Southern Ink & Dr. Liz
About Southern Ink:
Southern Ink is a space for stories that don’t always get told—but should.
This blog lives at the intersection of everyday life, storytelling, and reflection. It’s about the quiet moments that shape us, the people who leave their mark, and the places that hold our histories. Some stories are captured through words, others through photographs—but all are rooted in something real.
Here, you’ll find reflections on family, faith, community, and the South. You’ll see glimpses of life through a lens—both literal and metaphorical—and be invited to slow down long enough to notice what often goes unseen.
Because not every story is loud.
But every story matters.
About Dr. Liz
Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Sheffield-Hayes is a writer, photographer, and assistant professor of mass communication at Albany State University. At her core, she is a storyteller—drawn to the ways people make meaning through language, memory, and image.
Her work is deeply rooted in the South, shaped by her academic research in communication and her lived experiences as a wife, mother of two, and creative. Whether she’s teaching students, photographing a quiet moment, or writing about everyday life, she is always asking the same question: What story is being told here—and what story is being missed?
Through Rooted & Written, Dr. Liz brings together her love for writing and photography to document the beauty, complexity, and truth of ordinary life. Her hope is to create a space that feels honest, reflective, and connected—a place where readers can see pieces of their own stories, too.
Southern Ink 