For UW alumna Toyia Taylor, ’97, youth advocacy is a way of life. Inspired by her Husky Experience, Taylor turned her passion into a career. Today she is the CEO and founder of we.app, a company that teaches both professionals and youth to enhance their voice through the art of public speaking. She recently took some time to reflect on her professional journey and what it means to give back.
Q: What have you been up to since graduating from the University of Washington?
Toyia Taylor: After graduating from the UW, I lived in Washington D.C. and Brooklyn, New York for over 12 years. I moved to Washington D.C. in 1997, and worked for the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA). Working for DCHA represented an opportunity to provide resources and educational programming to residents who strived to be the first in their families to attend college. As the DCHA family coordinator, I started the Do Your B.E.S.T (Balancing, Excellence & Service through Training) summer youth employment program. Do Your B.E.S.T. has served public housing youth for over 15 years by providing job placement, mentors, interview skills and on-the-job training.
While working for DCHA I received the title of Miss District of Columbia (1999-2000) and represented the nation’s capital in the Miss America Pageant. As Miss District of Columbia my platform was youth advocacy and as a result I became the first woman of color to perform original oratory at the pageant.
To further my career as an orator, I moved to New York to pursue a career as an actor. During that time, I appeared in an episode of Sex and the City and an American Cancer Society Public Service Announcement (PSA) with Danny Glover. I was also featured in the 35th Anniversary Limited Edition of Interview Magazine as one of the top new artists to look out for in New York City.
My fondest memories of NYC are living in Brooklyn and working for the non-profit Girls for Gender Equity (GGE). As a program manager, I had the privilege of creating the Urban Leaders Academy (ULA). ULA is an after-school program based in three junior high schools in Brooklyn that both boys and girls can partake in. It is a holistic program designed to advance leadership skills, social justice principles and values, and self-determination within our young people of color.
Today I live in Seattle as the CEO and Founder of we.app (act. present. perform.). we.app is Seattle’s premier company for enhancing the voice through public speaking! We teach professionals and youth how to discover their natural speaking style so that their professional and personal conversations aren’t contrived. Our goal is to teach transparency and the ability to engage and speak with power so that regardless of who are speaking to – one person or a standing room only audience – your words are sincere and impactful!
Q: How did your Husky Experience affect your career and life path?
Taylor: As a Husky I discovered the power of student advocacy. As a young black woman attending the UW in the 1990’s it was evident that my voice would go unnoticed if I didn’t speak up. Out of necessity, I founded and incorporated Sisterhood. Sisterhood is a UW student organization dedicated to the advancement of Black women on an undergraduate and graduate level. As a result, the Husky Experience taught me how to organize my thoughts into action so that I could create change within various institutions and my community.
Q: What OMA&D services did you utilize as a student and how did they impact you?
Taylor: I lived in the Ethnic Cultural Center (ECC)! As the president of Sisterhood and a Black Student Union (BSU) e-board member, the OMA&D helped me shape my identity, and discover my voice.
Q: You were an Instructional Center user correct? What did you love most about the IC?
Taylor: In my profession I have to write grants, proposals and business inquiries. As an orator, I’ve always had a sense of how to use my voice however, the Instructional Center (IC) taught me how to write professional papers. This in an invaluable skill that I did not master in school, but the IC gave me the confidence and tools to improve. I remember tutors being knowledgeable, patient and creative with their teaching techniques! The IC tutors and staff members were always professional and more importantly, invested in my learning and success.
Q: What caused you to start your own business?
Taylor: I started my own business because I’m not interested in working to primarily collect a paycheck. I’m more concerned about transforming my career into “lifework.” Lifework means that each day I wake up and focus on delivering services that teach a child or an adult how to use their voice to make a difference within their corporation, organization, school or community. I highly respect the fact the each day isn’t promised to anyone, therefore, it’s important that I spend my most precious moments on building legacy.
My work is a personal call-to-action. Owning a business has been the best thing for building self-confidence, receiving personal gratification and establishing partnerships. we.app has afforded me the opportunity to develop long lasting relationships. As we.app expands, we continue to establish relationships within local schools, as well as community members and professionals at companies such as Boeing, Microsoft and Amazon. we.app presents an opportunity for schools and professionals to support their staff or students in learning to communicate effectively so that productivity and engagement become a priority and a standard.
Q: Last Spring you participated in the BSU Gala and OMA&D’s Celebration event. What keeps you connected to the UW as an alumna?
Taylor: I personally feel that as an alumna it is my job to come back and challenge students to be critical thinkers and to provide encouragement as they go through the growing pains of being students developing leadership skills.
I laugh and smile, because I remember being a student in 1993 and I was a HANDFUL. I was rebellious, young and full of opinions that needed challenging. If it hadn’t been for the guidance of UW staff such as Debbie Proctor, Emile Pitre, Kathleen Fearn-Banks and Phil Hunt, my decisions wouldn’t have been as wise or productive. Therefore I think I understand the hardships students face and I sincerely want to be available to help them make healthy decisions.
Q: What inspires you to give back to your communities, through work and otherwise?
Taylor: My lifework is service to others because of a high school counselor named Marvin Johnson. During my 10th grade year at Renton High School, I was depressed and suffering from the hands of an abusive stepfather. I mentally shut down and protected myself by excluding myself from others. Luckily, Mr. Johnson saw the signs and took the time to approach me and provide community resources that ultimately helped me discover my talent and passion for oratory.
Because of Mr. Johnson’s tutelage, I developed my public speaking skills and went on to be the first woman of color to deliver oratory as a contestant (Miss District of Columbia) in the Miss America Pageant. Because of the concern of one person, since the 10th grade, all of my oratories have addressed the challenges facing youth and what parents, leaders and our educational system can do to bridge gaps and build communication.
For more information about we.app, visit www.theweappstudio.com or check them out on Facebook.