Journalist & Communications Strategist

Blending culture and advocacy through writing and strategic communications.

About Leslie D. Rose

Leslie D. Rose is a communications strategist, creative writer, and culture & advocacy journalist with two decades of experience. Through all areas of her work, she specializes in guiding purpose-driven campaigns and content to meet high social impact standards. She communicates with a healthy mix of candor and care to facilitate socially responsible dialogue and ensure people are comfortable having honest conversations. Her journalism focuses on equity and advocacy, criminal justice, women's health, music, celebrities, family, relationships, and mental health, among other topics.

Leslie has led grassroots, philanthropic, and higher ed communications, helping to garner positive press, shape social media presence, enhance internal and external media output, and cultivate donors. She's also been everything from a city newspaper aide to a digital media showrunner with bylines and video content across magazines, newspapers, major digital media outlets, and legacy publications. A few of her notable interviews include Mariah Carey, Maxine Waters, Kerry Washington, Chris Rock, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Common, Zoe Saldana, Will Ferrell, and Bootsy Collins. Leslie often lends an advocacy lens to her cultural pieces, giving a charge to the audience while presenting a new view. She has written extensively about the negative impact of using rap lyrics as evidence on trial. She moderated the panel discussion Hip-Hop & We Don’t Stop: Where Do We Go from Here, featured on the 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, and midnight & indigo, among other outlets. She is the author of the full-length journalism-inspired book of poetry, The Newsroom, 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/St. James Press).

Leslie is a proud HBCU graduate from Xavier University of Louisiana with 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. Leslie is available for freelance or contract hire in journalism, event/panel moderation, hosting, public relations and editorial consulting, photography, and as a teaching artist in poetry and journalism.

AVAILABLE Services

Consulting

Workshops & Panel Moderation

Writing & Editing

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. — $75

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. — $150

Writing & Editing

Workshops & Panel Moderation

Writing & Editing

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 $200.

Resume Editing

Turn your job descriptions into bite-sized, eye-catching achievement-based stories — $150-$200.

Workshops & Panel Moderation

A variety of workshops are available for groups and individuals to learn writing techniques, media interview tips, communication skills, or even explore the craft of creative writing. — Contact to discuss.

Panel moderation: Leslie is an experienced journalist and orator who expertly navigates sensitive topics and creates an engaging audience experience. — Contact to discuss.

Curriculum vitaE

Professional Experience

22 years Journalism, 7 years Editorial
12 years Public Relations
10 years Marketing
16 years Performance Poetry
14 years Photography
10 years Facilitation / Teaching Artist

Education

Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans
Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communication

Memberships

National Association of Black Journalists
Washington Association of Black Journalists
Xavier University of Louisiana Alumni Association, DMV Chapter
National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Chapter, Public Relations and Economic Empowerment committees (2020- Present) | Metropolitan Baton Rouge Chapter, Public Relations Committee (2018-2020)
Gamma Phi Delta Sorority, Inc., Charter Vice-President, Eta Chapter, New Orleans – 2004-2005
The Communications Network (past)
Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (past)
Disability & Philanthropy Forum (past)
The Public Relations Society of America, National Capital Chapter (past)
National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (past)

Awards & Special Recognition

35th Annual Educational Advertising Awards, Bronze, Integrated Marketing Campaign, February 2020
35th Annual Educational Advertising Awards, Bronze, Special Video, February 2020
Invisible Illness Awareness Week, Oct. 13, 2019 – October 19, 2019, Baton Rouge
2016 Best Feature Story, 2nd Place, Division 6, Louisiana Press Association Better Newspaper Awards, June 2017 (writer)
2015 Best Overall Sports section, Division 4 – Weekly Citizen, Louisiana Press Association Awards, June 2016 (editor)
2015 Best Publication, Advertising, Division 4 – Paint it All Pink, Louisiana Press Association Awards, June 2016 (editor)
Xavier University 40 Under 40 Young Alumni Award Class, November 2015
Sue Weinstein Excellence in Volunteerism, May 2015

Select Publications

ESSAYS

Rose, Leslie D. "Criminal Minded." St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture, edited by Thomas Riggs, St. James Press, 2018, pp. 99-101.
Rose, Leslie D. "Native Tongues." St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture, edited by Thomas Riggs, St. James Press, 2018, pp. 311-314.
Rose, Leslie D. "The Northeast." St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture, edited by Thomas Riggs, St. James Press, 2018, pp. 329-333.
Rose, Leslie D. "Rap as Marketing, Advertising, and Branding." St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture, edited by Thomas Riggs, St. James Press, 2018, pp. 383-387

POETRY

The Newsroom, Next Left Press, Nov. 2015
“Needles,” co-written by William Brian Sain, All Def Poetry, Dec. 17, 2014
Various, Indiefeed: Performance Poetry, Episodes 1189, 1272, 1332, 1403, 1492, 1539, and 1594, June 2013 – Jan. 2016
“Conversations with my drunken brother,” Passages North, April 12, 2012

Click here to view Leslie's LinkedIn Profile

Leslie 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."

Journalist & Communications Strategist

About Leslie D. Rose