Having a successful career and love is something that we all want, right? Journalist Amy Elisa Jackson is someone that has been fortunate enough to marry the love of her life, while also serving as a powerhouse in the journalism industry.
Amy Elisa has had her work published in PEOPLE, Ebony, and Essence Magazine, as well as MSN, Business Insider, and Fast Company. She has penned top cover stories with Tyra Banks, Magic Johnson, and Mariah Carey, just to name a few, so I felt as though she'd be the perfect go-getter to sit down with and chat about the balancing act that comes with being a career-oriented woman.
In a little less than an hour, Amy Elisa spoke to my soul while giving me the tea on herself and her career journey. I laughed, and typed away, while trying to fully soak in not only the moment, but all of the bomb advice that she was giving me. Read more about this amazing woman below and get ready to receive genuine advice that you can apply to your professional and personal lives.
What is your 30 second elevator pitch?
My name is Amy Elisa Jackson, I’ve been a journalist and content creator for the past 10 years in the entertainment and lifestyle space. I am proud Stanford graduate, wife, friend, sister, auntie, LA girl, ride or die, bougie to the end.
Can you describe your personal brand in three words?
Witty, lighthearted, and down to earth.
What type of things have you done in your career that has helped you develop your personal brand and reach the level of success that you have now?
A couple of things, first never shying away from speaking engagements. I’ve always been honored when asked to speak or to moderate a panel. One of my first speaking engagements was for PEOPLE magazine and I was doing a fashion show for our "Best & Worst Dressed" issue. I had never done anything like that before and I was nervous, but I did well. Never shying away from those opportunities to step out from behind the keyboard has served me really well.
[Tweet "Never shy away from opportunities."]
Second, I’ve always been very conscious of creating a space where people can find more info about me. I never made any of my social media accounts private. I’ve always been pretty open—the good, the bad, the ratchet, the Christian--all in one. Early on, I created an About Me page, because I thought that it was very important for people to connect with me and see my clips. I now have my own website that isn’t a blog, but is simply my work.
The third thing in terms of branding, and I really, really, really emphasize this one: get a great headshot taken. After I left PEOPLE Magazine, I knew that no matter what I wanted to do next, I needed a face and some type of good representation so I took headshots. I spent $500 and I still have the exact same headshots right now, but consistently you will see the same pictures from me. I really encourage young women to go take really good headshots. Everyone can tell when you have profile picture from when you were at the club. Yes, your face is beat and you looked cute, but there is professional day makeup and night makeup.
What are your thoughts about having different personas on social media?
I think that the person you want the world to receive is the person you put on social media. I am transparent because what I deliver in person is exactly what I am fine with the outside world receiving.
[Tweet "The person you are on social media should be consistent on all accounts. "]
I also believe that there is nothing bad with scrubbing your social media accounts and completely cleaning them out. Also, there should always be a genuine spirit about your social media and whatever presence is out there because people know when it's fake.
What were some of the steps that you took while in college to prepare for your career?
When I was in school, I petitioned to take graduate level classes as an undergrad. I wanted to get more out of my undergraduate experience, so I wanted to take higher-level classes.
I think that no matter where you are, it’s important to not take “no” for an answer. “No” does not mean “no” to me, it means “hold on, while we figure it out.” I think that when you are paying $50,000 or when you are paying $10,000 to go to school, you absolutely need to make it work for you. Be tenacious. You can hack your way into getting the education that you want.
In school, I wrote for the Stanford Daily, and I wrote for and edited the Stanford African-American newspaper called The Real News. The summer after my freshman year, I interned for Russell Simmons’ OneWorld magazine. The summer after my junior year, I interned at Source magazine, and Lord Jesus, I was paid $60 a week! $60 a week in New York City was not a game, but I learned a tremendous amount about how to carry myself, having poise, being cool and calm under pressure— and cool and calm under ratchet.
[Tweet "Be cool and calm under pressure, and cool and calm under ratchet."]
[Related: 15 Best Paid Summer Internships That You Should Apply To Now]
I see that you heavily assisted with the launch of Cocoa Fab. What advice do you have for someone that wants to launch their own website?
