Today we’d like to introduce you to Shauntay Hallett
Hi Shauntay , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I released my first article on Short N Sweet Entertainment on February 12, 2021, but the idea of creating my own publication was something that I put into motion a few years before. As a former dancer, I have always been passionate about the arts. It was in my blood and dancing became a place for me to express who I was fully. Fast-forward after I graduated college with my Masters degree I got the opportunity to work on a podcast interviewing the top heavy hitters in music, dance, sports, fashion, and film. I quickly fell in love with being on camera and working behind the scenes. Shortly after working with my team, I wanted to create something for myself and I knew I wanted to have a platform where people can share their stories, and can organically be themselves. I had a vision to empower and uplift positive stories in our culture and bring those stories to the forefront of our communities. As a journalist I am proud of the work that I have done thus far but I know that there is more work that needs to be done.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth Road – absolutely not and I have experienced a few challenges that I have called battle scars! My vision is to write about positive stories in our culture but we live in a society where people thrive off of negative images 24/7. People want to be messy and get their news from the “clickbait” articles. I have found that it has been hard to be on the other side of the field when it comes to promoting positivity but because I love what I do I know how important it is to continue to push forward. Something else that I have found to be a challenge is to feel like “I Belong”. We all know that the music and sports business can be a male-dominated industry and I have quickly learned that one, most times I am one of the few females and two one of the only African American females in these spaces. I have learned to stay grateful, confident, and grounded during these opportunities but my goal is to have more representation in these spaces.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a freelance journalist with my own publication, Short N Sweet Entertainment I can have freedom with who I interview and what I write about. I have shared viral nostalgic memories of Teyana Taylor jumping double-dutch with her community during her “Rose in Harlem Block Party” and Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good sharing an intimate dance while celebrating the release of her role in the Divorce in the Black movie. What sets me apart from others is not just being at the right place at the right time but my personality and my ability to “speak” with people rather than speaking “at” them. I am most proud of all the moments that I can share with others when they are discussing pivotal moments in their life. It is very important that we share these stories and continue to pass them down from generation to generation.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
They say, “If you can make it in New York City you can make it anywhere” and this has to be one of the truest statements about the city. I love New York but most importantly I love being from The Bronx. There is no place like it. We are raw, organic, and full of culture. We are never going to miss the opportunity to give “main character” energy. We are the trendsetters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shortnsweetent.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shortnsweetent
