Shennell Barnes is a writer, filmmaker, and social impact leader committed to amplifying the voices and untold stories of marginalized communities. Her work lives at the intersection of personal narrative and collective healing, exploring themes of love, resilience, and liberation through the lived experiences of Black women.

As the creator and executive producer of Dear America: A Letter from Black Women—a critically acclaimed documentary chronicling Black women's pivotal role in democracy—Barnes has established herself as a powerful voice in contemporary storytelling. She is also the host of Dear America with Shennell Barnes on WOR 710, a radio show dedicated to exploring political engagement and civic activism through compelling conversations.

Barnes is the founder of Project Ready, a national nonprofit focused on advancing equity and empowering disenfranchised communities, and Be Ready, a political action committee supporting Black women’s leadership. Across her platforms, she has built a community of over 40,000 members and reached millions through her media projects.

Drawing from her personal experiences navigating marriage, motherhood, and self-reclamation, Barnes brings both vulnerability and authority to her debut memoir Between the Silence: Letters from the Fractured Core of a Black Marriage. Her writing is shaped by the literary legacies of bell hooks, Maya Angelou, and Audre Lorde, and she seeks to offer readers a path to healing and self-discovery through her work.

Barnes lives in East Orange, New Jersey, where she continues to build movements, tell transformative stories, and raise her three children and six bonus children.