Join Alum Jess Zafarris, seasoned media industry professional and author of the book Words from Hell: Unearthing the Darkest Secrets of English Etymology, for a discussion of how etymology shapes our language and our perceptions of bias, humor, insults, profanity and more. She’ll also provide a look into the publishing and media industries; paths to writing, pitching and publishing a book; and building an author platform and personal brand today.
An award-winning innovator of digital content and marketing solutions, a social media creator and a prolific online and print journalist, Jessica Zafarris (née Jessica Farris) is the author of the books Words from Hell and Once Upon a Word: An Etymology Dictionary for Kids (Rockridge Press, Feb. 2020). She is also the creator of Useless Etymology, a humor blog documenting curious word origins. Her professional experience includes roles as Director of Content at Ragan Communications, Audience Engagement Editor at Adweek, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications for Gotham Ghostwriters, Digital Content Director and Director of Content Strategy for Writer’s Digest and ScriptMag, editor-in-chief of HOW Design magazine and online content director of HOW and PRINT magazines. She has also served as a freelance content and engagement strategy consultant for several startups and major brands, and she has written for the Denver Business Journal, ABC News, and the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Follow her on TikTok @jesszafarris on Twitter @jesszafarris and @uselessety, and on Instagram @jesszafarris and @uselessetymology.
The event is on April 15th from 5-6 PM in Arts and Letters Hall 202. Attendees earn 1 Honors Point.
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