About me

From grants and stories to parenting and productivity, this blog will delight.

I am a storyteller and researcher and I care deeply about how to make things last.

Learn more

Keep

I begin each post with the word ‘Keep’ for two reasons; 1) It’s the first word I wrote when I started this blog during the pandemic in 2020; and 2) It’s how I last. The pandemic brought so much change, one of which was a desire to keep only things that mattered with each passing day. Here I attempt to keep something, my love for grant-writing, stories, my children, and all things connected to thriving through the light and hurdles of life. If you are a parent in an academic/research setting, wondering how to balance it all? I’ve got you covered with simple tips that continue to help me parent and maintain my academic productivity. My blog offers stories and tips on grant-writing, parenting, and productivity across a range of issues that is sure to help you navigate your work.

Grants

2022 was the year I finally found the courage to call myself a grant writer. It’s a skill, just like playing violin or dancing on ice. It’s a skill I continue to learn to master through success and failures. I have also failed more times with grants, but these days, the success are simply astounding. Each grant varies in style and depth, but they have one thing in common; the desire to persist. Here, I share tips on writing grants, including hacks that led to some successes and ways to embrace the failures that grants brings. Grants are special to me. I can help you learn how to persist and embrace grant writing as a skill.

Stories

I grew up in Nigeria with a television show entitled “Tales by Moonlight (TBM).” A lady gathered children around and proceeded to tell them stories about life. Every story had a meaning and helped to instill the power of words to me. This blog is an attempt to continue the legacy of TBM but this time via tales on life as a mother to four brilliant children, and an incredible life partner, while working as a grant writer and researcher. The stories are my attempt to do what Arthur Ashe reminds all of us to do always by starting where you are, using what you have and doing what you can to make this world a better place. Here I use stories to share the force and beauty of silence, survival and being black and female in academic settings. I also showcase motherhood and life in all its light and through all its hurdles so that our stories, those of black women in particular, form part of the fabric of society that lasts.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Do subscribe and follow the blog for the latest updates on grants, stories, parenting and productivity.

Juliet Iwelunmor-Ezepue, PhD

Latest from the blog

  • Keep Mahogany!
    I remember having dinner with her one workday evening. Looking back those evenings were rare and special and Boulevard Garibaldi with all its restaurants were a space for healing for souls weary from living and working in the city of lights. They say we are supposed to be grateful. The Tour Eiffel was our constant […]
  • Keep freedom!
    F is for freedom, for all the ways minds focused on it are truly free. I finished my Dream course today. It taught me my purpose, gave me my joy, helped to craft the story my life, one that I hope to tell soon. I see the vision clearly now. This change with the season […]