Zenzele (or Zenze) Taylor is a young journalist and passionate social justice advocate from Oakland, California who is impassioned to drive reform in citizens’ access to reproductive healthcare and furthering the protections of those most vulnerable to and affected by human trafficking in the country. Since early childhood, she’s been a dedicated writer and storyteller, having written numerous short stories throughout elementary school and a horror screenplay in middle school.
As of this summer, she’s had the opportunity to combine this love for writing with her passion for social justice through being a journalist intern for Junior Journalists, a program ran by the Embarcadero Media Foundation in which she writes and publishes articles regarding the ongoing opioid crisis in Alameda County. She is also a member of the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking Student Alliance, where she and other young advocates inspire reform in the Bay Area’s human trafficking crisis through spreading awareness to the younger generation and working with local officials to foster direct change. Furthermore, Zenze is a rising senior at Bishop O’Dowd High School, where she will continue her participation as a class representative in her schools student council, and starting this year, will be on the editorial team for the Crozier, O’Dowd’s student-led newspaper. This Fall she will also be a student leader on Solidarity in Action, a senior leadership team in which she and other passionate students run individual social justice campaigns in their community and work with local and federal politicians to further bring these issues to light. Outside of academics, Zenze is a spirited runner and martial artist, finds joy in working for her family business, spending time with friends and family, and thrifting.