My Story
I was just a wee little girl when we (my mom, teacher and I) discovered that I enjoyed writing stories. When thinking of college came around, physical therapy was on the brain, for some teen nefarious reasons – boys. But just months before launching off to school, I changed my major to journalism because I wanted to spend my career on something meaningful. I’ve been writing stories since.
After graduating from BIOLA University and ending my stint with CBS Radio, I landed one of my first reporting jobs with OurWeekly Newspaper in Los Angeles, Calif. where I learned to serve my community through journalism. Working with a group of creative, in-tuned editors and writers, I fell in love with my work and found my purpose. Over the years, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and reporter for publications like the historical New York Amsterdam News, NV Magazine and EURweb.com. With my training in traditional journalism, and the emergence of social media I knew I needed to shake things up and try some new things.
In 2017 I became a Fellow at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY where I studied with the best of the best journalists, storytellers and vets in the business to innovate the ways we were telling stories and to launch new platforms. I launched a travel site that not only shared travel stories, but also created itineraries and experiences to highlight and support BIPOC businesses around the world. With so many other cool platforms out there at the time doing similar work, I shut that platform down and started a new one called The Black Narrative Experience where I capture the taboo in across Black America through audio stories and live experiences.
In 2018, I launched a new path and became the Director of Communications at a non-profit organization, revamping its messaging, communications and community outreach, resulting in incredible growth and visibility. From rebuilding the org’s website, to creating immersive experiences and launching corporate outreach work, my time there was a fabulous learning experience and a great way to test new ideas. In 2022, I began working with a state elected official building out her communications strategy and improving her overall visibility. Over the years, I’ve supported other organizations and businesses in various ways, building websites, creating content and more.
Grad school was heavy on my mind for years and years. But the challenge was deciding what to study, being that I have such an eclectic set of interests – storytelling, sexuality, policy and decolonization. In 2022, I began my grad school journey at The New School of Social Research studying sexuality and policy. My intention is to keep it going and earn my Ph.D.
Besides all of that, I love sharing my life adventures (both mental and physical) in essays, travel is the key to living, and trying new things is the way I stay young 😉.