You’ve probably already figured out I’m a writer, strategist, and creative multi-hyphenate. But here’s what the homepage didn’t tell you — the real behind-the-scenes of how I got here and why I do what I do.

I’ve always been a storyteller — from made-up narratives playing with my Barbie dolls to producing breaking news stories to branded campaigns for TV and digital platforms. I believe stories have power, especially when they’re shaped with care, culture, and a little bit of magic.

But enough of the resume stuff. Here are some fun facts about me!

  1. I was born and raised in Jackson, Miss. I’m currently enjoying life in the Peach state, while working as an entertainment social media marketing manager.

  2. I’ve worked in mostly all aspects of broadcast journalism: producer, reporter, digital, video/audio editor. I also have experience with podcasts, print, photography and most recently, social media/marketing.

  3. I consider myself to be a well-rounded millennial, but I’m mostly interested in pop culture, music, fashion and video games.

  4. I’m fluent in spanglish, sarcasm, memes, gifs and emojis.

  5. I was rewarded with a college scholarship at the age of 8 from a local TV news manager. He later became the mayor of Jackson. Ironically, I started working for the same news station (WLBT) fresh out of college. (See pictures below)

  6. Former President Barack Obama once tweeted a story that I produced for GPB News. It went viral.

  7. In 2018, I won a prestigious, public radio (PRNDI) award for a very challenging story regarding race and white supremacy in America.

  8. I love Black history. If we had a conversation about the topic, I probably wouldn’t shut up.

  9. My dog’s name is Jazz. I named her after one of my favorite music genres because I thought she would bring me peace and therapy like the music. Nope. She gives me the blues! I still love her though.

  10. I side-eye anyone who doesn’t like Beyoncé. Life is too short to pretend you hate Queen B. I actually got engaged outside of a Beyoncé and Jay Z concert shortly after their show.

photos courtesy of The Clarion Ledger

La’Raven lives by the quote, “I think, therefore I am” by Rene DesCarte.