Giulia Baldini

Born and raised in Florence (Italy) with an African-Brazilian heritage (Rio de Janeiro), living and working in the New York City Metropolitan area.

I’m a fashion journalist, culture writer, and media educator. I also hold a certificate of Nutrition Coaching (CNC) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), currently studying for the CPT certification (personal training). I’m a firm believer in the phrase: mens sana in corpore sana (healthy mind in a healthy body).

My cultural luggage is filled with solid experiences that helped me shape not only my cosmopolitan personality from a very young age, but also a passionate interest in constructive dialogues, world issues, diverse lifestyles, and eclectic aesthetics. My research and editorial work aims to elevate real stories through the power of writing in the name of community care (ubuntu), creative initiative (kanju), and self-determination (kujichagulia), particularly for the people in the Africana Diaspora.

During my college years at Hofstra University (2016 -2020), I came across both the fashion industry and the world of journalism. From there I’ve always tried to put the two fields together, trying to find ways to cultivate my passions and invest in my creativity. This led me to appreciate how brands come to life (business), how they stay afloat (entrepreneurship), how they become successful (marketing), and how they stay true to the causes they fight for (sustainability).

From my first internship in finance (Markets Media) to the last college assignments, I grasped anything I could within my limitations as an international student (lots of unpaid work, many rejections, a good dose of imposter syndrome), even if I didn’t have the chance to land the “perfect” gig, internship, or job. But I did not give up. I know I couldn’t. I had to build my own platform to make myself heard. So I blossomed: from a sprout into a flower, a curly one.

For this reason, I created a side project named thecurlyflower.com on WordPress, a college diary of a European Black girl living in the USA through school, love stories, and a creative mindset. Upon my senior year, I started writing a book inspired by this blog.

My first book, "Fashion on the Beat: the melodies and rhythms in fashion journalism" (2020), is an open letter to both the fashion and journalism industries. It includes thoughts, stories, and all the creative experiences from a specific point of view: an Italian-Brazilian from the city of flowers (Florence, Italy) to the city that never sleeps (NYC). In 2021, between my BA and MA degrees, I decided to keep the legacy of the book alive through an interactive editorial digital place: Fashion On The Beat (FOTB).

From 2021 to 2024, I completed a series of fellowships (CIAFE, NYC Fair Trade Coalition) and took part of several media collaborations and speaking engagement gigs in higher education institutions (AMAKA, Hofstra University, Montclair State University, CUNY), which allowed me to do what I love while earning a Master’s degree in Liberal Arts from Lehman College (with a concentration in Africana and African American Studies). Even though I am done with my capstone project (Summer 2023), I am currently keeping up my research in media wellness for and by BIPOC creatives (what is a safe haven for us Black and Brown media professionals in the creative economy/industry? how can we be healthy and literate media consumers as well as producers?). Maybe this will all be some PhD material very soon.

Today I am swirling in the chaotic yet majestic years of my late 20s, surrounded by warmth and care. In 2024 I married an angel who is my ride and die, the person that makes me smile and laugh the most, whom I proudly call husband, best friend, and love of my life. I currently teach courses that bring constructive and modern literacy to the classrooms I am in (at CUNY, NJCU, etc. - check syllabi here), while curating events and content on FOTB.

I plan to keep up my journalistic penmanship, nurture more creative inputs in the media industry, and cultivate my insatiable desire to enjoy life. What’s your plan?

Fun Facts

My favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn
I’m studying for the NASM CPT certificate and I love cycling. It’s just fun!
I would love to have a poodle one day and name him “Huey”, after Huey Freeman. Yes, like the character from The Boondocks
A city I love: San Juan, Puerto Rico
I’d love to visit ASAP: Yonaguni, Japan (huge fan of Rilakkuma)
Top three songs: Tears Dry On Their Own (Amy Wineouse), Me, Myself, and I (Beyoncé), Be Honest (Jorja Smith)
Don’t get it twisted, tho: I know Nicki’s baddest verses, try me <3 (pull up in the sri lanka, what!?)

Vogue Italia (culture)

AMAKA Studio (available exclusively on the AMAKA platform for free + themed column for paid subscribers only)

Africana Lit (paid column)
Building a Pan-African Syllabus on Fashion Media Literacy
Social Media Algorithm: My Frenemy
10 Years Anniversary of An Album that Introduced me to Africana Literature, Feminism, Media, and Intellectual Intersectionality