Jazmine Hughes
{{short description|American writer and editor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jazmine Hughes
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|10|25}}
| birth_place =
| occupation = Writer, editor
| employer = The New York Times Magazine
| nationality = American
| citizenship =
| education = Connecticut College (BA)
Columbia University (Non-Degree Certificate)
| alma_mater =
| era =
| movement =
| notable works =
| awards = Forbes 30 Under 30
Honorary doctorate, Connecticut College
| years_active = 2012-present
| website = [https://twitter.com/jazzedloon twitter.com/jazzedloon]
}}
Jazmine Hughes (born October 25, 1991) is an American writer and editor. From 2015 to 2023, she was an editor at The New York Times Magazine. Previously she served as contributing editor of The Hairpin. Her work has also appeared in The New Yorker, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and The New Republic.
Early life
Hughes was born on October 25, 1991, in New Haven, Connecticut.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/jazzedloon/status/790953990339125248|title=happy birthday to me|last=Hughes|first=Jazmine|date=October 25, 2016|website=Twitter|access-date=2018-05-21|archive-date=2020-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807214641/https://twitter.com/jazzedloon/status/790953990339125248|url-status=live}} She grew up with four sisters and was homeschooled until the fifth grade. She attended Connecticut College where she studied government and served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Marissa|title=Dream Jobs: Get to Know Jazmine Hughes of The Hairpin|url=http://www.teenvogue.com/story/jazmine-hughes-dream-jobs-the-hairpin|website=Teen Vogue|date=January 21, 2015|access-date=June 30, 2016|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816180754/http://www.teenvogue.com/story/jazmine-hughes-dream-jobs-the-hairpin|url-status=live}} before graduating in 2012{{Cite web|url=https://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2018/hendricks-in-nyt-magazine/|title=Hendricks in NYT Magazine|date=January 3, 2018|website=Connecticut College|language=en|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-date=2018-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127004801/https://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2018/hendricks-in-nyt-magazine/|url-status=live}} at age 20. After college she attended the Columbia Publishing Course.
Career
Hughes began her career as a fact-checker at New York Magazine,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/06/jazmine-hughes-women-are-magic|title=Jazmine Hughes: 'Women are magic'|last=Galo|first=Sarah|date=2015-01-06|website=the Guardian|access-date=2016-06-30|archive-date=2016-09-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914220745/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/06/jazmine-hughes-women-are-magic|url-status=live}} one of only two black employees (the other worked in the mail room) at the publication throughout her first year there. Hughes served as contributing editor of The Hairpin{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailydot.com/irl/jazmine-hughes-interview/|title=How to make it as a freelance writer on the Internet|last=Bateman|first=Hallie|date=January 12, 2015|website=The Daily Dot|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=July 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702051325/http://www.dailydot.com/irl/jazmine-hughes-interview/|url-status=live}} before becoming an associate editor at The New York Times Magazine{{cite web|last1=Mullin|first1=Benjamin|title=Jazmine Hughes named associate digital editor at NYT Mag|url=http://www.poynter.org/2015/jazmine-hughes-named-associate-digital-editor-at-nyt-mag/329963/|website=Poynter|date=26 March 2015|access-date=30 June 2016|archive-date=30 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630225803/http://www.poynter.org/2015/jazmine-hughes-named-associate-digital-editor-at-nyt-mag/329963/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediawiredaily.com/2015/03/thehairpincoms-jazmine-hughes-joins.html|title=TheHairpin.com's Jazmine Hughes Joins Jake Silverstein's New York Times Magazine|last=|first=|date=|website=Media Wire Daily|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=2016-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616224619/http://www.mediawiredaily.com/2015/03/thehairpincoms-jazmine-hughes-joins.html|url-status=live}} in March 2015, where she worked until November 2023.{{Cite news |last=Robertson |first=Katie |date=2023-11-03 |title=New York Times Writer Resigns After Signing Letter Protesting the Israel-Gaza War |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/03/business/media/new-york-times-writer-resign-israel-gaza-war.html |access-date=2023-11-04 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/jazmine-hughes-joins-ny-times-mag/|title=Jazmine Hughes Joins NY Times Mag|last=O'Shea|first=Chris|date=March 26, 2015|access-date=January 26, 2018|archive-date=January 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127010229/http://www.adweek.com/digital/jazmine-hughes-joins-ny-times-mag/|url-status=live}} At the Times Magazine, Hughes edited the "Letter of Recommendation" feature and the "Talk" column.
