Taneasha White

Pronouns: (she/her)

Writer | Editor | Sensitivity Reader | Activist

hello@taneashawhite.com

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EDUCATION

May 2017: BA in English, Minor in African-American Studies

May 2021: Post- Baccalaureate Certificate: Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

Virginia Commonwealth University

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MEDIA AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

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Healthline Media | Special Projects Writer and Channel Editor (Present)

Writer focuses on varied organizational initiatives and timely conversations, in addition to uplifting marginalized voices and perspectives, ranging from short social media copy to longform articles. Creates new and supports existing partnerships with internal and external brands, social influencers, field experts, and community members.

Editing duties include collaboration with other team members and managing freelance writers, ensuring clear, digestable copy and adherence to the Healthline brand’s style and conscious language guidelines.

Created two new recurrent series for brand that focus on intersectionality through a lens of mental health and media.

Research, interviews with experts and impacted indivdiuals, transcription, collaboration with design, social media, and newsletter teams, and pitching original ideas for publication are integral parts of this position. Both writing and editing involve a needed comfortability with both recurrent and shifting publishing due dates and timelines.

Healthline Media | Staff Writer with Psych Central

Original member of Psych Central’s first staff writing team, focused on sharing medically accurate and socially conscious mental health information and news.

Role included writing a minimum of 10 (800 – 2200 word) articles monthly, ranging in topics related to mental wellness, often connected to intersectionality and equity. Writing duties included adhering to Psych Central’s style and conscious language guidelines and comfortability with both recurrent and shifting publishing due dates and timelines.

Quick turn news writing, research, interviews with experts and impacted indivdiuals, transcription, collaboration with design, social media, and newsletter teams, and pitching original ideas for publication were all vital parts of this position.

Inside Edition Digital | Reporter (Present)

Writer and reporter focusing on interviewing and researching breaking news and human interest stories. Responsible for collecting sources and data, conducting interviews, writing engaging pieces and editing.

Freelance | Writer and Editor (Present)

Providing both short and longform content to varied clients. Styles include but are not limited to news, lifestyle, and personal essays. Subject matter depends on clientele needs, but often focuses on marginalized communities, mental health, sexuality and gender identity, and equity.

In addition to print and online publications, past and present client type include nonprofit organizations, marketing agencies, and podcasts.

Freelance | Sensitivity Reader and Consultant (Present)

Supporting publications, authors, businesses, and organizations ensure effective and empathetic communication to their audiences. Work includes scheuduled discovery meetings with clients, assessments, and project recommendations.

Depending on client needs, deliverables may include editing of copy, presentations and workshops, and working sessions. Creation of print and virtual resources have been requested and created, including one-pagers, slideshow presentations, and informational packets.

Previous and current clients include but are not limited to nonprofit organizations, major marketing companies, and both nonfiction and fiction authors.

Black Femme Collective | Editorial Fellow

This role included aiding in the curation and editing of submissions to the Wild installation. Editing included copy and structural edits and providing ongoing support for writers. In addition to working with the editor-in-chief to ensure high quality and honest pieces, the role of the fellow included program management of connected online events and securing interviewees for the website’s blog.

VeryWell | News Writer

Contributing writer focusing on trending topics and medical studies focused on mental health and wellness. Responsible for picking up stories and pitching, in addition to interview accredited sources and thorough research. Accustomed to quick-turnaround times and audio transcription. .

Various | Radio and Podcast Writer and Host

Experience writing copy and acting as lead or co-host for four news shows focused on gender equity news, women in politics, media critiques, and Black mental health, respecitively. In addition to national streaming platforms, shows aired locally on WRIR-LP 97.3 and WRWK 93.9 FM.

RVAmag and GayRVA | Contributing Writer

Reporter with local online arts and culture magazine. Set up and performed interviews with contacts. Researched topics. Transcribed audio. Basic knowledge of audio recording equipment. Gained comfortability with multiple deadlines in short time span.

Commonwealth Times, Spectrum Section | Staff Writer

Writing role reporting to column editor included writing local arts and culture focused features. Developing original story ideas, interviews, research, and photography were pieces of this role, in addition to tight deadlines.

