Chinazor Offor @ Bustle

#BossFiles

Jul 2

Written By Oh So Fashionably Late

Name: Chinazor Anita Offor aka Chichi

Current Location: Brooklyn, New York

Birth Place: Atlanta, Georgia

9 to 5: Commerce Coordinator at Bustle Digital Group

Passion Project: Writer & Model

Instagram: @thechichio

A Brief Intro: Chichi is a media industry lady with experience in the journalism, marketing, and modeling worlds. With an unmatchable curiosity, she finds interest in all aspects of content creation including fashion, lifestyle, pop culture, adulting, and entertainment. Nobody puts Chichi in a corner! If she’s not eating berries in the park, she’s probably knee deep in her next binge-watching obsession. You can find her on IG and Twitter @thechichio.

Tell us about your career path. What got you into writing? How did you end up at Bustle?

I studied Public Relations in my undergrad, but I was apart of a magazine all throughout college. Outside the occasional journal entry growing up, college was the first time where I wrote more regularly. After doing a temporary gig as an Editorial Assistant for a wine start up, I ended up getting a job at Bustle working on their commerce team. Although it's not writing, it definitely has been an opportunity to learn, grow, and influence my future career choices.

What do you feel has always been your passion and how does it play into your current role?

Pinpointing one passion has always been hard for me. I really do enjoy television/film, fashion, and writing, but I'd say my true passion is being open and interested in learning just about anything. As Einstein said in that famous quote, "I'm passionately" curious too. I think being curious has allowed me to be open to a job outside of journalism.

What makes you a boss?

I believe I'm a boss because of my undying will to always try to do better for myself and others around me. I'm a glass half full kind of person, and I always like to look on the brighter side of thins as well.

Proudest moment in your career AND personal life?

The proudest moment in my career was when I got my first editorial job in NY at the wine start up. I was elated that someone finally gave me a chance to do something I was interested in professionally.

In my personal life, I was very proud at myself for using my agency to break away from cultural expectations of my life and pursue a major in the journalism school at UGA as opposed to the sciences.

Lowest point in your career?

The New York City editorial scene is very hard to break into, and it has led me to doubt myself, talents, and experiences more than ever before.

Share your mantra or a quote you live by.

"If someone else can do it, why can't you?"

Why should everyone have a #LadyTribe to lean on?

It's always nice to have a support system, so that'd definitely be one benefit. In this human experience there are some very happy moments and very sad ones, so it's great to have people around that you can share those with. Women also have similar workplace struggles and difficulties and having people to break things down with that understand where your coming from is a powerful thing.

What passion project are you working on right now?

I'm in the midst of learning about television writing because that's something that's always interested me!

What's your next big move?

You tell me haha! I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and take things day to day. I feel like my next big move will be something I can't plan to much for, so I always have to be prepared!

What is the hardest decision you've ever had to make?

Like I mentioned a little before, changing my career trajectory from the sciences was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. It's hard to really explain the gravity of that moment. It was essentially like rejecting the life my parents and family bred me to live and really listening to my gut feeling for the first time.

Rapid Response Questions:

Spirit Animal? I'll do a spirit person instead. First and foremost my mother, she's so strong and has really done a great deal in her life amidst great strife. I think I'm inspired to accomplish great things because my parents both did while starting out with so little. My mom also has a really deep compassion for others and it's definitely rubbed off on me too. For unrelated people, I really admire Ashley C. Ford. She's an amazing black women that has had success in journalism, entertainment, and has a book on the way. I will say Ashley's essence and her way of connecting with people is something I really see in myself too.

Favorite Color? I change favorite colors over time and depending on how I'm feeling. I'm currently into greens. I like how they are calming and grounding which is the energy I need right now. Overall though, yellow is one of my favorite colors. I feel like the color represents the range of my personality from a more muted yellow to a bright sunshiny yellow. I can be all the yellows.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? The hopes that today will be better than the last. The people in my life, and honestly, excitement for the days to come.

Do you love yourself? I do. I feel like It's been a journey, and some days I'm not as loving to myself as I deserve. I do think as a whole though I'm recognizing how awesome I am and I'm really into that.