Jessica Mills

I am a graduate student and course assistant at New York University’s Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, researching global masculinity constructs, the manosphere, systems of power, and extremist groups.

Outside of school, I am an award-winning journalist, monthly columnist, and freelance writer. My words have been published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, PR Week, the Gay & Lesbian Review, the American Association of Colleges & Universities, San Diego Uptown News, Mission Valley News, La Jolla Village News, Peninsula Beacon, Beach & Bay Press, Mission Times Courier, La Mesa Courier, College Times Courier, and Local Umbrella Media. I focus on covering social topics, art, culture, entertainment spaces, news, local and small businesses, local politics, and LGBTQ+ stories. Most recently, I won First Place for the 2023 Excellence in Journalism Awards for the San Diego Press Club for Visual and Fine Arts Reporting in non-daily newspapers. 

Work Samples

San Diego Union-Tribune

PR Week

Gay & Lesbian Review

American Association of Colleges & Universities

San Diego News

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Local Umbrella Media

The Vista

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Those in Gen Z bring different expectations to workplace

Orange peel theory? Why TikTok’s bizarre dating tests are toxic

Gen Zers are battling post-grad depression. Here’s what makes our job market so different

the social digital

the social digital dissects overlapping social and digital instances of misogyny, sexism, political and human rights issues, and personal experiences.

Realm of Masculinity: Encoding Manhood in the Rap Music Genre

In today’s technological culture, songs and their accompanying music videos are accessible through online websites, streaming platforms, social media outlets and network channels. Their lyrical messages have become a constant presence in everyday life. Texts revealed that music videos create a guideline of how to acceptably act as men and women in today’s culture. Among the most popular music genres is rap, which widely features misogynistic content. Rap artists’ lyrics and videos feature women who are regularly diminished to sexually promiscuous objects, lacking any individual thoughts and/or feelings. The speed and regularity in which consumers can now access this content desensitizes listeners to sexual harassment, exploitation and violence towards women. Many “old school” rappers such as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Tupac set a standard for utilizing misogyny in musical projects which has paved the path for current artists such as Future. With over 45 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Future is ranked among the platform’s top 50 artists. Although his songs and albums vary in terms of featured artists, topics and cover art, his degradation of women is constant. As one of the leading artists in this popular genre with a primarily male audience, Future’s construction of violent acts and phrases towards and against women encodes dominance and violence against women as a normal facet to manhood.

Undergraduate Research

Poetry and Creative Work

The Alcalá Review

Projects

USD Lambda Pi Eta Alumni Panel - Organizer and Speaker

  • Gathered group of ‘23 alumnus to speak to Lambda Pi Eta juniors and seniors about post-grad depression, job market complexities, application fatigue, grad school, and living at home

USD Guest Lecturer

  • Prepared presentation and lecture for Professor Herman’s Contemporary Print Journalism Spring ’24 course on the freelance writing industry

  • Discussed nuances of graduate program applications and recommended USD courses for prospective journalists; answered questions

“Heard You’ Podcast - Guest on ‘Welcome to our Book Club’ Episode

  • Shared literary and education hot takes, favorite titles, and the complexities of post-grad life

Freelance Project Manager - The American Association of Colleges and Universities

  • This project included editing the contents of the previous version of the AAC&U’s internal style guide for grammar, repetition, and outdated language. After conducting research from various publications and updated rules outlined in the Chicago of Manual Style, I included additional entries for specific diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) language.

Business Memorandum

  • For a final senior project I analyzed and presented the USD Vista with growth opportunities regarding diverse staffing, allocation of resources, equitable coverage, and greater reader and social media engagement.

Think Blue San Diego Climate Change Project

  • Working with Katz & Associates and Think Blue San Diego, my team and I acted as cultural communication consultants while interviewing San Diego residents and their water waste and collection habits. Our presented research and data collection earned the recognition of third place for the 2023 San Diego Marketing Awards.

Awards and Honors

Writers, editors, and publications, my digital door is always open for editorial and advertorial assignments. I cover local politics, social issues, community events, small businesses, local politics, art and culture, and LGBTQ+ stories.

Contact Me