As a child growing up in Cleveland, OH, Barbara Woods Riles Washington developed the skill of curious observation. She learned Braiding, Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting, and Quilting from her grandmother and mother. She garnered a competitive edge learning Marbles, Pool, Cards and Drill Team Cadence from her Uncles and brothers. Early in her life she won competitions in Jacks and was a part of the Four member City Jump Rope championship team of Quincy Elementary School.

“The Summer of 1978 I was accepted into the Master of Divinity Program at Gammon Theological Seminary in the Interdenominational Theological Center in The Atlanta University Center. Talk about a powerful legacy, which I take with utmost care. Along with it came Membership and Baptism into the Central United Methodist Church where The Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery was Pastor and President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Inclusive of becoming a Founding Member of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference/W.O.M.E.N.”

“Now the Second leg of my Historically Black Colleges and Universities journey, as I had just 3 years earlier received the Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tennessee State University in Nashville. I am now more fully aware of The Legacy as these two State Capital Cites hold the histories of the greater number of HBCUs… Atlanta leading the way with 5 HBCUs, then Nashville with 4.” 

Upon receiving the Master of Divinity degree and ordinations of Deacon and Elder in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Barbara served as Pastor to the Gordon Road UMC in Atlanta and Bethel UMC in Brooklyn, New York. She has served as Associate Pastor to Salem UMC, Harlem, NYC and Central UMC, Atlanta. She was the first female to serve as Chaplain to Bennett College in Greensboro, NC where she also taught Philosophy of Religion.

She has done historical research in genealogy having done the Magby-Smith Family Tree. She has further researched the history of the Alpha Chi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. resulting in 3 editions of the Tennessee State University Delta chapter from its founding in 1936 to present. Since 2007 Rev. Barbara has written the weekly column "Faith Of A Mustard Seed" for the ‘Nashville PRIDE’ newspaper. With it’s roots in Meharry Medical College, The Pride is Nashville’s first and oldest Black Community newspaper and carries the masthead “The Voice of A Proud Community”.  

“By 2015, I entered the Fashion industry with a known 3 generational gift of ‘Sewing’. After 14 years of Quilting, I shifted my creativity to Denim, launching a line of all original upcycled Denim Wear. I received The Vision for “Nashville Fashion Week on Jefferson Street” and took it to the runway in April 2017 at The Loft at Ella Jean’s. The 2018 NFWoJS2 Show at the Meharry Medical College Henry Moses Alumni Hall had me searching for powerful statement tshirts for the ‘Denim Jacket Scene’. The 2019 NFWoJS3 Show at The historic Elk’s Lodge received the Jacket with the tshirt of the imfamous ‘Olympic Victory’ protest of Tommie Smith and John Carlos as a hit. 

The Pandemic of 2020 with all of it’s life altering dynamics, shut down NFWoJS4 shifting her Creative focus once again in a natural progression… T Shirt Design!  “I am now fully conscious of my niche:

Pieces of History Tees!”