SUMMARY
Multi-platform content creator/producer with over 20 years of experience specializing in urban entertainment/lifestyle. Have placed stories in over 50 outlets, print and online, ranging from The Root to The Daily Beast, from Ebony to the Creative Loafing and the AJC. Historian who wrote African American History For Dummies. Knowledgeable topics include film/TV, all genres of Black music, travel, history, business, events, sports, more. Production as well as talent and event management experience. Celebrities interviewed include Ice Cube, Eve, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Don Cheadle, Denzel Washington, T.I., Diddy, Janelle Monae, Sanaa Lathan, Khalid, Metro Boomin, Sonny Digital, Phylicia Rashad, Killer Mike, Andre Benjamin, MC Lyte, Spike Lee, Sterling K. Brown, Courtney B. Vance, John Singleton, Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Angela Bassett, Mary J. Blige, Kenya Barris, Patti LaBelle, Lecrae, L.A. Reid, Shaquille O’Neal and more.
WORK HISTORY
FREELANCE WRITER (Atlanta/L.A.) July 1999-Present
Past/Present Outlets: TheRoot.com [TV/Film], AJC [TV/Film/Theatre/Human Interest], NBCBLK [Film/TV/Human Interest], Urban News Service [TV/Lifestyle/Pop Culture; Syndicates to 200 Black-Oriented Publications], Rolling Out/HobNobDrive.com [Entertainment/Lifestyle/Culinary/Spirits], MIQ [Music], NewsOne [TV/Film/Pop Culture], AtlantaBlackStar.com [TV/Film/Travel], theGrio.com [Op-Ed],The Atlanta Voice [Entertainment/Travel], Metromix.com [Lifestyle/Culinary/Entertainment], 944 Atlanta [Lifestyle/Culinary/Music], EbonyJet.com [TV/Film], Atlanta Citysearch [Lifestyle], Creative Loafing [Music/TV/Film], URBAN NETWORK [Music], OVERTIME [Sports], AOL BlackVoices [TV], EMMY Magazine [TV], ESSENCE/ESSENCE Online, VIBE.com Author, African American History For Dummies: April 2007. Contributor, Mississippi Encyclopedia, Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present, The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Volume 22: Science and Medicine
FREELANCE PRODUCER (Atlanta) October 2014-Present
Segment producer, Celebrity Crime Files: Shakir Stewart, aired October 2014, TV One [supervised cameramen capturing Atlanta exteriors including Morehouse and the former Stewart residence as well as booked early Stewart associate; composed questions and conducted interviews]
Coordinating Producer, Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now, FGW Productions, aired January 2016, PBS World Channel [researched footage and recommended edits, researched various topics and composed questions, secured talent including Kevin Powell and Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, booked Bree Newsome as well as secured location and cameraman for the interview I conducted in Charlotte]
On-Set Producer, EPK, All Eyez on Me, FGW Productions, January/February 2016 [Blu-ray featuring on-set footage and interviews captured with such talent as Danai Gurira who played Afeni Shakur, Dominic Santana who played Suge Knight and more released September 5, 2017]
Associate Producer, HBO First Look: All Eyez on Me, FGW Productions, aired June 2017, HBO. [Featured footage supervised by me as well as interviews with questions I composed and more]
FREELANCE ON-SITE EVENT/TALENT MANAGER (Atlanta/L.A.) July 2001-Present
Events: On the Vine (Martha’s Vineyard, Benefit Kidney Research Fundraiser featuring Babyface, Angie Stone, Natalie Cole and Smokey Robinson, July 2013), Chris Webber’s Bada Bling Weekend (Las Vegas, July 06/07/08, handled logistics coordinating arrival and departures for the Isley Brothers, NBA legends like Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul Jabbar as well as NBA players Joakim Noah, Baron Davis and Matt Barnes), Super Bowl (Detroit, Feb 06 with Stevie Wonder’s team/ New Orleans, Feb 02 with then Philadelphia Eagle and Louisiana native Brian Mitchell who won a ring with the Doug Williams Redskins), Vibe MusicFest (Atlanta, June 05), Bronner Brothers Hair Show (Atlanta, Aug 03-05, Feb 04/05 with such celebs as Shemar Moore, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Boris Kodjoe, Clifton Powell), NBA All-Star (Philadelphia Feb 02), BESLA VibeSlam (Las Vegas, July 01, worked with Eddie George, Barry Sanders, Jerome Bettis). Organizations: Earth University Foundation, 2009
UPTOWN Magazine (Atlanta-Based for NY Super-Regional Catering to Affluent African Americans)
DEPUTY EDITOR/ATLANTA EDITOR Winter 2005-June/July 2014
As Atlanta Editor, covered events, personalities, culinary and arts scene and built the Atlanta brand. As Deputy Editor, worked with EIC in selecting covers, shaping and overseeing features. Curated new hotels/restaurants/retail spots nationally/globally for Radar and social events in seven cities for Social plus selected Clique photos. Wrote travel and other stories, as well as assigned and shaped features with Roland Martin, Joy Reid, Van Jones, etc. Contribute/d automotive coverage to UPTOWNMagazine.com, either in straight overviews or travel trips.
Upscale Magazine (Atlanta)
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/EDITOR-AT-LARGE May 2002-Feb 2003/May 2003-Dec 2005
Served as a liaison between senior editor, managing editor and staff. Spearheaded fitness, health, travel, gospel, books, entertainment, horoscopes, calendar of events and sports coverage. Curated All Access pictures (gathering and selecting photos). Wrote/edited features, coordinated art with photo editor and interacted with publicists. Covered culinary, travel, fitness, book, automotive and celebrities as Editor-at-Large. Cover stories included Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union and Kimberly Elise as a writer and Erykah Badu, India.Arie and more as an editor.
Roz Stevenson Public Relations (L.A.-based boutique film pr firm targeting ethnic audiences)
PUBLICIST June 2000-Feb 2002
Helped strategize coverage for various films and actors in Black-oriented media i.e. newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Spearheaded national ethnic promo opportunities by establishing relationships with urban outlets (i.e. clubs, restaurants, networking events). Stand-out projects: Nutty Professor II, Bring It On, and The Fast and The Furious; worked with Janet Jackson, Gabrielle Union, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ja Rule, Don Cheadle, Rosario Dawson and more.
Rap Pages Magazine, Larry Flynt Publications, Inc. (Beverly Hills, CA)
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/WRITER July 1998-July 1999
Strategized and executed assignments for "Inside Dope" "Kudos," "Write On," and "Video Review” articles as well as maintained/established relationships with TV/film outlets; wrote book/music reviews and features in addition to collaborating with music and photo editors. Expanded the film/TV coverage by establishing relationships with HBO, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and others.
National Trust for Historic Preservation/Scott-Ford Foundation (Washington, D.C./Jackson, MS)
RESEARCHER/WRITER Dec 1997/Summer 1997
Drafted mission statement/family history. Conducted historical research for a report on a proposed house museum for a Black Jackson family, the Scott-Ford family, who lived in the historic Farish Street District for 100 years.
Quarterly Black Review of Books (N.Y.-based magazine for African American books)
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR/WRITER May 1994-April 1996
Contributed short book reviews/synopses to "Books Worth Noting," often identifying impactful books and spotlighting brave new voices. Also wrote full-length book reviews and provided general editing and copy-editing.
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI (OLE MISS), Oxford, M.A. Southern Studies. Attended Fall 1996-Spring 1998
GALLATIN SCHOOL, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (NYU), New York City, M.A. Individualized Study. Attended Fall 1994-Spring 1995
COLUMBIA COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, New York City, B.A. English/History, May 1993