Hello, I’m Elease A. Wiggins, a Brooklyn native with over 20 years of experience in community and professional development. I’m an author, TEDx speaker, college professor, and coach, dedicated to creating opportunities that improve literacy, employment, and wellness for families in New York and New Jersey.

In 2015, I self-published “A Farewell to Welfare: 25 Strategies to Freedom, Independence, and Prosperity”, a book empowering mothers to reach their career and educational goals through faith. That same year, I founded ELEASE, LLC, a company focused on coaching, staff training, and publishing.

Seeing a lack of support for adult learners, I partnered with organizations like the Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, Raymour & Flanigan, and the Brooklyn Public Library in 2018 to host a bookbag drive for adult students. By 2019, 89% of participants earned their General Equivalency Diplomas, which inspired the creation of Communities Promoting Reading, a nonprofit promoting intergenerational literacy and wellness. During COVID-19, we expanded our mission to reach even more families, and I continue to host monthly Book Club and Brunch events in Bergen County, NJ, and Putnam County, NY.

I am a graduate of the Brooklyn Job Corps Academy and hold an associate’s degree in public administration, a bachelor’s degree in applied business management from Medgar Evers College, and a master’s in urban studies from Queens College. I currently serve as a Trustee for the Englewood, NJ Board of Education.

My expanded book, “A Farewell to Welfare: 25 Strategies to Freedom, Independence, and Prosperity (Expanded & Updated),” combines personal stories and practical guidance, helping readers create their own personalized system of planning, motivation, and success.

Throughout my career, I’ve been committed to guiding communities, developing leaders, and creating programs that make a lasting impact.