[During the launch of CocoaFab] I followed the lead of the founders Angela Burt-Murray and Shelly Jones Jennings. The site was already in the incubation stages and needed content so Angela, one of my mentors, called me and I eagerly accepted.
When it comes to launching a company, know the space. Too often, especially in the blog space, people are so eager to launch. Doing your market research and knowing where you fit in the marketplace is important. Knowing how to monetize is really important, and getting really quality writers and a quality website are key. You need to also have a savings to launch anything to be an entrepreneur. You need money you can pay rent with, and to invest in your company. Anyone who is going to invest in you and take time to hear your [business] pitch wants to know that you have skin in the game. It’s very hard to go out and pitch to angel investors or anyone else if you have not invested your own money.
[Related: From Radio to Real Estate: Egypt Sherrod Dishes On Her Leap Of Faith, Smart Investments, & Balance]
What advice do you have for minority women in the tech industry on standing out?
I believe that we have to work twice as hard as our competition and know twice as much and be twice as good. Believing this has made me stronger and has taught me more.
One of the challenges that women deal with in the workplace is clarity in the workspace. Talking to your manager, having a great working relationship, and telling them about your expectations are important. Ask them about their work style, how they communicate, and their measures of success. For example, if you value feedback, you can tell your manager that. If you don’t prefer socializing in the workplace, you have to voice that to your manager, but also propose some other ways to build camaraderie.
Also, be clear about your talents. Levo has a really great app called Thinking Talents. Your Thinking Talents are things that define you as a worker, employee, and a passionate person. Understanding yourself and what you bring to the table is really half the battle and conveying those things is the other half.
What is the greatest opportunity that you’ve received?
When I started at PEOPLE mag I was an intern in 2005, and the greatest opportunity that I had in that space was, one, being hired full time as a writer/reporter. While there, I was really dead set on writing an amazing feature and pitching Tyra Banks. The idea that my editor-in-chief trusted me enough to give me such a major exclusive and follow my gut was huge, that was in 2007, and was really early in my career. The moment gave me my “beat” in covering women’s health and body image, but also in covering African-Americans for PEOPLE magazine.
Many young women struggle with desiring a relationship and career. What type of advice do you have for someone that wants love, but still wants to be a boss in the workplace?
Number one, prepare yourself. If you go to high school to prepare for college, and college to prepare for your career, you have to prepare for marriage. You will not be a wife overnight. You cannot be a mother overnight. Get yourself ready to open up to someone else, to tackles someone else’s challenges, to answer your own questions about what you want out of life and what drives you, what inspires you, what motivates you, what stimulates you. Now I’m not talking about what Beyoncé says is important or what Instagram says, but really knowing for yourself. Knowing you so much so that you can convey it to someone else.
[Tweet "Be prepared for yourself before you are preparing for someone else. "]
I knew my husband in college but we didn’t date then; we reconnected at a Stanford football game in 2011. When we went on our first few dates, I didn’t shy away from being honest about wanting to date with the goal of finding a husband. When you are very clear, and you know what it is that you want, that is helpful. Also, my actions led him to understand and believe that. I knew very soon that he was the one and that he could be the head of my household. We’re such a great team; he’s my forever jumpoff.
Also, I don’t believe in fixing a man!
There are things that you can work on and work with-- if that’s what he wants. I think too often we go down a path trying to fix, mend, and grow, and often times that is not smart. Men really do know what they want and what they are ready for. They are very clear, very honest, simple, easy people. We tend to complicate things. Believe him the first time, and watch what he does, not just what he says.
[Related: Sage the Gemini Reminds Us That When It's Real, He Will Make It Official]
What changes do your foresee in the journalism industry in the next five years?
The biggest shift will be in how stories are told. I think you will see a lot more video integration, a lot more on the ground reporting, and a lot more iPhone, Periscope, and Skype chat interviews. I think long-form features will come back, and opinion writing will come back stronger than ever. I think there will be an increase in Millennial opinion writers and a diversity of Millennial content.
