John Kennedy

John Kennedy Email and Phone Number

Freelance Writer @ Freelance
Atlanta, GA, US
John Kennedy's Location
Atlanta, Georgia, United States, United States
About John Kennedy

I'm a creative and tactical content executive with more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and documenting culture, race, and men's interests for print and online mediums. I have a proven track record of building media brands from the ground floor and helping established entities successfully pivot and grow.I've held senior editorial positions at high-pressure, deadline-centric magazines (VIBE, XXL) as well as in ever-changing startup environments (Medium, Genius), where I remained adaptable and able to wear several hats. I have a passion for storytelling, whether long- or short-form writing, social or marketing copy, still graphics or video.

John Kennedy's Current Company Details
Freelance

Freelance

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Freelance Writer
Atlanta, GA, US
John Kennedy Work Experience Details
  • Freelance
    Freelance Writer
    Freelance
    Atlanta, Ga, Us
  • Capital B
    Interim Atlanta Editor
    Capital B Aug 2024 - Present
    Atlanta, Georgia, United States
  • Level
    Editor At Large
    Level Sep 2023 - Present
  • Level Man, Inc
    Editor In Chief
    Level Man, Inc Feb 2022 - Mar 2024
    - Managed LEVEL's transition from Medium's ownership to a standalone publication, collaborating with web developers and designers to build a new online destination.- Conceptualized, built, and managed G-Code, a weekly newsletter with nearly 40,000 subscribers that frequently boasted open rates of 45-55%.- Oversaw contracted writers, illustrators, designers, and social media editors, while also coordinating with external partners on large-scale projects.- Implemented an SEO-focused… Show more - Managed LEVEL's transition from Medium's ownership to a standalone publication, collaborating with web developers and designers to build a new online destination.- Conceptualized, built, and managed G-Code, a weekly newsletter with nearly 40,000 subscribers that frequently boasted open rates of 45-55%.- Oversaw contracted writers, illustrators, designers, and social media editors, while also coordinating with external partners on large-scale projects.- Implemented an SEO-focused content strategy that has helped to grow site traffic quickly while designating LEVEL as an authority in key areas of coverage.- Commissioned and edited timely and evergreen content and developed popular recurring features such as the corporate-life focused The Only Black Guy in the Office column, now syndicated by Fast Company.- Produced bimonthly digital cover stories, managing all editorial, photography, video, and design elements. Show less
  • Freelance
    Freelance Writer
    Freelance Feb 2005 - Present
    My words have appeared in Vulture, Billboard, Complex, Variety, Essence, BET, Wildsam, Okayplayer, The Chicago Defender, Ebony, Mass Appeal, and others.
  • Medium
    Senior Manager
    Medium Apr 2021 - Feb 2022
    - Worked on initiatives to support and encourage Medium creators via outreach and direct editorial feedback- Collaborated cross-functionally with legal and community teams, as well as external judges, to implement Medium's Writer Challenge, which amassed nearly 10,000 submissions- Commissioned and produced digital cover stories on Ron Isley, Young Dolph, and Virgil Abloh for LEVEL
  • Medium
    Senior Editor
    Medium Jan 2020 - Apr 2021
    New York, New York, United States
    - Created and executed 40 Over 40, a celebration of rappers who continue to be impactful in music and culture after the age of 40. The project included a ranked list, a roundtable discussion with industry tastemakers, supporting editorial pieces, and social activations—all of which generated conversation, press coverage, and LEVEL's top-trafficked post.- Collaborated with Kaepernick Publishing to produce Colin Kaepernick's Abolition for the People project, a series of essays and interviews… Show more - Created and executed 40 Over 40, a celebration of rappers who continue to be impactful in music and culture after the age of 40. The project included a ranked list, a roundtable discussion with industry tastemakers, supporting editorial pieces, and social activations—all of which generated conversation, press coverage, and LEVEL's top-trafficked post.- Collaborated with Kaepernick Publishing to produce Colin Kaepernick's Abolition for the People project, a series of essays and interviews reimagining criminal justice in America. Dr. Angela Davis and Bree Newsome were among the notable contributors.- Concepted and oversaw recurring features, including the corporate-life focused The Only Black Guy in the Office column, which has since been syndicated by Fast Company.- Managed freelancers and in-house staff writers, providing support and guidance for achieving qualitative and quantifiable growth.- Commissioned and edited timely and evergreen features. Show less
