Emil Wilbekin, managing editor of Essence.com, will visit Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications on Tuesday, March 9, as a guest of the magazine journalism department and the Black Communications Society. He will speak on journalism and the changing digital landscape at 4 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in SU pay lots.
Wilbekin leads the Essence.com editorial team and oversees the development of content, including original video programming, for the site’s multiple channels. He also works on the site’s online community, created in partnership with the Ning social network.
He was previously editor in chief of GIANT, where he oversaw editorial for the magazine and its website, http://giantmag.com. Under his leadership, the site won two Webby Awards (Best Fan Site and Best Celebrity Site).
He also served as a consultant for Microsoft on digital ventures such as the official LeBron James website and blog and other sites covering style and travel.
He was previously a reporter and writer for AOL Black Voices, a contributor to The Huffington Post and Converse.com and the vice president of brand development for Marc Ecko.
He began his career as one of the founding editors of Vibe magazine, where he also served as the style editor, fashion director and editor in chief. He also served as the vice president of brand development for Vibe Ventures, where he oversaw vibe.com, mobile, books and Vibe TV, and executive produced the Vibe Awards.
For more information about his visit, contact Chastity Cooper at cscooper@syr.edu.
