With two decades of experience as a journalist, creative writer, and communications strategist, Leslie D. Rose has spent her career writing culture-shifting stories, crafting radically inclusive strategies, and creating narrative-changing programming. She's held roles leading grassroots, philanthropic, and higher ed communications, helping to garner positive press, shape social media presence, enhance internal and external media output, and cultivate donors. As a journalist, she's been everything from a city newspaper aide to a digital media showrunner with bylines across local, digital, and legacy publications.
A few of her notable interviews include Mariah Carey, Maxine Waters, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, KeKe Palmer, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Misty Copeland, Common, and Allyson Felix. Leslie's work is featured in print and digital, on screen, and on stage. She moderated the panel discussion Hip-Hop & We Don’t Stop: Where Do We Go from Here, featured in the Emmy-winning ABC documentary Rap Trap: Hip-Hop on Trial. She also served as the main voice journalist on the season 2 finale of VH1's Celebrity True Crime Story about former No Limit rapper Mac Phipps' wrongful conviction.
As a creative writer, Leslie’s focus is narrative poetry and creative non-fiction. She has competed in team and individual poetry slams at the national level. Her work has been published and featured on Passages North, All Def Poetry, midnight & indigo, and Prince George's County Creative Currents, among other outlets. She is the author of the full-length journalism-inspired book of poetry, "The Newsroom" (2015, Next Left Press), which examines the emotional battle journalists often have within themselves as storytellers and humans. She also has four essays in "The St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture, 1st Edition" (2018, Gale).
Leslie is a proud graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, where she obtained a B.A. in mass communication. She has national awards in marketing for integrated campaigns and special videos, writing and editing awards in journalism, and community recognitions for her work in the arts and social impact.
Based in New Orleans, Leslie is available for freelance or contract hire in journalism, panel moderation, event hosting, public relations and editorial consulting, photography, and as a teaching artist in poetry and journalism.
Pick-Your-Brain
30 minutes to ask any comms-related questions you want. Questions can be specific to your project; however, prior research is not applicable to this offering. — $150
Guided Brainstorming
One hour to discuss your project for direction. Also referred to as the ramble session, clients generally toss ideas for clarity and action item creation. — $250
Commissioned Articles/Narratives/Poetry
— Contact to discuss. (*Leslie does not write or edit academic papers.)
Feature-Style Bio Writing
What better way to tell your story than to have it written like a magazine article by a veteran features writer? — Starts at $300.
Resume Editing
Turn your job descriptions into bite-sized, eye-catching achievement-based stories — $200--$300.
Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans
Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communication
PAST
ESSAYS
POETRY
Using the stage name Leslie D!, this Jersey-born poet, whose work - primarily done in narrative form - addresses culture, ancestry, journalism, and Black womanhood. Leslie has been a member of two national poetry slam teams and represented Baton Rouge individually at the 2014 Women of the World Poetry Slam, where she ranked in the upper quadrant.
Her work has been published and featured in various outlets, including Passages North and All Def Poetry. Her work is also archived on IndieFeed: Performance Poetry, where you can hear seven poems, including this piece on immigration and this piece on journalism.
Leslie served as artistic staff for the 2014 run of the New Venture Theatre production Love, Whitney - a choreo-play honoring the life and legacy of the late singer Whitney Houston. This work included writing two poems for choreography and performing her piece, "An Open Letter to Whitney Houston from Every Woman who Understood Why the Flag Saluted You."
As an author, she has composed several chapbooks and a full-length book of journalism-inspired poetry titled "The Newsroom."
The Picture of Health is an invisible illness awareness project inspired by Leslie's own struggles with fibromyalgia. Through photography, it highlights people living with invisible health conditions to normalize illness.
The first Picture of Health event was held in Baton Rouge in May 2019 in partnership with The Healthcare Gallery and Jones Creek Family Dentistry. The preview exhibit was then shown at Southern Cofe (Baton Rouge) through the summer of 2019. The work continues online with an Instagram community of invisible illness warriors.
