Julianna Hill - Multicultural communicator

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nDash Writer Profile for Julianna Hill

Headline

About Me

My career as a writer began in the eighth grade, when I received $15 cash for winning Mrs. DeWitt's mandatory short story contest. Even before then I always knew that wordsmithing was my strong suit. I went on to write for every possible school publication until I graduated college, and spent a summer writing feature articles for a local magazine in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. I've most recently exercised my handle of the written word in other, less editorial industries such as claimant litigation and immigrant social work. In both professional settings, my written communication skills, fluency in Spanish and general desire to package someone's story so that it can be delivered to the right person certainly aided such clients in need of help navigating convoluted legal systems and situations.

Seeking reprieve from the emotional toll of casework, and an opportunity to experiment with a different way of living, I left my hometown and my job behind in 2022 to move to Montevideo, Uruguay. For the first six months I worked a part-time job as a English teacher: a humbling experience that made me realize how easily we take for granted the intricacies of our native language. Eventually, I moved on to a full-time gig as an assistant librarian in a bilingual primary school. The English literature- Spanish language double-major in me found a cozy home in the bilingual junior library for a year, until my grand (and possibly finite) South American adventure implored me to seek as many challenges and experiences as it would afford me.

I moved on once again at the beginning of 2024, this time to a brand new professional setting at a good friend's luxury leather boutique and workshop. When I'm not attending to customers from all over the world, in both English, Spanish, and at times very broken Portuguese, I'm learning the craftsmanship of leather working, how to cut, carve, treat, and sew raw materials into something beautiful and useful. Albeit a new challenge for me, I already find working with my hands to be deeply satisfying. There's a certain poetry to being a small part of a long cultural tradition that involves using pieces of our earth to create things that protect us from its hard ground or strong winds...a certain poetry that one day I hope to compose myself.

Needless to say, my current day-to-day has reawakened the creative writer in me, the same one who blushed when Mrs. DeWitt announced her name as a winning writer in eighth grade. It also allows me space and time to dedicate to writing, which I've struggled to find in recent years. All the above brings me here to nDash, hoping to apply my writing, skills, and lived experiences to diverse projects that both challenge and excite.

Industries I Write About

Education

Lifestyle

Pop Culture

Law & Politics

My Writing Samples

After the Fall

Feature article researched and written in 2015 for Richmond magazine. "Richmond ready for when cyclist’s skin meets pavement."

Master of the Blues

Feature article researched and written in 2015 for Richmond magazine. "The first John Cephas Piedmont Blues Festival honors the legacy of Bowling Green's hometown hero."

Barbershop and Barbecue

Feature article researched and written in 2015 for Richmond magazine. "An interview with 'BBQ Pitmasters' producer John Markus, co-writer and director of 'The Fabulous Lipitones,' playing at Virginia Rep's Hanover Tavern from Sept. 18 to Oct. 25."

Q&A: Idina Menzel

An edited version of my interview with singer Idina Menzel, published in Richmond magazine in 2015.

Christmas en el Campo

Experience

Assistant Librarian

Supported the management of all library services, including the supervision of ~800 weekly visitors (primary school students, K-6), the teaching of responsible library practices, the growth of bilingual literacy (English/Spanish), the encouragement of reading for pleasure, student and teacher research, communication with local book publishers, the general organization of books and resources, lending policies, resource cataloging, etc.

Language Instructor

Taught English language courses for elementary, pre-intermediate, and intermediate language learners. Utilized resources and online interfaces to plan and conduct lessons appropriate to each student’s specific level and goals

Family Reunification Case Manager

Provided case management and supportive services to unaccompanied immigrant children in the process of reunifying and resettling with family/sponsors throughout the state of Virginia. Conducted home visits and phone contacts with the dual purpose of assessing safety and appropriateness of child's placement with their caregiver (sponsor) and connecting child to services in the community to address risk factors.

Paralegal

Assisted with general Spanish translation, calls, meetings, etc., conducted research, requested medical records, reviewed/submitted invoices, scheduled phone conferences, client meetings, mediations, depositions, drafted and obtained physician statements and questionnaires, drafted and answered discovery/subpoenas, attended to daily needs of clients, communicated with the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, defense counsel, medical providers, clients, intakes and claims adjusters.

Freelance Editor

Worked closely with a research group of Chilean pedagogy scholars, who sought to publish their articles in English journals. Responsible for editing multiple journal articles, working one-on-one with the researchers in both English and Spanish, utilizing the feedback from superior editors to enhance overall language clarification.

Editorial Intern

Wrote short features, researched and fact-checked, helped out with photo shoots and events.

Writing Coach

Worked one-on-one with undergraduate/graduate students to improve clarity and coherence of writing assignments. Exercised minimalist tutoring strategies during thirty-minute or one-hour sessions to elicit critical thinking from clients. Offered ELL assistance to international students that aimed to pass the TOEFL exam and matriculate into the university.