Freelance Feature Writing

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My work in B2B content strategy keeps the lights on—but journalism has always been my passion. My first journalism teacher warned, "Once journalism gets into your blood, it never leaves."

I majored in journalism as an undergraduate student, became editor of the school newspaper, and snagged an internship at The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. I even attended a Medill School of Journalism summer program at Northwestern University. However, after college, I pursued a career in sales and marketing.

But that journalism teacher who taught me to write a lede in 30 words or less was right! I'm back at it after a long marketing, sales, and content strategy career. As a freelancer, I can expand the scope of my writing to include things I love like food, art and fun. 

See my freelance feature writing samples below.

Three new-ish shops expand the options for luxe, sophisticated home furnishings in Richmond.

Setting up shop at 604 Hull St. in historic Manchester earlier this year, 87-year-old Roanoke-based furniture manufacturer Txtur offers four Nordic-style collections of made-to-order pieces. An extensive range of fabrics, leather, and wood options empowers total customization. From textured, muted neutrals to vibrant jewel tones, there’s something for every room, taste, or corner of the home. 

Whether you’re choosing glam or something more traditional, you’ll get a sense of the possibilities in this cozy yet sophisticated 1908 Richmond Seaboard railroad freight terminal turned furniture gallery. The stately restored floors, exposed brick walls, and vaulted ceilings with exposed beams offer the perfect space to succumb to design inspiration. 

A local artist’s homeware designs win a prestigious award.

Richmond’s dynamic art scene, infused with the creativity and ingenuity of its thriving artists, is widely regarded as a hub of artistic expression. Yet, when local ceramic artist Hali Armstrong of Hechizo expanded her creative vision into ornamental homeware, she didn’t know her new artistic path would bring her home to Richmond — and she didn’t know whether the pivot would actually pay off.  

It turns out that winning Garden & Gun magazine’s 15th annual Made in the South Awards has given her a newfound validation for her homeware designs. It’s also providing much-needed sustainability for her small business. Armstrong won the home category and was also named the overall winner, which garnered her a $15,000 prize. 

“To be recognized is gratifying,” Armstrong says, “and being the overall winner is exciting. I’m hoping it sets the tone for my business going forward.”  

Richmond has long been a hub for black capitalism — especially in Jackson Ward, once referred to as the Harlem of the South. According to a recent report from Yelp, the online publisher of crowd-sourced business reviews, black business openings in Richmond grew 66% in 2023. Yelp also found that black business openings in Richmond outpace the national black business opening rate of 24% and the national average of 20%.

Further establishing Richmond as a stronghold for black businesses, money management company NerdWallet ranks Richmond in the top 10 U.S. cities for black businesses to thrive. The company attributes Richmond’s healthy economy and the many established black businesses as success factors.

Dr. Shirlene Obuobi, a third-year general cardiology fellow at the University of Chicago, uses creativity to process what she sees and learns while pursuing a medical career.

Through her comic alter ego and personal experiences, Dr. Obuobi creates narratives promoting change and advocacy in health care, while also tackling complex topics of sexism, racism, micro-aggressions, and physicians’ frustrations with medical insurance. As such, her work has been featured in academic journals, museum exhibitions, the Washington Post and on “Good Morning America.”

By tackling design and restoration projects no one else would touch, Zarina Fazaldin brings her love of art and historic preservation to the arts community in Richmond.

Kenyan-born, Ms. Fazaldin wanted to pursue the American Dream while growing up in Tanzania. In 1987, she arrived in Richmond for graduate school at Virginia Commonwealth University after attending college in India in 1986.

Byrd Park was the place to be on warm Sunday afternoons in the 1980s. I was in high school and all of young, black Richmond gathered there. Picture the scene from Will Smith’s 1991 hit, “Summertime.”

“Everybody came lookin’ real fine. Fresh from the barber shop or fly from the beauty salon.”

It was a big, old-school outdoor party. Muscle cars, two-tone Firebird Trans Ams, and Camaros lined the lake with car doors and trunks flung open in a contest to see who had the baddest sound system.

When the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees enter the Multi-Purpose Center on the campus of Virginia State University on Oct. 1, history will be made.

VSU will become the first HBCU to host a U.S. presidential debate.

Last November, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced Virginia State University as one of three debate sites. VSU, located in Ettrick near Petersburg, will host the second such event.

Artist Patrice Renee Washington isn’t interested in mainstreaming her creative talents to fit into the white-dominated spaces of the commercial art world. Instead, she focuses on exploring the roots behind racial identity. She’s the artist behind “Tendril,” a solo exhibition of her works at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU (ICA at VCU).

African-Americans and other people of color have long used code-switching -adjusting one’s normal behavior to fit into a particular environment—to navigate interracial interactions, typically in the workplace. Unfortunately, code-switching can be exhausting and potentially stifling, especially for creatives. Ms. Washington is intentional about creating and framing her work on her terms.

The Hampton University sailing team won its third straight regatta, capturing the Grant Trophy on April 13-14 at Strawberry Banks in Hampton.

The Chesapeake Bay race against colleges and universities including Christopher Newport, Drexel, Washington College, Princeton, UVA, Rochester, William and Mary, Syracuse, and Stony Brook was the Pirates’ first home regatta in five years.

Exploring Black stereotypes in ceramic works may seem like a new trend but it’s not.

With two exhibits in Richmond this spring, ceramic art lovers can explore what’s left behind when physical structures are left behind in “Like the Dust Settles, So Does The Story,” which runs through Aug. 17 at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia. Patrice Renee Washington’s solo exhibit “Tendril,” which investigates structures of race, class, and gender, will run through June 9 at ICA at VCU.

Both exhibits offer a thought-provoking and captivating exploration of the African-American experience through the permanence of clay.

As rumors swirled about Kamala Harris's potential presidential bid last January, a white Washington Post reporter covering a stop on her book tour tweeted about "screeching" from "members of her Howard sorority" in the audience.

Harris greets student leaders at Howard University, her alma mater, in January.

Black Twitter came for the reporter with a quickness. I, too, was offended by the characterization — not just because the term played into negative stereotypes, but because it displayed a willful ignorance about black American culture.

Created a responsive website for a local restaurant using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The website includes a menu, image gallery and contact form.

Developed and executed a successful social media campaign for a non-profit organization. The campaign increased engagement and donations to the organization.

Built an e-commerce website using Shopify for a small business. The website features product pages, a shopping cart and payment processing.

Created a comprehensive brand identity for a new company in the hospitality industry. The project included a logo, color palette, typography and brand guidelines.

Designed the user interface and user experience for a mobile app that helps users track their daily water intake. The app includes reminders and progress tracking.