What is your personal work philosophy?
Hustle hard, but live life to the fullest. I think self-care and balance are really important. But do I work myself into the ground overnight? No, I won’t do that anymore. But I’ve earned the right to do that. I’ve earned my place in life to do that. That was not always the case. I’ve worked really hard for ten years straight and now I’m in a different place where my focus is on my family. I learned a while ago, don’t judge your starting line by someone else’s finish line.
[Tweet "Don’t judge your starting line with my finish line."]
I think that hustling hard, but living live to the fullest is one of the most important things that we can learn from Amy. Leave us a comment below on how Amy's words have inspired you.
RELATED
So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
Among these 100 It Girls stand the Style Innovators, the muses and the artists setting the tone in beauty, hair, and fashion. They're the creatives who turn self-expression into a walking art form. With every detail devoured, from OOTDs to OOTNs, they remind us that personal style isn't just about what you wear, but how you move through the world and how you show up as no one but yourself.
Here's the roll call for xoNecole's It Girl Class of 2025: Style Innovators.
Model, Content Creator, and TV Host Achieng Agutu
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Achieng Agutu
Her Handle: @noordinarynoire
Her Title: Model, Content Creator, TV Host
Who's That It Girl: Achieng Agutu is the Kenyan-born Confidence Queen taking over digital culture. We love her for using her platform to uplift others with fearless self-expression and for proving that beauty lies in authenticity.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, and I am apologetically me!"
Beauty Editor and Expert Maya Allen
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Maya Allen
Her Handle: @mayaalenaa
Her Title: Beauty Editor and Expert
Who's That It Girl: Maya Allen is a beauty editor and writer whose work at Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and The Cut has changed how we talk about beauty. She’s passionate about representation and using storytelling to challenge old standards.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm a storyteller, and I know the most powerful chapters of my story are still being written."
Beauty Influencer and Content Creator Alissa Armon
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Alissa Armon
Her Handle: @alissa.ashley
Her Title: Beauty Influencer and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Alissa Ashley is a beauty and lifestyle content creator with over 2 million YouTube subscribers. Known for her makeup tutorials and relatable style, she's expanded her content to include fitness and wellness.
Creator and Social Media Personality Jodie Taylor
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Jodie Taylor
Her Handle: @jodiektayl
Her Title: Creator and Social Media Personality
Who's That Girl: Jodie Taylor blends creativity and confidence in everything she wears. We celebrate her for her fearless individuality and for leading a generation of women who style their own stories.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I operate at the highest levels and I bring others along with me."
Creator and Beauty Consultant Golloria George
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Golloria George
Her Handle: @golloria
Her Title: Creator and Beauty Consultant
Who's That It Girl: Golloria George is a beauty creator and consultant known for pushing shade inclusivity in the industry. She’s collaborated with brands like Patrick Ta and Rhode and earned recognition from Forbes, TIME, and Ebony for her impact.
Her "Yes, And," Statement: "Yes, I stand firmly in who I am and am confident in my power."
Founder and Designer Sade Mims
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Sade Mims
Her Handle: @sademims
Her Title: Founder and Designer
Who's That It Girl: Sade Mims is an artist and founder of design label EDAS. Mims skills, experience, and innate interest for conceptualization and design have been the driving force of her work. With over 10 years of experience, she has immersed herself in many mediums and finds joy and inspiration from the mundane parts of life.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m chill and still full of depth."
Fashion, Style Influencer and Content Creator Courtney Quinn
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Courtney Quinn
Her Handle: @colormecourtney
Her Title: Fashion, Style Influencer and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: We love Courtney Quinn’s unapologetic embrace of color and play. Her creative storytelling and business savvy prove that joy can be a strategy and that whimsy and purpose belong together.
Beauty and Lifestyle Creator Toni Bravo
Credit: Adelynn Tourondel
Toni Bravo
Her Handle: @bonitravo
Her Title: Beauty and Lifestyle Creator
Who's That It Girl: Toni Bravo is a visionary stylist and creative director redefining chic. We honor her for transforming fashion into a language of empowerment and self-celebration.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I am limitless and I’m paving my own path."
