“Whenever I heard on the news of a woman being beaten by the man she loves, or killed by him, I knew I had to tell my story.”

As a lifelong learner, Brenda Shaw-Pirtle received a Bachelor of Science degree from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. She went on to pursue graduate studies at California State University—Dominguez Hills before returning to Tennessee. Upon her return, Brenda obtained the Master of Education degree from Freed-Hardeman University, in Henderson, Tennessee. Her studies were then continued at Union University, in Germantown/Jackson, Tennessee, where she earned an Education Specialist degree. As a 30-year retired educator having served students in Shelby County Schools (legacy Memphis City Schools) for seventeen years, Brenda previously taught in the Jackson-Madison County School System of Jackson, Tennessee and Los Angeles Unified School District of Los Angeles, California.

As life took her to reside in Los Angeles, California, she received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit under the ministry of Dr. Frederick K. C. Price of Crenshaw Christian Center. In addition to the multitudinous capacity of her service work within the Christian community, Brenda is a 2012 graduate of the Missionary Auxiliary Alliance Institute (MAAI) having received the esteemed designation of Missionary-Evangelist.

Brenda is a member of Grace Church of God in Christ where Elder Oliver Williams is pastor. As a faithful member of Grace, she serves in various capacities as an Assistant on the Ministerial Team. Currently, she is the Intervention Facilitator at the church's Hope Center within the Domestic Violence Batterers Intervention Program.

Most recently, Brenda has authored the trilogy entitled "Tell Somebody: Two Years, Four Months, One Week, And A Day- A Memoir of a Battered Wife," which is slated for release in 2020. The much anticipated book series captures the essence of a young woman searching for herself amidst perpetual domestic abuse. Brenda aspires to encourage women who currently stand in the grips of maltreatment from the hands of a partner through her experience, words, and profound wisdom.

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