Journalist Daphne Taylor makes history

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — A Riviera Beach woman made her mark in South Florida history as a journalist and mentor to young women in her hometown.

Daphne Taylor celebrates 43 years in the journalism industry and continues to inspire students to reach their full potential.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Taylor said. “I never made a lot of money, but I always loved what I did and it fueled me.”

From television to print and radio, Taylor’s passion for journalism is multifaceted and includes working at NBC in Washington DC and writing for the Miami Herald and the Miami New Times.

She decided to share her experience in the news industry with young women who wanted to get into broadcasting.

“I came back to Riviera Beach and taught broadcast journalism to at-risk teenage girls,” Taylor said. “We were in a real radio. We were called WGRL – Where Girls Come First.

WGRL was launched in 1998 and over nearly a decade, Taylor has connected young women with prominent celebrities, athletes and leaders who have visited South Florida.

Adrian Tavano -AnimaliaPhotos.com

The program would go far and provide transportation for teenagers who wanted to travel to Miami and Fort Lauderdale for a high profile interview.

“They ended up interviewing everyone from Martin Luther King III to Rosie O’Donnell to Alicia Keys and all the big names,” Taylor said.

Taylor looks to the future with optimism and encourages others to use their gift to strengthen the community.

“A student of mine recently told me that she wouldn’t be where she is today without me,” Taylor said. “It’s something you care about when you see you’ve made a difference.”