Our Team
CLASS OF 2015–2016
This year the Class of 2015–2016 won the College Media Association Apple Award in the multimedia category for our 3-part series, “The Death and Life of Harlem.”
LINDA VILLAROSA (DIRECTOR)
Linda Villarosa runs the journalism program at the City College of New York (CCNY) in Harlem. The she advises students at school’s student publication The Campus and our very own community website, Harlem Focus.
Formerly, she’s edited the health section of the New York Times and wrote dozens of articles for the paper and website. She was also the executive editor at Essence magazine, where she managed the staff and wrote a number of award-winning articles, essays and profiles.
Linda continues to contribute to Essence, Ebony, Ms. Magazine, Salon and the Root. In August 2015, she wrote a story about the struggle for LGBT rights in Africa for Essence, and in February contributed this essay on Black Love in Ebony.
Linda is the author or co-author of many books, including the bestseller “Body & Soul: The Black Women’s Guide to Physical Health and Emotional Well-being” and the novel “Passing for Black.”
With her mother and sister, Linda owns and operates Villarosa Media, a boutique publishing company for African-American content. In February, they published our first book, “The Wind Is Spirit: The Life, Love & Legacy of Audre Lorde,” by Dr. Gloria Joseph.
Linda am also actively involved with the Feminist Press as a board member and the Lambda Literary Foundation as an awards judge and writing mentor.
MIKHAEL SIMMONDS (MANAGER-EDITOR)
Mikhael Simmonds hails from Trinidad and Tobago but has lived in New York City since 2007. He graduated from the City College with a Bachelor’s degree in international affairs in 2011, and shortly after earned a Master’s degree in journalism with a focus on multimedia coverage, in 2013 from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.
Mikhael is a full-time NYC reporter, who uses photography, videography, audio, print and design to tell compelling stories. He now manages the Harlem Focus media lab at CCNY and freelances for the historic Amsterdam News.
When he’s not busy writing stories or editing videos you can find him behind turntables, attempting to practice Taekwondo or just generally butchering the French language.
ORIE GIVENS IV (HARLEM FOCUS FELLOW)
QueerMinded host, Orie Givens IV is a buckeye-born, New York City educated journalist and communications professional. He received his Master of Arts degree focusing in Broadcast News and Urban Reporting from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, and has reported on-air, in print and online for a variety of mainstream and LGBT-focused outlets in the US and Canada. Orie enjoys finding and reporting the stories of people from all walks of life, and when he’s not news binging, he’s probably out on a patio or a dance floor…or stuck in a marathon of a very engaging telenovela. Tweet him @TheRealOGIV.
SAIF CHOUDHURY
Saif Choudhury is a junior at Macaulay Honors College at the City College of New York. He majors in creative writing, but plans to follow a career in his minor: journalism. To jump-start that career path, he has been involved with CCNY’s Campus Magazine and the Harlem Focus.
When not focusing on academics, Saif loves to pursue comedy. He writes stand up and sketch material that has been performed at Gotham Comedy Club and UCB Theater, and even plans to start up a satire newspaper at City College.
KEKE DEMEA
Keke Demea is a proud Buffalonian and Harlem Focus Fellow Reporter. She is a graduate of John Jay College and will be attending the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in the fall. Keke’s primary focus in life is to tell thought provoking news and feature stories. She is passionate about all things #BlackLivesMatter and the influence of popular culture on the masses. On any given day Keke can be found preaching the gospel of Beyonce’ or listening to #TrapMusic.
DEMI RODRIGUEZ
Demi Rodriguez is majoring in English and minoring in journalism at The City College of New York. She’s a writer for The Campus magazine, and photographer for Beaver Beat. If you’re ever trying to kidnap her, offer her pizza, and she will gladly get into the back of your sketchy white van — candy works as well.
MATTHEW SMALL
Matthew Small a native of Durham, North Carolina, graduating from the Durham School of the Arts with an emphasis on theatre. He then studied drama at the Tisch School of the Arts of New York University and the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute. Matthew graduated from Hunter College with a degree in History, with a focus in Russian history. He is an avid reader and news junkie and general lover of knowledge about the world, its cultures, and its history. My main interests the abolitionist, John Brown, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement.
