ABOUT JUANITA RILEY

I was born in Brooksville, Florida and raised in the Tampa Bay area. From early on, I was surrounded by the love and sacrifices of two powerful women—my mother and my aunt—who created a safe and nurturing foundation for me.

They noticed something in me even as a child—an intensity, a passion, and a voice that wouldn’t quiet down. I would get so excited speaking that my clothes would be soaked, and they would look at each other and say, “Something is wrong with our baby.” Years later, that “something” became part of my calling—and even the name of my trial sermon: “Something!” (and the working title of my future memoir).