Today we’d like to introduce you to Ravien Burns.
Ravien, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Atlanta, GA, but my story really starts in New Orleans, LA, where my family moved when I was young. Surrounded by the city’s music, food, Mardi Gras, and second culture, with loved ones that were always a doorstep away, it felt like home immediately.
During my senior year at L.W. Higgins High School, I found journalism through JRNOLA, a program for young journalists. My first published article was about a beloved community Santa Claus who’d passed away, the response to that story became my calling. I went on to attend Dillard University, the oldest HBCU in New Orleans. There I made unforgettable memories, lasting friendships, joined school organizations like Pre Alumni Council, Royal Court, Choir, Bleu Media Network, and connected with people across different companies I still reach out to today. To add to the experience, I crossed and became a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, inc. that’s given me a sisterhood that serves the community with intention and greatness. While attending Dillard, I studied Mass Communication with a focus in Multimedia Journalism. My professors Dr. Shaniece Bickham and Mr. Bernal Davis taught me the foundation journalism is built on: report with integrity, ask the right questions, treat every source with care.
Now, a year post-grad, I carry that foundation with me covering events around the city. Even what started as a Covid side hustle has grown into my social media brand called DatsSoRavien, my platform for press, content, and culture. One of my favorite parts is the food content I create with my sister Renata, who’s a chef; cooking has always been how our family shows love.
Every room has a story. I just try to be present enough to find it, and honest enough to tell it right.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I believe when it comes to what you want to achieve, nothing will ever be smooth. There were plenty of moments early on where I questioned if I’d made the right call to be in this field. But when it felt like I wasn’t doing enough, I was often doing more than I realized — I just couldn’t see it without the support of my friends, family, and the peers I’ve connected with over the years.
I’ve had to prove myself over and over in rooms where I wasn’t always the expected person to be there. Even with the experience I carried from college, it wasn’t always enough to get my foot in the door. I felt that type of disappointment one time when I applied to AT&T’s Rising Future Makers Showcase twice and didn’t get selected. But I learned that rejection was often redirection and it never stopped me from pursuing the bigger picture.
Every setback has taught me something about resilience, and honestly, it’s made me appreciate the wins so much more now reminiscing on what I’ve accomplished rather than what I didn’t or couldn’t have.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a multimedia journalist currently doing freelance and a content creator working at the intersection of on-the-ground event coverage, interviews, and building out content that captures culture in real time — whether that’s a red carpet moment, a festival activation, or a brand campaign I highlight the communities I come from.
On the journalism side, I’ve done fireside chats with New Orleans native Nola Juice, multifaceted talent Miss Lawrence, and held press credentials for events including Essence Fest, Jazz Fest, Super Bowl LIX, Southern Hospitality Weekend, community pop events, and the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships. I’ve also taken media sponsorship roles for the It Girl Foundation Who’s that Girl Women’s Mixer and Louisiana Fashion Week which will take place at the end of July 2026. On the content and brand side, I create UGC and social lifestyle videos for my audience and brands across multiple categories, including TikTok Shop affiliate content. In doing so, I’ve partnered with names like Good Molecules, Pela Case, Cora, Thayers Skincare, Impressions of Beauty, Maybelline, and Prime Student to name a few.
I got my start on campus at Dillard, where a lot of people first knew me for my video content — covering campus events, conducting interviews, and serving as a brand ambassador and entering leadership roles for various brands and organizations. Through the career center we had on campus I was given the chance to work during The Essence festival of culture my sophomore and junior year with the help of the director, Ms. Dwanna Toney. From there, being active on campus inspired me to show up consistently and tell stories that mattered to the people around me.
Being a young black woman coming up in media already speaks volume about shaping the narrative. I just make sure with my work carries that further that I’m not only holding a mic and camera, but bring insight and perspective that comes from living in the moments i’m documenting.
What I’m most proud of, right now, is serving as Social Media Coordinator for the Media Scholars Program — the same program that selected me to be a part of their first cohort my senior year. Mentoring the next generation of students, helping them find exposure, build their portfolios, and discover their own voice in the media industry means more to me than any interview I’ve landed. Watching them grow is a full-circle moment, every time.
What sets me apart is that I don’t separate the journalism from the culture. I’m not covering things from the outside looking in — I’m in it. That closeness shows up in the way I tell stories: with context, care, and an insider’s eye for what actually matters.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was shy on one hand, but also a total social butterfly the moment I got comfortable in a room. Having a family full of strong, independent women who carried their households and community with grace shaped how I saw what was possible for myself. I was a dreamer, obsessed with fantasy, glitz, and glamour, the kind of kid who saw a beauty queen and thought, “yeah, that’s me one day.” I was also incredibly energetic and active as a kid, I even inherited my mom’s baton twirling skills by age 7. But underneath all that sparkle, family always came first and that part never changed.
Looking back, the Disney movie, “The Princess and the Frog”, also played a big part in how I showed up for myself. Tiana, was my inspiration. She wasn’t just a princess who wanted a restaurant, she wanted to build something of her own. Through hard work and hustle, she stayed true to her character and ambitions while also looking like me. Watching a black girl from New Orleans chase a dream that big, in a city that looks like mine, planted something in me early. I think in a lot of ways, I’ve been chasing my own version of Tiana’s restaurant ever since, except mine is built out of stories instead of a pot of gumbo with Tabasco on the side.
Through it all, my mother and grandmother instilled one thing in me above everything else: reach for the stars, and never let the world tell you what you’re limited to. That mindset has carried me through middle and high school to my collegiate years taking chances on things I never expected to happen to me. Every leap I’ve taken has developed me into the woman I am today.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_datssoravien?igsh=eGR6Y3V3ZWJ5a2Q5&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravien-burns-41b597204?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
