I’m so excited to be a part of the 2026 #CCNYCCreativeClass. Thank you to @theccnyc for continuously celebrating Black creatives and our contributions to the culture!
The Yeehaw and Sports™️ agenda is in full effect. Can’t wait for y’all to meet Ryleigh and Isaiah in this Southern Football love story🙂↕️ @831storieshq
🤠🏈💋🥵👢♥️
Because we don’t play about Black women who don’t play about Black girls.💐
On Nov.3rd Teen Vogue ended a chapter that made so many Black girls and gender expansive youth feel seen. Aiyana & Kaitlyn unapologetically took up space at Teen Vogue and brought babies across the nation with them. In continuation of the legacy of @elainewelteroth their work was healing, their work was joy, and their work was power.
We proudly honor them on Sunday with the Storytelling & Spacemaking Award- because no matter where they go- their pen, their heart and their power, will better our world. ✍🏾💌✨
Chat, I cannot lie I am crying as I type this! I won’t sit here and act like I ever thought I would be immune to layoffs — especially not in this current media landscape. It’s like getting in a car everyday, knowing there’s a chance you could crash. You do everything right: wear a seatbelt, drive below the speed limit, keep your insurance close by, but it doesn’t make the impact any less painful.
Teen Vogue was my first-ever freelance byline in 2019 — I was a junior in college and incredibly grateful to begin my career at a place that genuinely cared about having young people speak for themselves.
So, it felt even more impactful for my first job post-grad to be at Teen Vogue. Four years later, I’m so very proud of all the work I’ve done, from spearheading my own column that garnered the attention of Bella Hadid, Zendaya, and so many others to getting to profile cover stars like Olympian Jordan Chiles and actress Maddie Ziegler.
At our summit this past September, I was asked about how it felt to be 1 of 2 Black women left at Teen Vogue and what that meant for representation during this current climate. Now, there are no Black women at Teen Vogue and that feels incredibly painful to think about.
I’m sad. Heartbroken. Not for myself solely, but for my fellow coworkers who were laid off and for Teen Vogue, the publication. 20+ years of culture, history, and important journalism. While she still exists, she’ll be very different, and I think that’s what hurts the most. I never thought a day like this would come. I’ll probably have even more to say in the coming weeks, so I’ll cut myself off for now.
The upside to change is forced growth — something I thrive in. I’m open to freelance and full-time roles, but until then I will be pouring into my personal projects. Subscribe to my newsletter JV Captains’ Club! I’ll be writing essays there while I continue working on a few manuscripts and proposals! Here’s to the next thing. Onward and upward.
the best time of year! took my little camera around FAMU homecoming to capture the traditional meets trendy street style all weekend. read the full piece (and see all the pictures on teen vogue dot com!
Three years ago, I asked Black fashion experts if much had changed since 2020. One said, “Ask again in 2025. That’s when you’ll really be able to tell.”
Five years since fashion’s “reckoning,” they are still fighting for consistent support and visibility. Read the full feature on teen vogue dot com!
