Once upon a very long time ago, in a far away place (Michigan) my career began in public relations...
In the very beginning I worked for an environmental not-for-profit and a full service public relations firm writing letters to the editor, press releases, and articles for monthly newsletters. I wrote to State legislators and special interest groups to lobby on behalf of our clients and causes. The subject matter was broad - from the dangers of invasive species and educating the public on how to be better conservationists to the importance of maintaining helmet laws for motorcyclists and tracking the relationship between the (then fairly new) casinos and the State’s economy.
I took a break from publicity to pursue a career in fashion but continued to find ways to write. In 2005, I started an online column called The Crate for a women’s focused website centered around sparking creativity while giving back to your community. Some fun pairings included:
PS 119 + NYCares
Working with one of the largest volunteer organizations in New York City I had the opportunity to lead the design of several murals at an elementary school in Midwood Brooklyn. Working closely with the Principal we decided to create imagery representing the nine fundamentals of social awareness that the school identified as areas of monthly study for their K-5 citizens of the world (Peace, Hope, Love, Respect, Honesty, Loyalty, Honor, Justice, and Courage).
Montrose Gallery + Various Organizations
For the gallery’s grand opening in Bushwick, Brooklyn I interviewed the owner/artist Grason Ratowsky. The space was created with the conscious intent to host new art each month with 15% of proceeds going directly to charitable organizations of the artist’s choosing.
Jordan Eagles + NY Blood Center
During an urgent call for blood donations in NYC due to a shortage in supply I documented my own experience giving blood (in hopes of inspiring others to do the same). Around the same time I became familiar with NY-based artist, Jordan Eagles, who was using animal blood from slaughterhouses to create artwork. He went on to co-found Blood Equality, an advocacy group working to change policies and remove stigma around blood donor discrimination aimed towards LGBTQIA+ communities.
4Course Vegan + Local CSAs
Chef Matthew “Matteo” Silverman was the host of a private vegan dinner party in Brooklyn in the mid-aughts called 4 Course Vegan. Along with serving delicious vegan food the Chef used these gatherings as a platform to educate guests on health benefits, environmental impacts, and how to procure, prepare, and consume food more consciously in New York City.
After graduating from Parsons and working as an assistant fashion designer I found myself back in the public relations space. At Magnum PR I spent my days pitching an eclectic roster of US and UK musicians to journalists at Rolling Stone, NME, Pitchfork, Billboard, Spin (and many more) and spent my nights attending music performances all over NYC.
The last stop on my public relations train led me to Hungry Man Productions, a commercial production company that was looking to launch a new online video platform showcasing original content from its roster of premier Directors. My mission to assist with series development, recruit film talent, and generate press was short lived. The concept of HMTV folded within the year but the lovely folks at HM helped usher me into the film production world.
During my transition from PR to production I tried to keep writing on the side as a contributor at Cool Hunting, an online publication that uncovers what’s new and interesting at the intersection of design, culture, and technology.
