Rosianna Halse Rojas
{{Short description|British YouTuber and writer (born 1991)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rosianna Halse Rojas
| image = Rosianna Halse Rojas in a vlogbrothers video.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Rojas in a 2016 Vlogbrothers video
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|8|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = England
| spouse =
| relations =
| years_active = 2006–present
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
- University of Exeter {{small|(BA)}}
- SOAS University of London {{small|(MSc)}}
}}
| module = {{Infobox YouTube personality|embed=yes
| channel_handle = rosianna
| channel_display_name = Rosianna Halse Rojas
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| subscribers = 57.7 thousand
| views = 1.19 million
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
}}
| stats_update = 30 August 2024
}}
}}
Rosianna Halse Rojas (born 15 August 1991) is a British writer, video blogger, social media manager, and online personality. She is best known for working with vlogger and novelist John Green, initially as his personal assistant, later producing partner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-green-promotes-24-year-816024|title=John Green Promotes 24-Year-Old "Virtual Assistant" to Production Partner|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=21 August 2015 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://rosianna.com/about|title=ABOUT|website=rosianna halse rojas|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-09}}{{cite news|last=Votta|first=Rae|date=31 July 2014|title=What it's really like to work for a YouTube star|work=The Daily Dot|url=http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/youtube-behind-the-scenes-crew/|access-date=5 November 2014}}
Regarding her work with Green, Rojas has stated, "The job is varied – books, online video, podcasts, film and television projects, our work with Partners in Health Sierra Leone, a book club – but overall what I’m most passionate about is that every person I work with understands and is enthusiastic about the potential of community to effect change."{{Cite web|url=https://sonderandtell.com/2019/11/rosianna-halse-rojas/|title=Rosianna Halse Rojas – Writer & Producing Partner|date=2019-11-27|website=Sonder & Tell|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-09}}
Early life and education
From London, Rojas was born to an English father and a Mexican mother.{{Cite web|url=https://sonderandtell.com/2019/11/rosianna-halse-rojas/|title=In Conversation with Rosianna Halse Rojas – Writer & Producing Partner|website=Sonder & Tell|date=27 November 2019|accessdate=19 March 2024}} She attended Tiffin Girls' School before going on to study English at the University of Exeter. During her second year, she studied abroad at Vassar College.{{cite web|last=Rojas|first=Rosianna|url=http://www.tgsreview.com/?p=192|title=Rosianna Halse Rojas (2001-2009)|publisher=Tiffin Girls' School Review|date=2 May 2014|access-date=20 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129101355/http://www.tgsreview.com/?p=192|archive-date=29 November 2014}} She would later pursue a Master of Science in Migration, Mobility and Development at SOAS University of London, completing her dissertation in 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://rosianna.com/about|title=About Rosianna|website=Rosianna Halse Rojas|accessdate=19 March 2024}}
Projects
=YouTube=
Rojas first created a YouTube channel in 2006, when she registered her account under the username missxrojas.{{cite web|url=http://www.lydiamag.com/girl-like-us-rosianna-halse-rojas/|title=Girl Like Us: Rosianna Halse Rojas|date=27 June 2014|publisher=Lydia Magazine|access-date=23 June 2015}} On the account, she would post vlogs about Harry Potter, intellectualism and her personal school life as she studied for GCSE and A Level exams, among other topics.{{cite web|url=http://tedxbrighton.com/rosianna-halse-rojas/|title=Rosianna Halse Rojas – Online Communities as Sites for Engagement|author=Digby|date=15 August 2012|publisher=TedxBrighton|access-date=20 October 2014}} Her videos attracted an audience, and she developed a presence in the Nerdfighteria community. Eventually, in March 2013, Halse Rojas became John Green's personal executive assistant.{{cite web|url=https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rosianna|title=Rosianna Halse Rojas|publisher=LinkedIn|access-date=23 January 2015}} John Green, along with Hank Green, comprise the VlogBrothers, a vlogging channel from which the Nerdfighteria community was created. She also gave a TED talk at TEDx Brighton. She was one of 16 vloggers recognised by YouTube's Next program in 2012.{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/05/08/youtube-next-vloggers/|title=With 125M Views, These Vloggers Are Already Good. But YouTube Wants To Make Them Better.|last=Lawler|first=Ryan|date=8 May 2012|work=TechCrunch|access-date=20 October 2014}}
Rojas has been described as "a pioneering nerdfighter," by The New Yorker.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/09/the-teen-whisperer|title=The Teen Whisperer|last=Talbot|first=Margaret|magazine=The New Yorker |date=9 June 2014|access-date=20 October 2014}} In 2013, Rojas was one of six fill-in hosts for Green on the VlogBrothers channel, while Green was on paternity leave.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-mNUcpKOag|title=The Perks of Being John's Assistant|date=2 July 2013|last=Rojas|first=Rosianna Halse|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=20 October 2014|work=VlogBrothers}} Rojas has also served as the editorial director of Leaky News, a Harry Potter fansite.{{cite web|url=http://leakyconlondon2013.sched.org/Rosianna#.VES-K_nF-So|title=Rosianna Halse Rojas|publisher=LeakyCon London 2013|access-date=20 October 2014}}
Aside from being involved in Nerdfighteria, Rojas is a personality in YouTube's female community; she identifies as a feminist. She moderated the Sexism on YouTube panel at VidCon 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/sexism-on-youtube-vidcon-panels/|title=What it's really like to be a woman on YouTube|last=Votta|first=Rae|date=14 July 2014|work=The Daily Dot|access-date=20 October 2014}} In this field, Rojas has also designed "The Ladies Survey", an online survey about women and the internet.{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/03/brain-scoop-comments-emily-graslie_n_4378420.html|title=Science YouTuber Delivers The Perfect Response To Sexist Commenters|last=Matthews|first=Cate|date=3 December 2013|work=Huffington Post|access-date=20 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.delreyuk.com/index.php/del-rey-authors-take-vlogger-rosianna-halse-rojas-the-ladys-survey/|title=Del Rey author's take vlogger Rosianna Halse Rojas' The Ladies Survey|date=25 March 2014|publisher=Del Rey UK|access-date=20 October 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714030929/http://www.delreyuk.com/index.php/del-rey-authors-take-vlogger-rosianna-halse-rojas-the-ladys-survey/|url-status=dead}} She is also credited with being a writer on the humanities-related courses (world history, literature, US history) on Crash Course.
