Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Taylor.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Brittany. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was always a go-getter. From waiting tables as a server at a Mexican restaurant, attending networking events, being a full-time student in college, taking on a leadership role in my organization to interning at ESPN radio. My world came to a halt when I found out I was pregnant.
I was a senior in college, trying to finish my last semester. At this point, many people thought my dream in media would end with motherhood, but they thought wrong. I was seven months pregnant during my last semester and was determined to stay on top of my grades. I ended up giving birth via c-section during finals.
A day after having my baby, I was in the hospital working my assignments for my classes. While staying up all night, breastfeeding my newborn, alone, I was sleep deprived but still managed to study for finals. I even went to a tutoring session for my stats class a few days after giving birth. I knew I had to graduate that semester, for the sake of my sanity and my child.
I graduated that semester with a 3.8 GPA.
With stitches still in my belly, I walked across the stage two weeks after having my child and received my bachelor’s degree. While everyone else celebrated and partied, I was at home watching them enjoy life with my newborn.
Many times I felt like a failure and wanted to give up on my dreams.
With the help and encouragement of a friend, I started looking for jobs again. I made a website to show off my writing skills, got active in my organization again, went to networking events and even did freelance work to help build companies social media accounts.
With the grace of God, I received a callback from KPRC-TV for a digital producer position, It was only part-time, but I knew in my heart I was going to be promoted. I came in as an underdog, the youngest minority on the team. I had many people doubt if I was good enough but showed off my skills and was promoted to full time less than three months of being there. I’ve been working at my job for more than three years now and have written viral stories, worked 25 hours straight during Hurricane Harvey and even won an Edward R. Murrow Award.
I am now a multi-award winning journalist at the age of 28. I am a striving single mom and mentor to other single moms and aspiring journalist students. I created a YouTube Channel, Btaylor TV, where I can have my own platform for others to get to know me and to inspire others from my struggle journey.
I live by this phrase: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.
I hope my testimony and story inspires many to overcome obstacles, heartbreak, disappointments and temporary failures because everything you go through leads you to your destiny.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, being a single mom wasn’t in the plans, but everything happens for a reason. I was challenged all the time and questioned if I was good enough. Was I a good mother, speaker, writer, journalist?
I literally had to be my own cheerleader and fight through seasonal depression. People rarely knew when I was depressed.
I thought I always had to prove my worth to people when really, I just had to prove it to myself and know I am enough. There were times I felt like I wasn’t being a good mom because I was working so much on weekends and missing out on events in life but knew it will all pay off.
I also went through a house fire in 2018. My son and I pretty much lost everything. I had to start all over but with the help of family, friends, co-workers and strangers, we were able to get back on our feet pretty quickly.
Please tell us about KPRC-TV.
I work for a local news station in Houston. I am a digital producer for the station. I write stories for Click2Houston.com and manage several of the company’s social media platforms.
I’m known for my features. I love covering topics from fashion, beauty and inspiring stories. I also act as a digital reporter when covering local events on our social media accounts.
I am most proud of my story where I wrote about a single mother of a child with disabilities who graduated with her master’s degree at the same university I graduated from. The story received the largest amount of engagement with more than 60,000 likes on Facebook and more than a million people reached. No one in the company has ever reached those number from a story they have written and produced from scratch.
I think my drive, passion, storytelling skills, being a mother and being a young minority in this industry sets me apart from others.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory was winning first place in a U.I.L speech and debate competition in storytelling. It was the first time I discovered I was good at something and winning a trophy to bring home.
Contact Info:
- Email: btaylor@watch1394.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanynashaye/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittany.taylor.90813
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl6844drwABFspJ-ZLeMXpQ?view_as=subscriber
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