Inspiration Behind The Picture of Health
At the top of September 2017, a simple Facebook post asked people to comment with a selfie if they have invisible illnesses. Some 100 photos later, Leslie knew the project in her head was much bigger than she could imagine.
The Picture of Health in the News
Interview with Leslie Rose -- We the Scenario podcast.
Leslie Rose and The Picture of Health, Greater Baton Rouge Business Report
Rose gives grace and patience to those who engage with her camera. How much or how little they reveal to the camera or to her is completely their choice. Some display their extensive arrays of medication bottles. Some smile boldly.
True BR: The rising art of spoken word poetry, The Advocate
With a new crop of poets rising from local high schools and universities, this art form has seen new life. Leslie D. Rose, a spoken word poet and journalist, shares an insider’s perspective on the culture of spoken word poetry in Baton Rouge.
Poetic Pair BR couple to showcase poetry, The Advocate
Modern poets tend to love the written and spoken word. For Leslie D. and Donney Rose, the spoken words include “I do.” Poetry helped bring the Baton Rouge couple together. They met at a concert and started seeing each other at poetry readings.
‘Artrepreneurship’ — 3 Tips for Turning Your Creative Endeavor into a Business, LA Tech Park
Leslie Rose, who holds a full-time job while also pursuing creative side projects and working on the Black Out Loud Conference, says she encourages entrepreneurs to not immediately put pressure on their art to support their lives. “Keep your full-time job as long as you can,” she says. “Have your benefits, save your money, go and network and meet people.”
Invisible Warriors: Photo Exhibit Reveals the Truth Behind Invisible Illness, The Jozef Syndicate
When photographer and writer Leslie D. Rose is told “oh, but, you look good! ” it is not a compliment. For many people living with invisible illnesses, very rarely do they “look sick.” And quite often, there is no celebration in looking like they are disease-free when beneath the surface their bodies are fighting debilitating conditions or chronic pain.
Artists filling in the gaps: South Louisiana artists band together to benefit Puerto Rico, The Advocate
Their vacation in December 2016 came at the end of a particularly painful year, but Leslie Rose and her husband, Donney, found a spirit of rejuvenation in Puerto Rico.
Don't miss these events, Art, The Picture of Health, The Advocate
"The biggest thing is to elicit compassion," Rose says. Through her photos, she wants to show and educate that just because there may not be outward signs, doesn't mean that a neighbor isn't living with an illness. There is also the benefit, Rose says, that by showing others discussing their illnesses, more Baton Rougeans will want to speak up, showing there are many in the community with these medical conditions.
Louisiana Artists for Puerto Rico, Country Roads Magazine
Artists aren't typically inclined to math, but they have a knack for aftermath, emerging with works both healing and buoyant in the wake of disasters. For the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria's devastation in Puerto Rico, the Baton Rouge Gallery hosts "Louisiana Artists for Puerto Rico," an evening of music, poetry, and dance led by area poet and media professional Leslie D. Rose, whose Puerto Rican descent prompted, in part, her effort to contribute to the country's reconstruction.
Artists collaborate to help rebuild parts of Puerto Rico a year after Hurricane Maria, BRProud.com
A group of local artists are coming together to benefit those impacted by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico a year ago nearing the one year anniversary.
Xavier names 40 under 40 award recipients, The Advocate
Gonzales Weekly Citizen and Donaldsonville Chief Editor Leslie D. Rose recently was selected as one of Xavier University of Louisiana’s Top 40 under 40 Young Alumni Awards. The awards recognize outstanding professionals under the age of 40 for their contributions to their organizations and to the community.
Jersey Girl Brings the Slam Scene to Well Read Books, The Patch
Rose, who lives in Louisiana but is originally from Mount Holly, has been performing for 9 years and started competing in 2006. "My interest in competing came from the sport feel of it," Rose said. "I have always been a very competitive person with no outlet — I can't play sports, I suck at board games, etc."
Please familiarize yourself with Leslie's work before pitching. Press releases and pitches may be sent using the link below or directly to EmailLeslieD@gmail.com.
**Leslie does not respond to hate mail or disrespectful commentary.**
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