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I’m Mia Uzzell, a student reporter Florida A&M University. I consider myself a cultural documentarian: covering politics, wellness, education and more. My bylines feature Teen Vogue, Essence, Glamour, and Education Post — among many others. From deadline writing to investigative stories, my ability to tell cathartic stories is implacable. My “Uncensored: Being Young And Black In America” multimedia project previously won the SPJ Florida Best Coverage of Race & Underrepresented Communities in 2021. I’d love to connect for freelance commissions and opportunities via miaduzzell@gmail.com. Below are my featured bylines, photography, videography, and on-screen work.

My Latest Work

Florida Watch: What Happened to Black History Month?

Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis steered a torrent of new bills through the state legislature that heightened state control over classroom teaching about gender identity, sexism and racism.

Many teachers entered the school year understandably apprehensive, as the education system and autonomy they once knew had been destabilized. This past February, another unsettling roadblock appeared: the complications involved in teaching Black history.

“At my school, no one was told specifically not t

Florida Watch: Districts Clearcut School and Classroom Libraries

In late January, Andrea Phillips and her educator colleagues in Duval County, Fla., huddled in the media center to watch a district-mandated video. On screen, Supt. Diana Green ordered the faculty to remove all books from school classrooms and libraries that were not part of the required curriculum.

The directive came down as part of the district’s effort to comply with HB 1467, the new Florida law requiring greater transparency, accountability and parent voice regarding which books are permitt
Teen Vogue •

Florida HBCU Students Are Suing the State for Discrimination in Funding

Editor’s note: The author of this piece is a student at FAMU.

Each spring, students, faculty, and alums from Florida A&M University (FAMU) swarm Florida’s Capitol in Tallahassee swathed in citrus orange and grass green. The annual fanfare, known as FAMU Day at the Capitol, is a rite of passage, when university stakeholders lobby with legislators, with the bellow of the school’s band serving as background music.

The university was founded in 1887 and had a meager start: It was home to just 15 s
Glamour •

Finding Myself in ‘227’

At night I lie awake searching for comfort TV shows to soothe the day's stress. My general taste doesn't require a particularly fast-moving plot or riveting character arcs—I prefer a sense of predictability and a laugh track to guide my lethargic brain. With two of my favorites, Reba and The Nanny, there's undeniable humor and characters I adore, but there isn't a bone-deep connection that reflects the familiarity and warmth of where I come from.

To be honest, I never thought I needed a show li
Glamour •

Get to Know Mia Isaac, the Actor in This Summer’s Buzziest Movies

Mia Isaac claims she wasn’t popular in public high school. As she explains it, missing school for auditions doesn’t necessarily build social capital. Still, it’s hard to believe that an actor who comes across so self-assured and magnetic both on screen and off didn’t once helm a squad of It girls.

It doesn’t matter—she’s on her way to becoming one now. The 18-year-old is having the kind of busy summer most actors only dream of achieving. She recently starred opposite John Cho in the well-receiv
Journey Magazine •

Uncensored: Being Young and Black in America

On Feb. 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin, like many teenage boys across the nation, huddled around the television to watch the annual NBA All-Star game. Martin, who was visiting his father in a gated Orlando community, walked to a nearby 7-Eleven during halftime to purchase snacks for his younger brother. His trip to the convenience store — a trip that Black teenagers from the inner city to the suburbs are culturally accustomed to — turned fatal. En route ba
Grazia USA •

Think Different: Apple's Alisha Johnson - GRAZIA USA

Addressing the corporate sector’s complicity in sociopolitical issues—from structural racism to climate change—has never been more vital than in recent years. At Apple, Alisha Johnson is a part of the burgeoning activism movement toward intersectional environmental justice, racial equity, and sustainability in the corporate arena and beyond.

While she had previously worked in the private sector, Johnson first experienced the nexus between the community and the environment during her time under
Grazia USA •

Quinta Brunson's Virality Transcends The Digital Space

Quinta Brunson’s humor is etched into the pop culture zeitgeist of the digital age. Some first encountered her comedic genius in an episode of her “The Girl Who Has Never Been On A Nice Date” Instagram skit series in 2014, which is said to be the first viral video on the platform. Other consumers of the world wide web have undoubtedly witnessed — and hilariously used — the comedienne’s enduring presence as ubiquitous memes of cultural commentary. While her virality has transcended its formative
Okayplayer •

Black Students Are Mobilizing Against Prison Labor Exploitation At Their Universities

Black students all around the country are pushing to remove the presence of prison labor exploitation at their respective universities.

Last year, after a contentious summer of unprecedented activism, students returned to campus in the fall to uproot racial injustice in their academic sphere. From pressuring colleges to remove monuments that memorialize white supremacists and renaming similarly emblazoned buildings, students are now pushing to remove the presence of prison labor exploitation at
Teen Vogue •

Inside Black Students’ Fight to Rename Robert E. Lee High School

UPDATE 6/2/21: In a 5-2 vote on June 2, the Duval School Board approved renaming Robert E. Lee High as Riverside High School.

The movement to dismantle Confederate monuments reached a fever pitch during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests last summer. Across the country, protesters toppled statues, and cities scrambled to atone for their histories of upholding bigotry by renaming streets and monuments.

One institution that came under scrutiny is Robert E. Lee High School. Named for t

Campus Photography

On-Screen Experience

My on-screen experience features serving as a live news reporter for FAMU TV-20 News, a digital reporter for Journey Magazine’s The 411, and a web series host for FAMU’s Strike The Vote mini series.

DIGITAL SERIES

During my time at the helm of Journey, FAMU’s award-winning magazine, I believed continuing print production amidst a changing media landscape was crucial. I felt it was of equal magnitude to also capture our audience across our socials in a dynamic way. From video covers and audio-visual captures of our stories to digital series, I was able to increase our cross-platform reach by 194% and content interactions by 86.6%.

”Hair Affair” explored the ways in which hair (at its roots) is an avenue to discovering a sense of acceptance for Black women — a cultural cynosure following the erection of The Crown Act. It’s an external manifestation of how Black women navigate their own reflection and the sullied nuances of perception in society.