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O. Maxwell, affectionately known as "Odie" by her closest friends, was born in Germany of a Japanese mother and an Air Force Sergeant and father. The family settled in her father's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Life was not easy in the segregated city and state. Not only did she face racial discrimination and prejudice, she also faced adversity from other family members because of her immediate family's inter-racial culture and family unit. It was a lesson that taught her to embrace both of her beautiful and valued cultures. Consequently, Ms. Maxwell found comfort in her mother's wisdom, encouragement, and guidance as well as the will to succeed. Even at a young age, she contributed to the community by volunteering at the Louisville Zoo, 4-H, Teen Leaders Care, and creating and donating the most shoebox care packages for the children of Nicaragua. She attended the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, an all-girls Catholic highschool where she lettered at track and field and cross-country. In 1990, she was honored to make her graduating class speech.
At 17, Ms. Maxwell was accepted for appointment to the United States Military Academy, Class of 1994 following in the military footsteps of her father. Though it was a mental, academic, and physical challenge, she graduated to be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army as an Ordnance Maintenance Officer. She served in numerous positions of increasing responsibility and in various assignments in Germany, Virginia, Maryland, Kansas and District of Columbia. Her career spanned six years Active Duty and 7 years National Guard (MD and DC). She resigned her commission in May 2006 to pursue her writing career, her small business goals, and to care for her three beautiful children. Her life is also enriched by her 4 Chinese Cresteds, who compete with her in conformation and obedience events.
Currently, Ms. Maxwell has published her first anthology of her poems and photographs in Thoughts of My Mind, Heart, and Soul (available at www.lulu.com/OMaxwell). She is working on her next poetry anthology that is tentatively named For the Red, White, and Blue: Poetry for Military Men and Women, Veterans, and Their Supporters.
OMaxwell's Genres: poetry
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