This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at VCU chapter.
VCU has an incredibly diverse and involved environment, and one of the many things I love about this school is how active it is in bringing awareness to certain events, issues, elections and other significant happenings, whether social, cultural, artistic or political. I had the pleasure of meeting someone this semester who is incredibly well-spoken, pensive, curious and intelligent. She does not shy away from challenging notions and bringing up different ideas. Tamara Taylor co-created a social awareness movement called Vocalize RVA that brings attention to social uprisings in our community. I had the pleasure of interviewing her via email.
Tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from? What is your major?
Name: Tamara Taylor.
Major: Student at VCU, psychology major, with a double major in African American Studies.
Love to read and write. I’ve been writing poetry for some time now. Community activist. I was born in Richmond, VA, but I grew up in Maryland. Youngest of four siblings.
What made you want to start Vocalize RVA?
I started Vocalize with a group of friends, simply sitting at home wanting to bring awareness to social issues. I saw the need to have a space where we can educate each other on things that effect their everyday lives. I brought together some friends, mainly a collective of artists and writers, who all have a passion for change. We’ve been writing for some time now, and all of us have different interests. What’s most important is that we stay true to who we are and I think everyone’s individual voice comes through.
What are some of your favorite posts/submissions?
In April, we devoted the entire month to sexual assault awareness. We posted facts about sexual assault, and posted some submissions from survivors sharing their story. We also interviewed a few health professionals in the area who work with survivors. I also really enjoyed showcasing Concept Artism, a program started by Richmond artist Kristen Konate. She provides an outlet for autistic children through art. She’s an amazing lady! You can find “Concept Artism” on Facebook. Their website: http://conceptartism.com/
Check out these videos from Vocalize RVA’s “Speak Your Peace” event!
What are your goals for Vocalize?
My goals for Vocalize RVA is to shed light on people’s individual experiences. I really believe that we can find a common bond and begin to break the stereotypes and myths that separate us. Richmond is a vibrant city and we really want to capture that through lifestyle, art, music, and community. We also have a very philanthropic basis and we want to bring that that out through the different events we host during the year! One event in particular that we held in November was “Speak Your Peace”. Local artists were able to display their talents and speak their peace! In addition we are founded on values of tolerance and compassion, and we hope that comes through in our message. We are a community-based magazine, but we’d like to see it grow further.
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Please make sure to check out Vocalize RVA and think about submitting something to them!
*pictures provided by Tamara Taylor, Tamara Taylor’s Facebook pictures, and Vocalize RVA Facebook page