Danielle Broadway – Welcome to my NERDY little blog

My name is Danielle Broadway and I love Marvel, video games, movies, gardening and basically anything nerdy. I believe in the power of self-love and community.

Art and activism are core to my identity. Whether it’s writing a Black History Month Events Guide for LA Weekly or attending climate marches and community clean-ups with East Yards: Communities for Environmental Justice in Long Beach, where I’ve been interning for the last three years, contributing to my community is essential to me.

My belief is that challenging societal norms and rooting for those who are traditionally overlooked is true leadership. In January, I attended the L.A. Women’s March carrying a handmade sign that read “Black Womxn Matter.” In the midst of the crowd, I was experiencing a cognitive dissonance. I had avoided the Women’s March for years because it had been largely expressed as an event for white cis women, but not for women of color, and especially not for Black women. This year was even more complex because Black Lives Matter boycotted the march after BLM L.A. leadership had been deliberately uninvited to speak at the event. Despite my apprehension, I decided to stay and hold my sign up high to make my presence known.

As tragic murder of George Floyd, I chose to attend many other BLM protests and to write about them. I also wrote features, film reviews and more, all interwoven with themes of social change. I’ve continued my quest as a journalist and have learned time and time again that marginalized people struggle to be embraced by the media. Filmmakers of color are too often rejected by the industry, actors with disabilities and mental health issues are still afraid to speak their truths and writers continue to tread lightly, too often allowing their crafted words and creativity to be censored.




For me, the poetic magic that connects art and activism is the potential to be simultaneously healing and revolutionary. For example, when Marvel’s Black Panther came out, it wasn’t just an amazing superhero movie, it was also a movie about Black pride and culture. Yet, we still see instances of ungranted healing and deflected revolution, like when the trans cast members of Netflix’s Pose were snubbed for Emmy Award nominations. As the conversations become more complex and nuanced, I can no longer tolerate the homogenous stories that are told everywhere from the streets to the screens. Everyone deserves to be represented.

I was raised in Stockton, which has gone from being rated the most miserable city in California due to its crime, drug epidemic and agricultural poverty to being rated the most diverse city in the state, with the strongest ethnic and racial representation. I grew up with many different faces, names and languages. I learned so much from what my friends told me about their lives. It was the same when I moved to East L.A. in 2015. I felt a fast connection to my new environment. However, I also learned about the horrors of the toxic refineries, the harsh expansion of the 710 freeway that will destroy both schools and homes and the dying population of homeless people in tent cities. Gentrification and the housing disparities in L.A. have shaped reality for thousands of people, but these realities aren’t what’s always on our screens.

The truth is, I’m waiting for the day when I can celebrate victory, curl up under a blanket and watch a Studio Ghibli movie while I eat mochi and play Animal Crossing at peace. But I remain restless as long as I know there’s work to be done, that other Black women aren’t protected, and I may be a target, even in my own home. Leadership means choosing to sacrifice comfort for collective liberation.

As a writer and activist, I am motivated by a mission to help to create greater equality, freedoms and continued decolonization. However, I know I cannot take on this mission alone. I believe that it’s a collectivist ambition to uplift ourselves and others. We must do the work together as journalists to partake in the fruits of our labor and love.

I love seeing people shine as they discover what they’ve been capable of all along. Fear is something that can spiral us into imposter syndrome and even overall forfeit if we become discouraged, but fear doesn’t get the final say. We do. We deserve to shine.

There’s no special status or benchmark, just turn on your light and let it shine. You’ll surprise yourself and maybe even the entire world.

I know that I certainly surprised myself. I was once someone that treaded too lightly and couldn’t see the power rooted within, but it’s a beautiful gift to know who I am now. My new goal is to help others see just how incredible they are as well.

I became a writer, journalist, reporter, artist, co-founder of a non-profit BIPOC literary space called “Giovanni’s Room” and a mentor to those looking for guidance.

I have an MA and BA in English Literature with a minor in Communication Studies, along with an AA in Social Behavioral Sciences. I also am a freelance entertainment writer for LA Times, LA Weekly, Allure, Black Girl Nerds and other publications, and cover dating, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan and Askmen. I am passionate about reporting on Black identity, womanism, feminism, activism and social change for Blavity, Prism Reports and more. Additionally, I cover lifestyle for Diply.com and topics like gardening, comic book culture, hair and beauty for other outlets. My published work can be viewed on LinkedIn.

I believe in a praxis centered pedagogy in which education serves as a catalyst for socio-political change. The tools we receive in the academy are of no use if we are not uplifting others and creating new pathways to educational access. I want to dedicate my life as a journalist and educator to changing the system and creating a world where there are no borders, no discriminations or dismissals surrounding people that are courageous enough to pursue an education.