Jacqueline JayCali Jackson

Freelance Writer & PR Specialist

New York, NY

I'm a realist with the optimistic vision of changing the world with each word written. M.A. Public Relations USC | B.A. Communications UCSD M.A. Candidate Masters of Arts in Teaching '16

Jacqueline JayCali Jackson

Freelance Writer & PR Specialist

New York, NY

I'm a realist with the optimistic vision of changing the world with each word written. M.A. Public Relations USC | B.A. Communications UCSD M.A. Candidate Masters of Arts in Teaching '16

Featured
200 Homicides: Deaths In Chicago Ignored And Forgotten
When I was in junior high school, one of my favorite songs was “The Block is Hot” by Cash Money. To me, the song's infectious chorus, which repeats the song's title numerous times, was an ode to life during summer break. But I soon learned that what Cash Money was talking about wasn’t the same summer heat that Lil Wayne, Birdman and Juvenile rhymed about; Cash Money was talking about the heat of guns blazing through our communities.
Neon Tommy
Featured
The United States: First In Prisons, Last In Education
In Chicago, 30,000 teachers have gone on strike, leaving 400,000 students without schooling, meals and after school programs. What city will be next? The strike in Chicago is one of the state's first in 25 years. The need for schools that not only are able to pay good wages to teachers and are able to provide the necessities for a substantial education isn't in question; it is vital to the livelihood of all who live in the state.
Neon Tommy
Education Reform
The Black Male: An Endangered Species?
Martin Luther King shares a space in history that transformed the way we as humans communicate with each other about life itself. His consistent pursuit of a post-racial and post-poverty society brought out both the best and worst in people. Although his legacy helped to create a pathway for the future, it is clear that his work has yet to shift the troublesome fate of African-American men in the United States.
Neon Tommy
Violence in America
A Dangerous And Dishonest View Of Mass Violence
Monday morning, the United States saw yet another mass shooting. The Navy Yard shooting occurred only 2.5 miles away from the White House, shocking the nation and reminding citizens that nowhere in America is safe from gun violence. Since President Obama took office in 2008, Americans have witnessed at least 19 mass shootings.
Neon Tommy
Violence in America
Hundreds Of Trayvon Martin Protestors Close L.A. Streets
Over 300 people marched through the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday evening protesting the not guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman case. The Los Angeles Police Department called a citywide tactical alert after the swarm of protestors took over the 10 East freeway entrance between Crenshaw/Adams and Crenshaw/Washington.
Neon Tommy
USC Campus Discussion Of Racial Profiling Years In The Making
Yesterday's sit-in at the University of Southern California (USC) showed that there must be change. The USChangeMovement started out as a journey for those currently involved in organizing this week's events. Given the LAPD's sordid history with communities of color, it is important to acknowledge the significance and promise of this moment.
Neon Tommy
Immigration Reform Part Of Battle For Future Of U.S.
The Senate's new immigration reform bill has millions celebrating a potential path to citizenship for the current 11.1 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Of the 11.1 million undocumented immigrants that currently reside in the United States, a majority arrived before 2000. Only 1.6 million have arrived since 2005.
Neon Tommy
The Sequester's Devastating Cuts To Education
The sequester kicked in on March 1, 2013, with over $5 billion in spending cutsin multiple areas of federal spending, including defense, air travel, national parks and the FBI. But cuts to one area of spending in particular are a cause for major concern: the cuts to federal spending on education. The federal government plans to cut $87.6 million from primary and secondary schools in California alone.
Neon Tommy
Education Reform
We May Forget Dorner, But We Won't Forget The LAPD's History
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has developed a reputation in the Los Angeles community and in the nation as one of the most brutal and corrupt police departments in the U.S., a reputation stemming from cases such as Rodney King and those involving the Rampart Division. The LAPD has once again come under scrutiny as a result of ex-cop Christopher Dorner's allegations of the LAPD's racism, improper arresting practices and brutal force against arrestees.
Neon Tommy
Violence in America
MLK And America: The Realities Beyond The Dream
Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. changed the nature of the dream. America's growing love for materialism and elitist ideologies were shattered by King’s desire to see a new, brighter and non-racially charged society. His "I Have a Dream" speech is one of the most quoted, recognizable and honored in our nation’s history.
Neon Tommy
Social Media Has Changed The Nature Of Political Engagement
In the 2008 presidential election, social media was new groundbreaking technology. YouTube had just reached its third year of broadcasting to millions and Twitter was in its early stages. The 2008 election saw an increase in voter vlogs and Facebook voter tallies. As BusinessWeek indicated, Twitter as a new service became a reminder of voting locations, fact-checking and even a diary of voter experience.
Neon Tommy
Poverty: America's Best Kept Secret
The United States, one of the richest nations in the world, spends about $1 trillion a year on poverty. This money is allocated with the hope of helping Americans to reestablish themselves within the economy and to, as a result, help alleviate debt within the economy. Despite this, the Census Bureau recently reported that the poverty rate in the U.S. is currently at 15 percent, meaning that one in six Americans is struggling with poverty.
Neon Tommy

About

Jacqueline JayCali Jackson

Newswriting

Mobile App. Content Creator

Copyediting

Photoshop/Indesign

Writing

Public Relations

I'm a student, writer and community activist currently teaching Global and U.S. History in New York City as a 2014 Teach for America corps member.

I've written for various companies and corporations as a writer and PR specialist including: BET Networks, Los Angeles Urban League, South LA Intersections, USC Digital News - Neon Tommy, The Collective Voice - UCSD and many others.

With experience as a writer, editor and news site producer/manager I'm looking to expand my writing portfolio by writing on engaging and challenging topics currently affecting marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Previous Positions
* USC Mobile News Incubator Fellow
* Managing Editor www.neontommy.com @ USC
* BET Networks: Mobile Content Creator
* LA Urban League: Communication Fellow
*Editor-in-Chief The Collective Voice @ UCSD