Aisha K. Staggers
Verified
(She/Her)
As seen in:
Medium,
HuffPost,
New York Review of Books,
Blavity,
PAPER Magazine,
Atlanta Black Star,
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier,
Mason City Globe Gazette,
The Daily News (Longview, WA),
AFROPUNK
and
Covers:
Prince, Politics, Pop Culture, African American Studies, Race Relations, Music, Literature, Business & Finance, History, Film & Television.
Doesn't Cover:
I am open to any topic. I am a flexible writer and ardent researcher. If I don't know a lot about a topic, I will do my research. If I find I am not the right person to deliver, I usually know who is.
Loves Prince and politics! Co-host Primetime Saturday w/ Aisha & LaLa! My mantra is 'leap first, look second.' I'm with #Kamala!
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Not so much a writing job, but writing regular op-eds, I realized, had become part of my jobs working in politics and public policy.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, but not since the early 90s. I think now, it would drive me insane!
How is social media changing news?
It is more instantaneous. This is great because it is at your fingertips. It is also more prone to spreading incorrect news and rumors.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Alicia Stephens. She is a character I created. She is not just a journalist, though. She began as a lobbyist for a PR firm.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means that you are tasked with the most important function of this democracy and that is to keep the people informed.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#NotMyAriel. Funny that people are upset a fictional fish-person is being remade into a person of color. But it is also sad. Disturbing.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
As a writer, I usually do the pitching. But, if I were to be pitched anything, especially about Prince, Twitter will get my attention.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I use most of the typical CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, Weebly, Wix. I am trying to learn some of the others, too.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Diddy. I would actually like to write for Revolt TV, Mary J. Blige because--- she is Mary J. Blige! Maybe Barack and Michelle Obama!
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I did not become a musician. When I was little all I wanted to do was work at Motown or for Prince's Paisley Park Records.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. I was a contributor. I was also on yearbook staff. For the paper, I wrote music reviews and the like and did some for the local paper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Definitely my work on Prince. It is bittersweet, though. He had to die for me to be brave enough to take the risks I have as a writer.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
If you do not love it, reconsider your life. It isn't a career you can do without loving the work, the words and putting a story together.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time, really. The question is when will I check my social media and email to see it and then respond. I try to keep up, though.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was a request to write anything I wanted to about Prince for a book and I took it. So, you will have to wait and see what I do there.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
To write a favorable profile about a racist. He just happens to be president now.
What's your favorite drink?
Water. Whether cold, room temp, as ice, seltzer. You need it to make tea, coffee. It is in everything. I love it!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Sitting somewhere listening to music. That is my writing process. I sit and write in my head. If at my laptop, it has already been written.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I like Essence. I still read Billboard, I have since I was six! I like Variety, Blavity is cool. I like AP, Writers & Poets.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Writing about race as an African American, I am accused of "pulling the race card" when I am only shining light on my lived reality.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.