PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Taylor is a driven, results-oriented creative strategist with more than a decade of experience. His passion lies in leading political education, fundraising, and culture shift campaigns that prioritize Black liberation and abolition. His track record speaks for itself and is defined by a fierce commitment to challenging perspectives via radical co-creative visual storytelling.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Independent Digital Strategy Consultant (2015 - PRESENT)

• Digital strategy and microcredential design for Edge Factor (2022-2023): Developed a unique series of digital microcredentials (Ethics, Financial Literacy, Interview 101) taught by a Black manufacturing tradesman and geared towards young Black and Brown students curious about the technical trades. Increased online engagement by 250% in 6 months following digital audit, strategic planning, and creation of engaging content

• Leading #FreeBlackMamas digital fundraising (2017-2020): Spearheaded National Bail Out Collective’s digital strategy raising over $5M and securing freedom for 250+ incarcerated Black mothers to reunite with their families on Mother’s Day. Co-created “Black Codes of Bail” art series raising awareness of pretrial detention practices. Empowered NBO’s fundraising efforts by training their new Communications Director in 2020

• Consulting on strategic digital micro-campaigns: Built the People’s Coalition for Safety & Freedom website and designed #DefundCOPS launch graphics for the Center for Popular Democracy (2020), researched and drafted scripts for political education video series by the Movement for Black Lives (2018), consulted on community building strategy and website design for Michelle Alexander (2017), developed website content and social collateral for FWD.us to launch www.InformedImmigrant.com, a comprehensive resource hub for young undocumented Americans facing deportation in the wake of DACA’s defunding (2017)

• Championing diversity and inclusion in higher education (2015-2017): 

• Co-founded and co-chaired President’s Commission on Multi-Ethnicity at The King’s College, leading efforts to identify barriers for ethnic minority and international students on campus. Managed a comprehensive data survey of the entire student body, conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 20+ students of color, and developed data-informed recommendations to the board for fostering cultural awareness and inclusion, with a focus on retention rates and campus diversity

• Consulted as a Cultural Competence Trainer for The Navigators, conducting regional workshops and equipping collegiate missionaries with skills for effective communication and engagement with young, diverse communities from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds

Digital Director, Worth Rises (Apr 2020 - Apr 2022)

• Building educational resources: Developed curriculums, toolkits, and multimedia content (podcasts, videos, and graphic series) to raise awareness about the prison industry and private equity’s role in mass incarceration

• Leading curriculum creation: Managed a team to design “The Curriculum,” a free, comprehensive online course on the prison industry and the fight to build a world without it (150-page visual textbook, educational videos, and weekly classes)

• Empowering directly impacted voices: Conducted deep listening sessions, interviews and storytelling/media trainings with currently and formerly incarcerated advocates, empowering them to share their stories with the public in our curriculum and podcast about prison industry sectors

• Increasing online presence: Executed data-driven ad campaigns across major platforms and search engines (Twitter/X, Facebook, IG, Google), resulting in a 30% rise in website traffic and 20% increase in new member signups year-over-year

• Championing prison phone justice: Designed and managed traditional media placements (billboards and print ads) to garner public support for a prison phone justice petition, driving Connecticut lawmakers to make prison calls in the state completely free

• Saving resources, boosting engagement: Streamlined creative department processes by selecting and negotiating with vendors, slashing costs by 40%. Increased social media engagement by 50% through targeted storytelling campaigns

Communications Director, United for Respect (Apr 2017 - Mar 2020)

• Spearheading rebranding: Led the multi-year communications strategy to rebrand OUR as United for Respect, increasing reporter engagement

• Empowering worker storytellers: Cultivated a network of 70+ worker-storytellers from Walmart, Amazon, Toys R Us, Sears, Whole Foods to engage the media as trained spokespeople and voice their demands

• Securing media coverage for national campaigns humanizing people who work: Cultivated relationships with key media across relevant beats (financial, business, labor, retail), secured placements in most major news outlets (New York Times, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal) and disseminated family-centered narratives (press releases, op-eds) amplifying the experiences and demands of retail employees and their families at companies like Walmart, Amazon, Sears, Toys ‘R’ Us and Whole Foods

• Leading national portrait series to highlight families in retail: Concepted and executed national portrait series campaign profiling retail families across the country and centering the stories of Black and Brown women leading the retail movement. Part of the organizational rebrand, this series aimed to humanize the fight against corporate overreach and resonated deeply with audiences

• Winning financial aid for laid-off employees: Led a team of five communications professionals in a successful effort multi-state effort to pressure Toys ‘R’ Us owners to establish a $20 million financial assistance fund for laid-off employees

Director of Digital Strategy & Culture, Fission Strategy (Aug 2015 - Mar 2017)

• Steering digital strategy and culture: Led a team of strategists, developers, and designers to implement mobile action networks, mobile apps, online campaigns, social media mapping and outreach strategies, SMS strategies, and website development for progressive clients like Define American, Everytown for Gun Safety, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, and Open Society Foundations

• Executing multi-platform ad campaigns: Managed Facebook, Twitter/X, and Google Ads campaigns, driving lead generation, website traffic growth, and petition signatures for social justice causes

• Cultivating digital advocacy expertise: Trained client staff and partners in digital advocacy and organizing best practices, fostering cultural competence and sustainable growth

• Founding and directing #WeBuiltThis: Led groundbreaking digital platform designed to engage young, Black communities in local elections and activism called #WeBuiltThis, leveraged extensive research and a multi-channel approach (social media, SMS, email, blogging, visual content, strategic press outreach) to reach over 7 million people online in a matter of weeks

Digital Strategy Manager, Fission Strategy (Sep 2013 - Aug 2015)

• Building winning advocacy strategies: Developed and implemented advocacy campaigns that were not only cost-efficient but also scalable, allowing clients to build movements and advocacy efforts over time

• Data-driven community management: Led analysis of client data to inform content creation, craft compelling social media messaging, and optimize ads language to resonate with target audiences and drive engagement

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

Alumnus, Global Messaging Program (2019)

Multi-national strategic communications fellowship facilitated by Anat Shenker-Osorio, examining core issues in perception and persuasion and how language shapes each.

Alumnus, Wellstone (formerly New Organizing Institute) Digital BootCamp (2015)

Premier training for digital and community organizers. Seven-day intensive program bringing a select group of organizers to D.C. to collaborate with field leaders, career organizers and hone core skills in online organizing. Placed first in electoral campaign simulation, out of eight competing teams.

EDUCATION

The King’s College — B.A. Politics, Philosophy & Economics, summa cum laude

SKILLS

Managerial Leadership  /  Crisis Response Digital & Communications Strategy  /  Tech Product Development  /  Facilitator and Trainer  /  Brand Strategy  /  Co-creative Digital Storytelling  /  Art Curation & Creative Direction  / Digital Ads  /  Data Analysis  /  Strategic Fundraising  /  Client & Project Management  /  Adobe Creative Suite  /  Adobe Premiere Pro