In 2017, Rojas was named a Creators for Change ambassador by YouTube.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/creators-for-change/role-models/rosianna-halse-rojas/|title=Creators for Change {{!}} YouTube|website=Creators for Change {{!}} YouTube|language=en|access-date=2020-01-09}}
= Life's Library =
In 2018, Rojas founded the Life's Library book club with John Green.{{Cite web|url=https://bookriot.com/2018/10/23/john-green-book-club/|title=John Green Launches Book Club with Rosianna Halse Rojas|last=Polson|first=Emily|date=23 October 2018|website=Book Riot|language=en-US|access-date=9 January 2020}} Members of the book club read a book approximately every 6 weeks, with online discussion occurring on the Life's Library Discord. Rojas and Green alternated choosing books, with guest curators occasionally making selections.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com/about/|title=About Life's Library - Free, Online Discussion Groups|website=Life's Library Book Club|language=en-US|access-date=9 January 2020|archive-date=28 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228212050/https://www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com/about/|url-status=dead}} Regarding Life's Library, Rojas has stated:
After the first year we’ve seen a brilliant and engaged community on the Discord, with thoughtful discussions about each of the titles and an excitement and curiosity about finding out more about the text, authors, and similar books. It’s such a positive space on the internet and I feel very lucky to be a small part of it.Life's Library was free to participate in, with paid subscription options available to receive digital or physical subscriptions, containing additional materials such as a discussion podcast, or a version of the book itself. All profits from Life's Library were donated to Partners in Health Sierra Leone to help reduce maternal mortality. The book club ended in March 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com/about/|title=The End|website=Life's Library Book Club|language=en-US|access-date=22 April 2022|archive-date=28 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228212050/https://www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com/about/|url-status=dead}}
= Podcasts =
Rojas hosted a relationships advice podcast titled Make Out With Him with her friend Lex Croucher, self-described as "a crushes, dating, friendships and kissing podcast."{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/makeoutwithhim|title=make out with him (@makeoutwithhim)|via=Twitter|language=en|access-date=9 January 2020}} It is currently on hiatus.{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6idOQRRa9oI|title=I saw Eighth Grade and I loved it|last=Rojas|first=Rosianna Halse|date=23 April 2019|via=YouTube|access-date=9 January 2020}}
Rojas also produces the podcasts The Anthropocene Reviewed and Dear Hank & John, both being co-productions of Complexly and WNYC Studios. She featured as a guest host in the episode It's My Soundtrack! when Hank Green was absent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dear-hank-john/episodes/157-its-my-soundtrack-w-rosianna-halse-rojas|title=It's My Soundtrack! (w/ Rosianna Halse Rojas!) {{!}} Dear Hank & John|website=WNYC Studios|language=en|access-date=9 January 2020}}
Rojas has also been a guest on three episodes of the popular Harry Potter podcast Potterless.
= Film production =
After signing a first-look producing deal with Fox 2000 and Temple Hill Entertainment, Green hired Rojas as a producing partner.{{cite magazine|last=Lewis|first=Andy|date=21 August 2015|title=John Green Promotes 24-Year-Old "Virtual Assistant" to Production Partner|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-green-promotes-24-year-816024|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=12 October 2015}} Their currently unnamed production company is working with Fox 2000 to produce a film about AFC Wimbledon, a third-tier English soccer team.{{cite web|url=http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/news/article/dons-story-on-big-screen-3035395.aspx|title=Dons story on big screen|date=31 March 2016|publisher=AFC Wimbledon|access-date=20 June 2016}}
Rojas was an executive producer on the Turtles All the Way Down film alongside Green.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/hannah-marks-turtles-all-the-way-down-movie-1203105786/|title=Hannah Marks to Direct 'Turtles All the Way Down' Movie for Fox|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=2019-01-11|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-01-09}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{The Green brothers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rojas, Rosianna Halse}}
Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London
Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter
Category:British women bloggers
Category:British women film producers
Category:British women literary critics
Category:British women podcasters
Category:British feminist writers
Category:English literary critics
Category:English people of Mexican descent
Category:People educated at the Tiffin Girls' School