Blackbird Journal | Copy editor

Copy editor for VCU-housed literary journal. Approved or declined submissions through personal weekly queue. Edited weekly submissions from incoming approved pool. Edited printed pieces before their publishing. 

Richmond County Justice Center Education Program | Writing Workshop Facilitator

Workshop leader for RCJC residents in recovery. Created a syllabus geared towards higher education and connected to rehabilitation and recovery, in addition to leading regular discussion based workshops. Selected varying pieces and works that were both read together and assigned as homework to residents. Facilitated meaningful discussion based on selected pieces and encouraged participants to connect the work to their lives. Weekly creative writing assignments were received and commented on rather than graded throughout the sessions to incorporate positive reinforcement. 

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ACTIVISM AND COMMUNICATIONS

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Plan C | Community Organizer and Communications Associate

Plan C is a nonprofit organization focused on conducting research and publicly sharing information about how people are accessing abortion pills in the US, building collaborative relationships with health care providers, reproductive health and justice organizations, and technology innovators who share our vision, calling for universal access to abortion pills and destigmatizing and normalizing the modern option of a self-managed or at-home abortion, and laying the groundwork for over-the-counter access to abortion pills.

This role included digital organizing, facilitation, event planning, and content creation.

Virginia Commonwealth University iCubed Core: Intersections in the Lives of LGBTQIA+ Communities | Community Core Member

The iCubed program strategically invests in academic and research programs that employ transdisciplinary approaches to solve challenging and persistent problems in urban communities. These program approaches draw stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and also set the stage for partnership equity between university and community partners where all perspectives are valued. The programs aims to  act as a catalyst for engaging faculty, staff, students and other stakeholder groups in collaborative activities that connect science, pedagogy and practice creative integration of multiple communities of knowledge to solve societally relevant challenges within urban communities.

The Virginia Anti-Violence Project | Communications Coordinator

The Virginia Anti-Violence Project is a sexual and domestic violence organization that serves our LGBTQ population, with a focus on POC within that community. With wellness and language justice as tenants, VAVP provides direct and emergency services as well as ongoing translation services and hosting community events.

This role included social media management, newsletter curation, volunteer coordination and working closely with sustainability.

Southerners on New Ground (SONG)| Member Leader
Active local member of Richmond chapter of Southern-based organization that focuses on collective liberation of queer people of color. Administrative duties included planning meeting logistics, making phone calls and corresponding via email with members and other organizations, facilitating workshops and discussions, planning and aiding in direct action efforts, and pushing for inclusive policy making.

Virginia Anti-Violence Project | Communications Committee Member
Advocated and held events for victims affected by any sort of violence in relation to their identities. Administrative duties include managing social media, workshop curating and facilitating, and tabling at community events.

Progress Virginia | Program Manager

ProgressVA is the communications hub of progressive issues in Virginia, aiming to discuss and amplify the policy and intersectionality of the movements within the progressive sphere. The program manager oversees the Women’s Equality Coalition, a program comprised of ten organizations of varying issue point. ProgressVA serves as 1/3 of the WEC steering committee. Tasks revolved around facilitation, bridging gaps between communities and causes, event planning, writing, and community outreach.

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia | Community Organizer and Digital Coordinator

The Richmond Community Organizer’s role entailed engaging community and reaching out to its members to educate them and advocate for their needs that fall in line with reproductive rights. Advocated for pro-choice legislation, as well as supported pro-choice candidates during election time. Planned events, as well as maintained and supported volunteers. Acted as liaison between communications team and advocacy team.

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ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

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Conference Presentations

2017 Equity and Social Justice Conference

2018 National Association for Ethnic Studies 

Volunteering and Membership

AmeriCorp | Teaching Assistant

Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project | Member, Bowl-a-thon fund leader, social media support

VCU’s Open Minds | Participant and intern

Rosmy (Now Side by Side) | Event and support group volunteer

Equality Virginia | Event volunteer

National Network of Abortion Funds | Member

National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs | Member

Black Pride RVA | Event and education coordinator

#Campaign4ComfortRVA | Founder and campaign co-leader

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Skills

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Training

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30 Hours – Grant Writing – The Community Foundation

More to be added!