Patricia Allen is a graduate of Ohio Universitys Scripps School of Journalism. She has worked in communications and media relations at a variety of institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York University, and Princeton University.
Description
"Full of secrets and scandals, the story of Reverend Mother Ruth is a compelling read through the complexity, rigidness, and fluidity of race in New York City in the twentieth century. A new perspective on Harlem and its strivers and the vision of one woman for the church."
--Winnie Varghese, dean of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
"The Strain of Other Blood is a must-read book. Patricia Allen uses her love for storytelling, along with her research and her experience living among Episcopal sisters, to tell the story of Reverend Mother Ruth--a person of color who was persistent and did not take no for an answer. Allens book will also shed new light on the Episcopal Churchs religious orders and communities, which are hidden treasures that deserve to be more widely known."
--Promise Atelon, Episcopal priest and sister in the Society of St. Margaret
"Writing with compassion and insight, Patricia Allen takes readers on a journey of one womans dedication and faith through trying times."
--Rick Hamlin, author of Everlasting Jesus: 40 Days of Timeless Wisdom in Modern Living
"The Strain of Other Blood chronicles portions of the life and work of Reverend Mother Ruth, who lived in the turbulence of being an African American woman who could pass for white and who learned to navigate that turbulence in ways that benefited her people. The courage, ingenuity, and pragmatism she exhibited in her lifetime can be instructive to us all as we navigate the challenges before us in our turbulent times. Patricia Allen gives us a valuable gift by bringing this amazing story to us now."
--Catherine Meeks, author of A Quilted Life: Reflections of a Sharecroppers Daughter