By: Lawrence Price III
The Michigan Chronicle is proud to welcome Nayanna Hollins to the team as an intern for the 2021 summer.
Using a diary since the age of five, Hollins used writing as a form of expression — even when it was full of scribbles.
Fourteen years later, not only does she ready for a summer experience filled with writing at the Michigan Chronicle, she also prepares for her sophomore year at Howard University. There, Hollins pursues her dreams, passions, and goals for the future, which includes a minor in English.
“I took this internship to try to diversify my skills as a writer and work on doing different genres and types of writing,” Hollins said. “It has always been an outlet for me in a way.”
Although starting at a young age, Hollins love for the writing process was solidified in middle school through one of her teacher’s motivation and encouragement. Recognizing that the teacher gave her more attention than most, Hollins developed her voice as a writer and pushed herself in writing assignments such as argumentative essays and creative pieces.
Describing her writing style as impassioned, eloquent and explorative, Hollins enjoys diving into topics like pop culture, politics, race and entertainment to showcase these traits.
“I am just a person who is very interested in discovering the foundations of things,” Hollins said. “It is really interesting to do that with pop culture because I feel like everything nods to little things in the past and it is fun connecting the dots.”
Alongside garnering a love for writing at a young age, Hollins participated in an acting summer camp for the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit around the age of eight. Turning that experience into a motivational factor, she now majors in acting in college.
Over the years, she immersed herself not only in Mosaic, but also in church and school plays in both middle and high school. Hollins credited her dad, Harvey Hollins, to putting her in her first camp and unlocking this opportunity.
“I have known that she wanted to pursue acting for a long time. I think journalism is one of those things she is a strong writer, and so it is a skill set that she is using,” Harvey Hollins said. “Her writing abilities effects acting, theater, and she knows how to interpret plays, how to analyze a script, so I think it really is her skills and writing that improves her ability to act and interpret.”
Like acting and its emphasis on adaptability, the 19 year old honed this skill on and off the stage. Moving from Belleville, a community she described as close-knit, to Canton, with a public school in Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (P-CEP) three times the size of her former school, she was able to make the transition.
Now attending an HBCU (where the vibe, atmosphere and focus on supporting the future of the Black community) played a factor in her choosing the school, she welcomes the home away from home. However, before she leaves for campus in the Fall, Hollins is excited to connect with her metro Detroit roots for the Michigan Chronicle.
“It feels really good. I like how there is an emphasis on trying to get stories and get news to people of color that affect us,” Hollins said. “I think they are a lot more objective about when something is wrong in terms of race relations, and I really appreciate that.”
Staff Writer Sherri Kolade said that Hollins is doing an excellent job in honing her writing skills and gaining experience as being a staff writer for the past several weeks.
“Hollins really has a knack for writing and drawing others into her stories,” Kolade, who manages Hollins, said. “I can see this bright young HBCU graduate going far in life, and it was a pleasure getting to know her and help pull out what was already inside of her when it comes to crafting stories on Black culture in Detroit and beyond.”
Hollins’ six-month career in competitive skating in the sixth grade and secretary position on her school’s African American student association may shine as small accolades later on, but in the future, the Belleville native wants to be remembered differently. Alongside hopes of advocating for mental health resources in poorer communities and encouraging people to seek career paths that suit them, she wants to bring joy to the lives of others.
“I just want to make people smile and help us fight the systems that are holding us down,” Hollins said.
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