Hughes has drawn particular attention for her writing on topics from "imposter syndrome"{{cite news|last1=Wemple|first1=Erik|title=Editor at New York Times Magazine dresses up for work for Cosmo experiment|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/10/23/editor-at-new-york-times-magazine-dresses-up-for-work-for-cosmo-experiment/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=23 October 2015|access-date=30 June 2016|archive-date=22 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822040000/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/10/23/editor-at-new-york-times-magazine-dresses-up-for-work-for-cosmo-experiment/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/want-to-beat-impostor-syndrome-a-new-york-times-editor-shows-how-its-done.html|title=Want to Be More Confident? Here's How a Successful Writer Faked It Until She Made It|last=Murphy, Jr.|first=Bill|date=December 15, 2015|website=Inc.|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423225339/http://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/want-to-beat-impostor-syndrome-a-new-york-times-editor-shows-how-its-done.html|url-status=live}} to race and humor,{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailydot.com/via/new-republic-hughes-racial-humor/|title=What we laugh about when we laugh about white people|last=Reghay|first=Nayomi|date=February 9, 2015|website=The Daily Dot|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=August 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818151223/http://www.dailydot.com/via/new-republic-hughes-racial-humor/|url-status=live}} as well as for her own humor writing.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3037645/today-in-tabs/today-in-tabs-the-descent-of-goth|title=Today in Tabs: Today's Intern Tab|last1=Foster|first1=Rusty|last2=Stephen|first2=Bijan|date=October 27, 2014|website=Fast Company|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=October 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001172240/https://www.fastcompany.com/3037645/today-in-tabs/today-in-tabs-the-descent-of-goth|url-status=live}} In 2016, HelloGiggles named Hughes to its list of "14 Women of the Internet Inspiring Us on International Women's Day"{{Cite web|url=http://hellogiggles.com/internet-women-we-love/|title=14 women on the Internet inspiring us on International Women's Day|last=Sheppard|first=Elena|date=March 8, 2016|website=HelloGiggles|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=July 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715211540/http://hellogiggles.com/internet-women-we-love/|url-status=live}} and The L Magazine named Hughes to its 2014 "30 Under 30" list.{{cite web|title=30 Under 30: The Envy Index|url=http://www.thelmagazine.com/2014/12/30-30/|website=The L Magazine|date=3 December 2014|access-date=30 June 2016|archive-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827114018/http://www.thelmagazine.com/2014/12/30-30/|url-status=live}} Brooklyn Magazine named her to its 2016 list of "100 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Culture," describing her writing for The Hairpin as "immensely,
deservedly popular."{{cite web|title=The 100 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Culture|url=http://www.bkmag.com/2016/03/01/the-100-most-influential-people-in-brooklyn-culture-2/|website=Brooklyn Magazine|date=1 March 2016|access-date=30 June 2016|archive-date=9 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709224421/http://www.bkmag.com/2016/03/01/the-100-most-influential-people-in-brooklyn-culture-2/|url-status=live}} Interviewing Hughes in 2015, Longform Podcast describes her as "very young and...very successful in her short time in the media world;"{{Cite web|url=https://longform.org/posts/longform-podcast-165-jazmine-hughes|title=Longform: Longform Podcast #165: Jazmine Hughes|website=Longform|date=4 November 2015 |access-date=2016-06-30|archive-date=2016-10-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003231410/https://longform.org/posts/longform-podcast-165-jazmine-hughes|url-status=live}} Hughes earned her editorial post at The New York Times Magazine at age 23. The Huffington Post named Hughes's Hairpin piece on her sisters{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Jazmine |date=December 15, 2014 |title=Sisters, Ranked |url=https://thehairpin.com/sisters-ranked-219ac896ed2d |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131212820/https://www.thehairpin.com/2014/12/sisters-ranked/ |archive-date=January 31, 2021 |access-date=July 6, 2016 |website=The Hairpin}} to its year-end list of "28 Pieces From 2014 That Should Be Required Reading For Women"{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/22/required-reading-for-women-2014_n_6336424.html|title=28 Pieces From 2014 Every Woman Should Read|first1=Emma|last1=Gray|first2=Nina|last2=Bahadur|date=2014-12-22|website=The Huffington Post|access-date=2016-07-06|archive-date=2016-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910201221/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/22/required-reading-for-women-2014_n_6336424.html|url-status=live}} and Autostraddle called her piece on dressing like Cookie Lyon to battle imposter syndrome one of 2015's "best longform written by women."{{Cite web|url=http://www.autostraddle.com/215-of-the-best-longreads-of-2015-all-written-by-women-319679/|title="215 Of The Best Longreads Of 2015 — All Written By Women"|last=Riese|date=December 29, 2015|website=|publisher=|access-date=|archive-date=June 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630083555/https://www.autostraddle.com/215-of-the-best-longreads-of-2015-all-written-by-women-319679/|url-status=live}} Hughes has also profiled Elaine Welteroth of Teen Vogue and Charlemagne Tha God for the New York Times Magazine.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/by/jazmine-hughes|title=Jazmine Hughes|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-21|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2017-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201182243/https://www.nytimes.com/by/jazmine-hughes|url-status=live}}
