Author: CDVL

I started the Writing and Digital Communication program for career advancement and knowledge. The job market is filled with educated seekers and a BA no longer secured higher salary employment. I felt the digital age serves its purpose in continuing the ideologies of cultural division under the authority of governmental and capitalistic corporate control of the consumer. In this program, I learned how to be more than a consumer.

Critical Communication explored the concepts of mass communication and how it is used to reinforce constructed white supremacy and Christian ideologies on race, gender and class. In Fearless Speech, Foucault defines the written appearance of parrhesia in Greek literature. The English translation is ‘free speech.’ I contemplated the concept of free speech based on the African American culture in the digital age. What was different from the past vehicles of mass communication and where can I find my voice in a society that deemed it without value? The digital age provides opportunities for the voiceless of society to challenge and change constructive narratives that promote toxic ideologies.  In the following projects, I give voice to the voiceless.

Melanincholic, is a transmedia storytelling project that addresses the promotion of angst that fuels the melancholic mood of white women against women of color. I used Beah Richards 1950 poem, “A Black Woman Speaks” to articulate the commonalities of struggles for equality in a patriarchal society from Sarah Bartmann to Sandra Bland. The use of digital images and live performances blend together in a short historical story of African American women’s contribution to society and reintroduces the ‘call out’ nature to get involved in changing narratives on digital platforms. The short fictional story, Bovina, a 100 yrs., encompasses my academic journey at Agnes Scott College. Each character and situation represent knowledge gained in classes, lectures and office visits with dynamic professors. She is my digital avatar in the fight for social justice for all facets and varieties of the human race. ChillinwithAuntie222 is a personal branding website to promote trust and cultural unity by showcasing my thoughts, experiences, and interests as an influencer on social media platforms. My digital portfolio is a deep dive into my education, qualifications and personality, a personal branding of expertise for career aspirations.  

The Writing and Digital Communications graduate program broadened my goals beyond career advancement. It developed my creative foundations and provided a digital education to nurture my natural activism for social justice. The knowledge I received provided the tools to become an informed consumer and citizen while being authentically myself. It changed my view on what the internet is to what it can do. It gave back the hope of Martin Luther King’s dream of an inclusive society and if not, I can create safe digital environments for African Americans and women. More importantly, I can provide different historical narratives of the African diaspora and induce global unity from the seeds planted by Marcus Garvey. I dreamed of a career that would utilize my unique skills and education for real social change. I realized I am my dream career. 

In this power-point presentation, I use the environmental activism of Winona LaDuke (Ojbwe Nation-Minnesota Reservation) and the late historian and activist Mavynee Betsch (Jacksonville, Fl) to highlight the diversity in the fight against climate change and teach the importance of inclusion (presentation) on digital platforms with authentic narratives.

The creative fictional story represents my social justice themed writing and passion for history molded during my educational training at Agnes Scott College. The protagonist development is based on the ‘othered’ in society and its response to the antagonist, society itself. My goal is to provide a different narrative of American history and inspire readers and diverse writers to use digital platforms to display their talents and cultures.

Bovenia “Paddy” Hornsbee was born in 1863 by a mysterious black woman with an army of men at her command. Biological abnormalities allow Bovenia to experience life as a man and woman. She charts her life in a journal for her kin with “no regret” for the blood on her hands, gut-wrenching family tragedies and the acceptance of her trusted companion death at her side. The slave narrative charts life in the South and the North from Emancipation to the March on Washington in 1963, Native and African American and Indentured servants (Irish) relationships and the beauty of self identification in a world full of labels.

Content Strategy

It is my goal to meet the parameters to graduate with a Master’s Degree in Digital Communication. I want to educate African American youth about cultural histories within the diaspora in the United States and internationally. I want to provide information on ancient religious traditions and concepts of antiquity: Christianity, Ifa, and the Orisisas.  I want to educate WOC about the services available for rape, domestic violence, and shelters.   I want  my digital portfolio to help change the narratives and stereotypes around people of color, women, and religious thought. 

Audience and persona for Digital portfolio

My digital portfolio will target the primary audience of higher education professionals and students to fulfill the requirements of the digital masters program.  The secondary audience is middle class educated African American women, racist white women and people searching for alternate religious beliefs. An African American woman is looking for information on traditional beliefs of her ancestors. She will access the information about the Orisas and the religion of the slave. A student needs additional information on African dynasties before colonization for a paper. She will access the information on the ancient empires of Mali and the King Mansa Musa.  