  • Xxl Magazine/Xxlmag.Com
    Executive Editor
    Xxl Magazine/Xxlmag.Com Dec 2017 - Jan 2020
    New York, New York, United States
    - Wrote magazine cover stories on Dreamville and Migos, the former of which included an exclusive oral history of the storied 'Revenge of the Dreamers III' recording sessions. - Maintained a content calendar of more than 40 monthly online stories, while also planning features and recurring staples for quarterly magazine issues.- Managed a team of staffers and freelancers to deliver content on tight deadlines.- Conducted on- and off-camera interviews for video content.
  • Genius
    Features Editor
    Genius Aug 2015 - Jan 2017
    Brooklyn, New York
    • Shaped the scope and voice of Genius’ editorial branch, which surpassed 1.5 million monthly page views less than one year after launching.• Planned and managed a publishing calendar that consisted of investigative long-form articles, conceptual pieces, original interviews and video breakdowns—all focused on expanding musical knowledge.• Culled data and worked through revisions with designers to create captivating infographics.• Conceptualized and designed lead images to visualize… Show more • Shaped the scope and voice of Genius’ editorial branch, which surpassed 1.5 million monthly page views less than one year after launching.• Planned and managed a publishing calendar that consisted of investigative long-form articles, conceptual pieces, original interviews and video breakdowns—all focused on expanding musical knowledge.• Culled data and worked through revisions with designers to create captivating infographics.• Conceptualized and designed lead images to visualize and sell feature stories.• Conducted interviews, assigned, wrote, and edited evergreen and timely editorial content. Show less
  • Spinmedia
    Music Editor
    Spinmedia Sep 2009 - Jan 2015
    Greater New York City Area
    • Conceptualized original columns for a complete revamp of VIBE magazine and vibe.com.• Managed a team of 10 vibe.com staff writers and photographers, plus regular freelancers.• Wrote, assigned, and edited profiles, essays, FOB and cover stories for VIBE magazine.• Spearheaded VIBE’s editorial broadening beyond hip-hop and R&B to incorporate pop and electronic dance coverage.• Used analytic tools like Chartbeat and Parse.ly to plan vibe.com content with the focus to reach and… Show more • Conceptualized original columns for a complete revamp of VIBE magazine and vibe.com.• Managed a team of 10 vibe.com staff writers and photographers, plus regular freelancers.• Wrote, assigned, and edited profiles, essays, FOB and cover stories for VIBE magazine.• Spearheaded VIBE’s editorial broadening beyond hip-hop and R&B to incorporate pop and electronic dance coverage.• Used analytic tools like Chartbeat and Parse.ly to plan vibe.com content with the focus to reach and maintain traffic goals. Show less
  • Xxl Magazine/Xxlmag.Com
    Associate Editor
    Xxl Magazine/Xxlmag.Com Jun 2009 - Sep 2009
    Manhattan, New York, United States
    • Investigated, reported and wrote daily news stories for xxlmag.com.• Wrote FOB stories for the 360 section of XXL magazine.• Researched and fact checked magazine feature stories.
  • Harris Publications
    Assistant Editor
    Harris Publications Sep 2007 - Apr 2009
    • Wrote, edited and assigned stories for the FOB Music page.• Assisted Online Editor with maintaining king-mag.com by posting original stories and conducting on-camera interviews.• Edited KING magazine’s letters section and Contributors’ page.• As interim Online Editor, assigned, wrote and posted stories.• Pitched, researched and wrote articles for KING magazine.

John Kennedy Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about John Kennedy

What company does John Kennedy work for?

John Kennedy works for Freelance

What is John Kennedy's role at the current company?

John Kennedy's current role is Freelance Writer.

What schools did John Kennedy attend?

John Kennedy attended Howard University.

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