Jeffrey Lee Cheatham II is an author, actor, and the Founder of the Seattle Urban Book Expo — a platform dedicated to promoting Black and Brown voices in literature. Through his children's books and community events, Jeffrey is on a mission to expand representation and empower the next generation of storytellers.

In this conversation, he and Jason Cavness dive deep into storytelling, community building, entrepreneurship, and creativity. Jeffrey shares lessons from self-publishing, acting, and event organizing — and how he's making life happen on his own terms.

Episode Highlights

• Building the Seattle Urban Book Expo and supporting local authors • Writing and self-publishing children's books with purpose and representation • Mentorship, ghostwriting, and helping others publish • The importance of emotional intelligence and family in storytelling • Acting, performance, and creative expression • Seattle's arts scene, gentrification, and community events • Entrepreneurship, leadership, and self-belief • Making life happen — not waiting for it to happen to you

Guest Bio (Condensed)

Jeffrey Lee Cheatham II is a multi-hyphenate creative — author, actor, marketer, and community organizer — best known as the Founder of the Seattle Urban Book Expo. His work focuses on elevating Black and Brown literature while teaching self-publishing and storytelling to new authors.

Through his children's books for grades K–3, Jeffrey explores emotional understanding, social awareness, and family dynamics. He's also a mentor and consultant for aspiring writers, helping them navigate the journey to self-publishing.

Guest Links

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-lee-cheatham-ii-3421561a3/ Website – https://jeffcheatham2.com/ Seattle Urban Book Expo – https://subeseattle.com/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jay_the_author/ Instagram (Channel) – https://www.instagram.com/channelcheatham/ X (Twitter) – https://twitter.com/AuthorJLC2 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@channelcheatham

Guest Quote / Advice

"We have one life to live. If you keep waiting for life to happen, it's not gonna happen. You've got to make life happen. Whatever your dream is — just go for it."

Call to Action

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