Chelec Pinckney shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Chelec, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A Moment of Pride
Recently, I experienced a moment that truly filled me with pride and gratitude. My students surprised me by writing heartfelt notes on the back of little pumpkin cutouts. Their words warmed my heart, made me laugh, and reminded me why I love what I do.
One student thanked me for making learning fun and engaging, mentioning my quick comebacks and funny sayings that keep the classroom lively. Another sweetly wrote that she loves my style. Reading their notes, I felt both proud and humbled. It’s moments like these that affirm the impact of teaching—not just in what we teach, but in how we make students feel seen, valued, and inspired.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
About Me
Hi, I’m Chelec Pinckney—educator, author, and relationship coach with a heart for healing and unity. As a high school World History and Honors World History teacher, I’ve spent years helping students understand the world and their place in it. But my calling goes beyond the classroom.
I’m deeply passionate about helping couples and individuals understand how they’re wired—how they’re uniquely designed to give and receive love and respect. Too many relationships suffer heartbreak through divorce or separation, often because of unmet needs and misunderstood intentions. I believe that when people truly understand each other, they can bridge the gap and build something lasting.
My book, *Back in Balance: How to love her the way she needs to be loved and how to respect him the way he needs to be respected*, was born from this mission. Now, I’m turning it into a course to help couples rediscover the power of unity through understanding each other differences. The Bible says, “If any two of you would touch and agree…”—and husbands and wives already *are* the two. They just need to agree. I’m here to help them do just that.
Whether through teaching, writing, or coaching, my goal is to inspire growth, healing, and purpose—one relationship at a time.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Learning to Love My Reflection
As a child, I was often teased for something I had no control over—my dark skin. I was called names like “darky,” “blacky,” and “midnight.” Those words cut deep. They planted seeds of self-doubt and made me question my worth. I began to believe that my skin made me less than, that my Black wasn’t beautiful.
That belief followed me for years, quietly shaping how I saw myself and how I allowed others to treat me. But as I grew older, something shifted. I began to see myself through a different lens—not the distorted one handed to me by others, but the one crafted by God. I realized that my dark skin is not a flaw—it’s a reflection of beauty, strength, and resilience.
Now, I love my deep, rich skin. I embrace it fully. If someone else can’t see the beauty in it, that’s not my burden to carry—it’s theirs. I’ve learned to love myself against all odds, and that love has become a foundation for the work I do today: helping others heal, grow, and see their own worth.
“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”— Carl Jung
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Overcoming the Fear of Rejection
The fear that held me back the most in life was the fear of rejection. It’s amazing how the seeds planted in our past can grow into barriers in our present. For me, those seeds were sown through the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. That experience shattered my self-esteem and made me feel unworthy of love, acceptance, and belonging.
I became quiet, shy, and withdrawn—more comfortable in the background than in the spotlight. I carried the weight of rejection like a shadow, always expecting to be overlooked or dismissed. But everything began to change when I found the courage to share my story.
Speaking out about my abuse was terrifying, but it became the very thing that set me free. As I opened up, I discovered that my voice had power—not just to heal me, but to help others break free from their own chains of silence and shame. I realized that fear only has the power we give it, and I made a decision: I would no longer let fear control my life.
Now, I walk in freedom, using my story to bring healing, hope, and restoration to others. What once held me back has become the very thing that propels me forward.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
What you see is what you get.
I recently had a heart-to-heart with my eldest daughter, and it brought me to tears. As a single mother of five, I often reflect on what I could have done better. There are moments when I’m really hard on myself, wondering if I gave them everything they needed.
But my daughter, now in her late 30s, looked at me and said, *“Mama, you did a great job raising us. You were never two different mamas. The mama at home was the same mama at church. The mama in public was the same mama at home.”*
That meant everything to me.
I’ve always strived to live with integrity—to be the same person whether I’m teaching in a classroom, speaking at a church, or sitting at the dinner table with my children. My journey hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been real. And I believe that kind of consistency is what builds trust, heals hearts, and changes lives.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
The Power of a Free Heart
One of the deepest truths I’ve come to understand is the importance of having a free heart—a heart unburdened by offense, pain, unforgiveness, and hurt. The heart, which is the spirit of a person, is the real you. And when someone acts in a way that seems out of character, it’s often a reflection of what’s truly in their heart.
The Holy Spirit desires to work through our hearts, but He cannot move freely if our hearts are imprisoned by bitterness, wounds, and unresolved pain. That’s why it’s so vital to keep our hearts clean and pure. This isn’t a one-time act—it’s a daily practice of repentance. We are human, and we do human things. We offend God, and we fall short. But through repentance, we invite Him back into the sacred space of our hearts.
Your heart is more than just a vessel—it’s the prayer room, the altar, the mountain, and the gathering place. It’s where Jesus meets you. And when He dwells there, healing flows, peace reigns, and transformation begins.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/chelmafe
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/chelmafe
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/chelecpinckney
Image Credits
Glamour Shoots and Kenneth Lamor Signature Photos.
