Heart, published by Church Woman United.
The latest RRC Newsletter is available here.Want to get it in your own e-mailbox? Subscribehere!
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A section of Rolanda's upcoming memoir, "Who's That Lady?" was chosen by the Preservation Foundation's Storyhouse collection. The foundation's objective is to "preserve the extraordinary stories of 'ordinary people.'"
Rolanda's poem "A Tribute to Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren" is in the July 2020 edition of GRAND magazine. The magazine is specifically about and for grandparents "living the ageless life." Click here to view the poem online.
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Rolanda's newest work was featured in 50in50: Love in the Time of Corona on Thursday, May 28th at 8 pm EST on Facebook Live!
Rolanda's new work featured in 50in50: Letters to Our Sons April 4th on Facebook Live! (Update)
The Billie Holiday Theatre, Inc. brings you the highly anticipated #50in50: Letters to Our Sons. 10 dynamic women actors from across the country read stories by 50 Black women writers from across the world who “consider both the world they inherited and the one they’d like to create.” Live music by Maritri Garrett and Tayler Harris. Directed by Indira Etwaroo. Curatorial Statement by Dominique Morisseau.
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Rolanda's new work featured in 50in50: Letters to Our Sons (Original Post)
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A performance piece was chosen by the Billie Holiday Theater in Brooklyn, NY for 50in50: Letters to Our Sons, a continuation to last year's 50 in 50: Letters to Our Daughters. It is a theatrical reading event that was curated by 2018 MacArthur “Genius” Dominique Morriseau. A group of 50 women “consider both the world they inherited and the one they’d like to create.”
Rolanda said that she was "so excited and honored" to be chosen. The work "was written to and for my nephews, godsons and younger cousins."
Her work was scheduled to have been read by an esteemed collective of women actors in LA at the WACO Theater, as well as on Saturday, March 14th at 3 pm and 7 pm and on Sunday, March 15th at 3 pm Update: Due to the NYS Public Health mandate on gatherings, the performance was rescheduled ro April 4th. (See above)
"I am so excited, humbled and grateful!" Rolanda was a Kingdom Image Award Nominee Finalist in two categories. One is for "Author of the Year" and the other is for "Kingdom Cares Community Service." The Kingdom Image Awards honors "Christian arts for their contribution to the Kingdom, within their local Faith-based community."
The Author of the Year award was voted on by the public through September 1st.
See the informational video here. Read about Rolanda's nomination here.
The 2019 Awards Ceremony was held October 10-12 in Columbus, OH.
National Map entries (if you go to the national map):
My Grandmother Taught Me .....#140
I Always Heard God.......... #81
Growing Up........... #73
The "All Things" Basket...... #183
The Kings County Map entries (if you go to the Kings County map):
My Grandmother Taught Me .....# 51
I Always Heard God.......... #28
Growing Up........... #26
The "All Things" Basket...... #61
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Rolanda was honored by her public school (P. S. 9 in Brooklyn, NY) by highlighting her as the April 2019 alumni of the month in their newsletter. "I loved this public school!", she stated.
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NOW AVAILABLE!All three of Rolanda's books are now available at Good News Nook Bookstore at Calvary Baptist Church, 10 Martin Luther King Avenue, Morristown, NJ on Sundays!
ROLANDA 's two poems, "Asthma" and "What’s in a Name" are a part of a new publication, LEAP Voices—Stories of Challenges, Resilience and Hope. This publication is a part of the LEAP (Longitudinal Educational Experience Advancing Patient Partnerships) at Weill Cornell Medicine. All contributions were donated by LEAP patient-teachers. This publication will be shared with patients throughout the Weill Cornell hospital LEAP program and elsewhere.
ROLANDA T. PYLE received the Community Playmaker of the Game Award from NY Liberty and Walmart at Madison Square Garden before a Liberty game. She was recognized on court for her community service volunteer work with seniors.
ROLANDA T. PYLE'S poem, "A Tribute to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren"(this month's poem) was featured on page 26 in the Harlem Community Newspaper in the Vol. 21, No. 36, September 8, 2016 edition. This poem was also published in the July-September 2017 issue of Metro News on page 6.
MAMA LEFT ME is a new book by Carol Ingram Moore that addresses a subject close to Rolanda's heart: children raised by their grandparents. She's quoted in the book.
ROLANDA'S POPULAR POEM "The Power of Social Work" was reprinted on the website of The New Social Worker. Other poems on social work were posted throughout the month of March.
ROLANDA T. PYLE WAS ONE of these generous New Yorkers honored by Citymeals-On-Wheels for ten or more years of service in a beautiful celebration in Grand Central Station on April 20, 2016. From left to right: Kathy James, Vivienne Papadatos, Sheila Clay (Citymeals Volunteer Coordinator), Vivienne O’Neill (Citymeals Director of Volunteer Programs), Candy Martinez, Rolanda Pyle, Felice Seltzer, and Janelyne Devoe.
This month's poem is in honor of both Father's Day and National Black Music Month : 
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ROLANDA T. PYLE received the 