Personal Branding Statement

My digital portfolio helps me to connect with African Americans and provide historical academic evidence different from the current narratives assigned to black bodies. I want my audience to see me as a source of accurate information, authentically vested in cultural advancements, and a safe place to be themselves. It is my goal to create additional educators willing to be their authentic selves on digital platforms to add to the diversity of the internet.

Content Outline

The contents of my aspirational digital portfolio will embody my journey as a black woman in a racist environment. The material will center around my undergrad and graduate education, work/personal experiences, and spiritual enlightenment. I want viewers to encounter diverse narratives, histories, and find their authentic selves through education and spiritual enlightenment. I hope to become a trusted leader that incites truth, positive interactions,  and real change in the United States and globally. 

Solutions Journalism in the Digital Age is defined as rigorous reporting on responses to social problems that include solutions. In the articles below, I used the eight elements of story telling to explore a problem and the solution by using character description, voice, statistical data, dissent, details and photos to explore diversity in solutions to societal issues and interests.

Gangsta to Growers is a Solutions Journalism piece focusing on a young African American woman, who battles recidivism and gentrification in the historical African American West End of Atlanta Ga by teaching entrepreneurship to formally incarcerated youth. I worked with the group once a week for a month to chart the Come Up Project and highlight the youth involvement in their future.

Divine Consciousness in Modern Times: Women, Faith and Healing the Masses focuses on three women, who reflect on their experiences, teachings and struggles as spiritual leaders.

It is my goal to obtain stable employment in the digital communication field in marketing, project management, social media and design. I want to inspire African Americans to engage in social media platforms as a way of changing constructed narratives and promoting unity within the African diaspora.

Content Objectives

The content objectives are to obtain employment, incite cultural diversity in the current exclusive social norms and become an informed influencer on digital platforms to promote unity . The content displayed is a collection of projects, research papers, and marketing campaigns completed in a digital infrastructure to promote my qualifications as a manager and leader in the technology age. My portfolio contains course work and digital assets from academic sources in digital communication. For example, 640 Critical Communication centers on the images of African American women historically and in popular cultures. The video and research paper Melanincholic focuses on Sarah Baartman, Beah Richard, and Sandra Bland. 610 Web Writing explores social media platforms and the use of search engine optimization to counter the algorithms of oppression. Invitation, is a short film on race relations and other issues faced by African American women in the technology age. Honor the Elders is a digital program focused on assisting the elderly community in becoming tech savvy in the digital age with the use of teaching videos customized for senior citizens. My professional resume chronicles my career in operations, logistics and chronicles multiple levels of project management., skill sets and qualifications for employment.

Content Strategy

The content produced in Agnes Scott’s Writing and Digital Communication graduate program has allowed me to showcase my educational foundations and business qualifications to promote safe spaces for women and diversity within the job market and society. My portfolio contains coursework from my graduate Masters degree along with my professional experience history to support a career in diversity management in digital environments.

Audience

Potential Employers/ Publishers: Government, private companies and organizations looking for diversity in staff, products, and marketing. Employers in need of inclusive social media campaigns, digital platform maintenance and project management for the creation or update of company websites, products and marketing for diverse markets.

African American Community: The global diaspora , who are in need of authentic experiences, safe spaces and histories outside of traditional scholastic academic infrastructures. Those interested in learning how to make an impact on digital platforms by the use of algorithms for optimal search engine optimization, website design and content.

Women: Local and global leaders interested in inspiring and building safe spaces and opportunities for women of color.

Personal Branding Statement

I assist in the creation, management and design of digital projects and personal branding on digital platforms to engage multi cultural spectators. I want my audience to see my dedication and hard work in academics, my professional experience and inspire offers of employment in diverse friendly environments. It is my goal to create additional educators and black owned businesses on digital platforms to add to the diversity of the internet.

Course Work from Graduate Writing and Digital Communication Masters

640 Critical Communications – Melanincholic video/research paper

610 Web Writing and Editing – Web site creation, Blog

600 Digital Portfolio – Original and Revised Content, Pitch Deck – Black Ring Mafia

630 Visual Thinking and Web Design – Memes and Design

612 Creative Writing in the Digital Age – Bovina, A 100 yrs

695 Solutions Journalism – Gangstas to Growers, The Come Up Project

626 Journalism in the Digital Age – Divine Feminine and Healing the Masses

625 Human Centered Design and Implementation – Honor the Elders