RIKKI BYRD

rikkib09@gmail.com | rikkiybyrd.wordpress.com

EDUCATION
Parsons The New School for Design
Master of Arts in Fashion Studies
Thesis Title: Black, The Color We Wear The Struggle for the Representation of Blackness in the American
Fashion System
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2016
University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri
Bachelor of Journalism
Minor in Black Studies
Graduation Date: May 2013
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
ASSISTANTSHIPS
Research Assistant, Nadia Williams; February 2016-Present
Worked with Director of Parsons Scholars Program on event planning for events targeted toward high
school students interested in careers in the arts
Teachers Assistant, Dr. Christina Moon; January 2016-Present
Led classroom of graduate students in discussions on the intersections of fashion and culture covering
topics such as sustainability, consumerism and design practices
Teachers Assistant, Anya Kurrenaya; August 2015-Present
Led classroom of undergraduate students in fall and spring semester; Graded and assigned course work;
Developed additional opportunities in order to help students better understand how to research fashion in a
social context
Research Assistant, Dr. Christina Moon; April 2015-December 2015
Organized and copy-edited documents for Dr. Moons forthcoming book on fast fashion; Researched articles
on the globalization of the fashion industry in China for Dr. Moons presentation at Lund Universitys Focus
Asia Conference; Pulled, scanned and copied readings for Dr. Moons New York Fashion course
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social Media Coordinator, Parsons The New School for Design; August 2014-Present
Worked with graduate department director to redesign blog and create social media accounts
Planned weekly social media content through Hootsuite for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Worked with students and alumni to create content related to students work and activities
WRITING
Contributing Writer, Man Repeller, New York, New York; February 2016-Present
Contributed articles on fashion and diversity
Assisted editor with brainstorming topics and requesting interviews
Contributing Writer, Mic.com, New York, New York; August 2015-Present
Worked with Lifestyle Editor to brainstorm angles for New York Fashion Week
Attended Pyer Moss New York Fashion Week show // Interviewed founder and creative director // To date,
story has been read more than 100,000 times on website and shared more than 7,000 times
Pitched varying stories that related to fashion and style in a social context
Fashion Writer & Contributing Writer, Bustle, New York, New York; September 2014-Present
Pitched breaking fashion news stories to online weekend editor
Covered local fashion previews, clothing and beauty launches

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 Hired as the primary street style photographer for New York Fashion Week February 2015
Editorial Assistant, ALIVE Magazine, St. Louis, Missouri; July 2014-August 2014
Met crucial deadlines, such as copyediting and fact-checking the book before it went to print and managing
weekly event requests for photographers
Managed a team of four editorial interns by overseeing web and events uploads and fact-checking; also
oversaw recruitment of fall editorial interns
Wrote online stories on fashion, music and the local scene, as well as researched local events
MARKETING
Communications and Marketing Intern, Creative Time Inc., New York, New York; June 2015-August 2015
Researched best practices for organization to incorporate social media influencers into its projects/
presented findings to communications and development departments
Led communications and development department in drafting the organization's 2014 annual report // Pulled
pictures and press quotes // Managed master draft document that included content to be included in report
Assisted the educational program director and executive assistant in researching and analyzing best
practices for writing organization's diversity report
Created press packet for organization's 2015 spring arts project, Drifting in Daylight, which was sent to
sponsors, partners and more
Direct Client Services Intern, MBS Textbooks, Columbia, Missouri; June 2012-June 2013
Contacted major publishing houses, such as McGraw-Hill and Random House, to obtain due dates for
textbooks
Worked alongside the Marketing Director to produce relevant and entertaining posts for the offices online
newsletter
Researched more than 100 colleges and universities online programs to assist supervisor with obtaining
new accounts
Arts Marketing Intern, Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis, Missouri; May 2011-August 2011
Worked closely with Marketing Director to develop and design fliers for events hosted and sponsored by
Commission
Created advertising manual guide for incoming interns including best practices for creating advertisements,
copy for marketing materials and color schemes
Managed the commissions social media accounts during an event with the County Executive of St. Louis
County
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Community Relations Coordinator, Mission: St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; November 2013-June 2014
Led communications and development team during Give STL Day by developing copy for marketing
materials and social media // My leadership led the organization to raising $20,750
Researched and wrote grants helping the organization gain more than $90,000 in funding toward programs
Wrote and edited organizations marketing materials for print and online including brochures, fliers, website
banners and Constant Contact emails
ADMINISTRATIVE
Office Assistant, University of Missouri Black Studies Program, Columbia, Missouri; January 2010-May 2012
Assisted chair of Black Studies Program, Dr. Wilma King, with editing footnotes for second edition book
Sat on Black History Month Committee and acted as liaison between student groups and committee
Designed fliers for programming and edited Black Studies website
LEADERSHIP
Founder and Co-Coordinator, Fashion and Diversity Event Series at The New School; August 2015-Present
Worked closely with Dean of Fashion at Parsons to organize a semester-long series that cultivated
collaborations with Parsons and other schools within The New School
Located funding opportunities within the university
Oversaw scheduling of events, inviting guests and confirming budgets
External Communications Coordinator, The New School AfroFuturism Conference; January 2015-May 2015