Forbes named Hughes to its 2018 30 Under 30 list for media.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/59f747e4a7ea436b47b489c0/jazmine-hughes-26/#117922683613|title=Jazmine Hughes, 26 - pg.12|website=Forbes|access-date=2017-11-14|archive-date=2017-11-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115020920/https://www.forbes.com/pictures/59f747e4a7ea436b47b489c0/jazmine-hughes-26/#117922683613|url-status=live}} In 2020, she received the ASME NEXT Award for Journalists Under 30. In 2023, she received the National Magazine Award for Profile Writing. {{cite web | url=https://www.nytco.com/press/times-magazine-wins-2-ellie-awards/#:~:text=The%20New%20York%20Times%20Magazine,Viola%20Davis%20and%20Whoopi%20Goldberg | title=Times Magazine Wins 2 Ellie Awards | date=29 March 2023 }}
On November 3, 2023, the New York Times announced that Hughes had resigned, after having signed with Jamie Lauren Keiles the Writers Against the War on Gaza letter, an open letter accusing Israel of attempting to "conduct genocide" in the course of the Gaza war. The newspaper said that Hughes' actions were a "violation of The Times’s policy on public protest".{{cite news |last1=Selk |first1=Avi |last2=Chery |first2=Samantha |title=N.Y. Times writer quits over open letter accusing Israel of 'genocide' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2023/11/04/nyt-jazmine-hughes-resigns/ |access-date=4 November 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=4 November 2023}}
Advocacy
Hughes is also a cofounder of the group Writers of Color,{{cite web|last1=Varagur|first1=Krithika|title=How To Solve Media's Diversity Problem|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/writers-of-color-project_us_564b3b02e4b08cda348a7231|website=The Huffington Post|date=24 November 2015|access-date=30 June 2016|archive-date=11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911120502/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/writers-of-color-project_us_564b3b02e4b08cda348a7231|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.vidaweb.org/vidaweb-resources/writers-of-color-org/|title=Writers of Color.org|last=Monroe|first=Jen|date=February 26, 2016|website=VIDA: Women in the Literary Arts|publisher=|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816164141/http://www.vidaweb.org/vidaweb-resources/writers-of-color-org/|archive-date=August 16, 2016|url-status=dead}} establishing a searchable database of contemporary writers of color in order to "create more visibility for writers of color, ease their access to publications, and build a platform that is both easy for editors to use and accurately represents the writers."{{cite web|title=Writers of Color • About|url=http://www.writersofcolor.org/|website=www.writersofcolor.org|access-date=2016-06-30|archive-date=2016-07-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702000657/http://www.writersofcolor.org/|url-status=live}}
Honors
In May 2018, Hughes was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from her alma mater, Connecticut College, making her the youngest person ever to receive an honorary doctorate from the school.{{Cite web|url=https://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2018/commencement-preview/|title=Commencement Preview|date=May 9, 2018|website=Connecticut College|language=en|access-date=2018-05-21|archive-date=2018-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522112752/https://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2018/commencement-preview/|url-status=live}}
Selected works
- [http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/03/secret-fantasies-adults "The Secret Fantasies of Adults"], The New Yorker, November 3, 2014
- [https://newrepublic.com/article/120916/white-people-are-co-opting-black-peoples-jokes-about-white-people "How Many White People Does It Take to Ruin a Good Joke?"], The New Republic, February 6, 2015
- [http://www.elle.com/life-love/a30983/getting-your-period-first-day-on-job/ "I Bled Through My Pants on My First Day Work at The New York Times"] Elle, October 7, 2015
- [http://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a48078/dressed-like-cookie-from-empire-for-a-week-essay "I Dressed Like Cookie for a Week to Get Over My Imposter Syndrome"], Cosmopolitan, October 22, 2015
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Jazmine}}
Category:The New York Times editors
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:American women essayists
Category:American women journalists
Category:21st-century American essayists
Category:Connecticut College alumni
Category:21st-century American women writers
Category:American women humorists