Danielle D. Smith has striven for years to give her all in every aspect of her life while enduring the pain of abuse— physical and mental—as well as rejection from her parents and family. At first, all of this gave her a reason for a pity party, but later, it became her strength and her reason "why." She used God's help to prove the doubters wrong and is now excelling as the mother of a beautiful daughter, a community leader, and a writing and publishing consultant to many who have stories and messages to share. Danielle is now taking on the task of using her role as an author beyond her book, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, which was released in December 2016 under the pen name Danielle Seck.

Yesterday’s Tomorrow is a first-hand account of Danielle’s suffering as an abused child. After finding the courage to speak out about the pain she endured, Danielle uses her experience to inspire others to do the same. In November 2016, she was sworn in as a Guardian Ad Litem with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate). CASA was a safe haven for her as a child when she was removed from her home because of abuse and neglect. She is “for the child” and is excited to volunteer her time and be a voice for children.

The “Don’t Be Quiet” movement’s mission is to help victims of child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, sexual assault, and suicide. In July 2019, Danielle turned her book into a short film that gives a visual account of her book and walks you through the challenge of going from victim to victor. As a result of the award-winning film, Danielle has been sought out by conferences and organizations across the map to teach authors how to do the same with their literary projects. In addition, Danielle is a passionate speaker that brings people together through shared experiences, taking away the struggle of beginning the healing process alone.

In the summer of 2019, Danielle began a writers’ club in Ohio, and by the winter of 2019, she began offering classes online, teaching the art of storytelling. She has shared her expertise of writing, publishing, and turning a book into a film in cities across the country.

One day, while teaching at Ohio Media School, Danielle found herself in an in-depth conversation with a student about their future in media. This gave Danielle the initial idea to form the Columbus Film, Author, and Photography Festival. She spoke with business strategist, Lucinda Cross, and began to envision the possibilities for igniting the passion that our youth have for media. She was emboldened by the idea of showing them how to work in excellence as well as how to strive for their dreams. This turned into the creation of the Columbus F.A.P. Festival, which is built to showcase local, national, and international artists, while also highlighting the work of our youth.