Lily Lewis
Lily Lewis grew up in the Texas Panhandle during the 1960's. During that time, there were laws against miscegenation, the interbreeding of people of different racial types. One half of her family were wealthy Thai diplomats from Bangkok, Thailand; the other half were modest farmers from the high plains of Texas. The environment was a hostile place for a family like hers.
Following a tumultuous childhood and adolescence, Ms. Lewis graduated from university with an undergraduate degree in performing arts and a Master's degree in English Literature and Guidance & Counseling. She began teaching when she was only 20 years old and has never looked back. Her experience includes 26 years in public high schools, 4 years in a Catholic school, 2 years in an Islamic school, 8 years of adjunct teaching at the college level, and 5 years in a charter school where she currently works. Teaching students how to think, not what to think, has been her life mission.
Due to repeated patterns of co-dependency, Ms. Lewis is a life-long member of Al-Anon and a fan of supports like cognitive behavioral therapy and transactional analysis. Many family members and companions suffered from addiction, mental instability, and numerous disorders thus creating hardships that were difficult to navigate. Writing, the arts, dance, and music have always provided a sense of well-being, escape, and healing.
Ms. Lewis possesses a wanderlust that has taken her on many journeys of exploration. She loves the West coast and carries many fond memories of time spent along the California coast. She also has many favorite places abroad where she enjoys a more European mindset. She believes that travel widens a person's worldview and allows them to find their place more aptly in a global landscape.
Coming from a small and dysfunctional family, Ms. Lewis attempted to make her own family a priority. Now, two sons and one daughter span the globe-one in Amsterdam, one in Boston, and another in Denver. While the distance is palpable, she manages to see them as often as she can and nourish her grandchildren the best she can. Her husband is also an educator, and they have defied the odds to survive 15 years of marriage and counting. They currently live in Austin where they both teach in local high schools.
