Terri’s Superpowers: Sharing the stories of advocacy and triumph
Terri Huggins [Hart] is an award-winning journalist who lives in the constant state of an identity crisis: deciding if she aligns more with her maiden name (Huggins) or her married name (Huggins Hart) at any given moment. Nonetheless, she’s excelled in following her calling of telling the stories that need to be told and evoking emotions aligned with clear takeaways through her stories.
In the last 10 years, she’s had the opportunity to contribute meaningful reported stories and personal essays to publications including Real Simple, New York Times, Parents, Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Essence, Better Homes and Gardens, and more.
While she writes thoroughly reported stories about travel and personal finance, her primary focus is reported features with a mission to better understand relationships, health advocacy, the emotional well-being of parents, and their respective intersections with race and culture.
She is a former professional dancer and current Zumba instructor. Terri is also a fervent advocate for access and equity for members of the disabled, Black and parenting communities.
Through it all, she continues to follow her hack for living life with no regrets: do what you love, give love, and lead with love and hopes you’ll learn to do the same.
Advocacy
Pushing for the installation of a communication board to promote inclusion
Culture
Strong roots as a Trinidadian-American
Collaboration
The ability to contribute strong ideas to a team
Leadership
Adaptation while guiding groups
Educating
Speaking out about inequities
Business Strategy
Planning a paid maternity leave as a contractor
Recognition
Winning industry awards for my work covering joy and mental health in motherhood
I was in preschool when I did my first dance recital in the penguin tap. That performance was the gateway to future endeavors singing, acting and public speaking.Being on stage since adolescence taught me the importance of mastering delivery, reading the room and thinking on my feet to truly engage an audience.
My love of words soon followed when I was 10 years old. I wrote the poem, “Who am I?” discussing the complex emotions about tweenhood. It was evident that I had a knack for writing and portraying complex emotions. The combination of my engaging writing and theatrical experience brought me here.
As a 14-year veteran journalist and tireless, researcher, I know A LOT. So I can talk about a lot with power and conviction. Captivating storytelling and direct communication have been a strength of mine long before it was cool. (Back then it was called “blunt” as opposed to what it was, which is clear communication.) It’s a skill that works wonders in leveraging “out of office” emails.
Because of my experience writing for journalistic objectives, leveraging the written word for marketing purposes and commanding a stage, I like to think of myself as the queen of expression.
Through each method of expression, I do my best to bring joy. We rarely get enough of it so expect me to insert a little joy into each project I do.
Terri is a NJ based freelance writer, speaker and communications consultant.