Beauty Content Creator Amber Nicole
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Amber Nicole
Her Handle: @withambernicole
Her Title: Beauty Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: Amber Nicole is a beauty entrepreneur and wellness advocate who founded her clean-skincare line, Naked By Nature to honor her journey with vitiligo, champion self-care, and redefine beauty standards for women of color.
Beauty Influencer and Content Creator Arnell Armon
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Arnell Armon
Her Handle: @arnell.armon
Her Title: Beauty Influencer and Content Creator
Who's That It Girl: We honor Arnell Armon’s sharp editorial eye and influence across beauty and lifestyle. Her thoughtful content and authenticity continue to inspire a community that values creativity and confidence.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I’m a mom, creator, and trailblazer."
Creator Salina Williams
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Salina Williams
Her Handle: @salina_sincerely
Her Title: Creator
Who's That It Girl: Salina Williams brings soulful elegance to every ensemble. We celebrate her for merging classic beauty with contemporary edge, creating a signature style that speaks volumes without saying a word.
Creator and Social Media Personality Jodie Woods
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Jodie Woods
Her Handle: @jodiewoods
Her Title: Creator and Social Media Personality
Who's That It Girl: With charm and poise beyond her years, Jodie Woods is shaping the future of fashion influence. We love her for showing that authenticity, not trends, is the ultimate luxury.
Model, Entrepreneur, Beauty and Media Personality Jordyn Woods
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Jordyn Woods
Her Handle: @jordynwoods
Her Title: Model, Entrepreneur, Beauty and Media Personality
Who's That It Girl: Jordyn Woods continues to turn reinvention into an art form. We honor her for her self-made journey and for using her platform to champion body positivity, growth, and grace.
Kirah Ominique
Her Handle: @kirahominique
Who's That It Girl: Kirah Ominique is the creative voice behind confidence-filled style moments. We celebrate her for inspiring women to embrace every curve, color, and chapter of their beauty.
Beauty and Lifestyle Creator Yana Carr
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Yana Carr
Her Handle: @goldynaps
Her Title: Beauty and Lifestyle Creator
Who's That It Girl: Yana is a Philadelphia content creator who started with natural hair and beauty, then expanded into tennis and lifestyle. She now hosts tennis events for young Black women and is launching her own braiding hair brand.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I'm multifaceted and unapologetic about pursuing my passions."
Influencer Tiara Willis
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Tiara Willis
Her Handle: @thetiarawillis
Who's That It Girl: Tiara Willis started creating beauty content at just 14 and built a trusted community of over half a million followers. Now, she is an amazing licensed esthetician, and partners with major brands to educate and empower skincare lovers everywhere.
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I built a trusted community and I shape the way they experience beauty."
Makeup Artist and Beauty Creator Makeup Shayla
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Makeup Shayla
Her Handle: @makeupshayla
Her Title: Makeup Artist and Beauty Creator
Who's That It Girl: Makeup Shayla’s artistry has become iconic in the beauty world. We love her for setting the standard for glam that’s equal parts bold, empowering, and timeless.
Zaya Wade
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Zaya Wade
Her Title: Model
Who's That It Girl: Zaya Wade is courage personified. We celebrate her for standing proudly in her truth and inspiring a global movement toward acceptance, identity, and radiant self-love.
Entrepreneur Ruthann Palacios
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Ruthann Palacios
Her Handle: @ruesworldd
Her Title: Entrepreneur
Who's That It Girl: "My overall purpose is to show that it is possible to show your personality through your clothes no matter the size, race, or gender and that you can do anything you set your mind to. At the end of the day we are our biggest critics and if you feel free, confident, and good in what you do, the weight of being judged by others won’t hold any value."
Her "Yes, And" Statement: "Yes, I am a creator who celebrates fashion, and I am a voice reminding people they don’t have to fit in to stand out."
Now that you've met the Style Innovators, see who else made our list. Tap into the full It Girl 100 Class of 2025 and meet all 100 women changing game this year and beyond. See the full list here.
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