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Developed partnership with MoCADA to host conferences kickoff party

Managed outreach team and oversaw emails to potential businesses for partnerships and sponsorships
Organized fashion panel featuring African and African American designers // Curated exhibit of designers
collections
Founder and Executive Editor, SCULPT Magazine, August 2010-Present
Founded and launched arts magazine to promote young emerging artists of all genres from across the
nation
Created and managed publications social media accounts
Recruited and managed contributing writers and photographers in California, St. Louis, Columbia, Mo., New
York and Chicago

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS

Fashion history, African American/Africana/Black Studies, representations of African Americans in the media, key
concepts and theories of fashion studies, race in popular culture, history of fashion during the Transatlantic Slave
Trade, fashion and the body, fashion in film, fashion and hip-hop
RELEVANT COURSES
New York Fashion (Graduate)
Hip Hop and Fashion (Graduate)
Advanced Thesis Prep (Graduate)
Fashion, History and Mediation (Graduate)
Fashion and the Body (Graduate)
Key Concepts in Fashion Studies (Graduate)
Cities, Innovation and Design (Graduate)
Fashion Cultures (Graduate)
Interpreting Fashion (Graduate)
Fashion and Film (Graduate)
Racial Economic Disparities (Graduate)
Introduction to Fashion Studies (Teachers Assistant)
Fashion Cultures (Teachers Assistant)
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Panel Presentation (Forthcoming)
Byrd, R. (2016, March). Looking the Part: The Liberation and Criminalization of Black Masculinity Through Style and
Adornment, Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association National Conference, Seattle, Washington.
Panel Presentation
Byrd, R., Stephanie Herold, Myles Ethan Lascity. (2015, April). Black: The Color We Wear, The Temporality of
Blackness in the Fashion Industry, Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association National Conference,
New Orleans, Louisiana.
PUBLICATIONS
Byrd, R. (2016). Harlem Style. Man Repeller.
Byrd, R. (2016). Looking the Part: The Liberation and Criminalization of Black Masculinity Through Style and
Adornment. BIAS: Journal of Dress Practice.
Byrd, R. (2015). This Designer Stopped Everyone in Their Tracks With a Fashion Show About Police Brutality. Mic.
Byrd, R. (2015). The Teen Vogue August 2015 Cover Should Definitely Be Celebrated But Heres What Were Not
Saying. Bustle.
Byrd, R. (2015). Black: The Color We Wear, The Temporality of Blackness in the Fashion Industry. Insights.

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HONORS & AWARDS

Student
Parsons The New School for Design Travel Grant; 2015
Student
Parsons Dean Award; 2014-2015, 2015-2016
Student
University Scholarship; 2014-2015, 2015-2016
Recipient
Halucination 2014 Graduate Student Scholarship; 2014
Recipient
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Start-Up Magazine Award; 2013
Recipient
Delta Sigma Theta Humanitarian Award; 2013
Recipient
Black Women Rock! Rising Star Award; 2013
Student
University of Missouri School of Journalism Deans List; 2011, 2012, 2013
Recipient
University of Missouri Multicultural Scholarship; 2012
Student
University of Missouri Arts and Science Deans List; 2009, 2010, 2011
Recipient
University of Missouri TRiO Scholarship; 2010
Recipient,
University of Missouri Diversity Award; 2009-2013
SKILLS
Effective Writing Skills | Basic Knowledge in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, | Enthusiasm for Research |
Confident in AP Style | Successful in Teaching Undergraduate Students | Basic Knowledge in Blackboard and
Canvas | Basic Knowledge in Content Management Systems | Fervent Social Media Connoisseur | Works Well
Under Pressure | Ability to Meet Deadlines | Exemplary Leader | Knack for Organization | Willingness to Learn |
Excellent in Relationship Building | Motivated Self-Starter

REFERENCES
Dr. Christina Moon
Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies, Parsons The New School of Design
moonc@newschool.edu
Anya Kurrenaya
Part-Time Faculty, Parsons The New School of Design
kurrenaya@newschool.edu
Dr. Rachel Lifter
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Parsons The New School of Design
lifterr@newschool.edu
Nadia Williams
Director, Parsons Scholars Program
Assistant Professor of Diversity and Inclusion, Parsons The New School of Design
williamsn@newschool.edu

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