Kierna Mayo facts for kids

Kierna Mayo is an American writer, editor, and media executive. She began her career in journalism. She was part of the first writing team for The Source magazine. Mayo also helped start Honey magazine in 1999. Later, she became the editor-in-chief of Ebony magazine. As of 2025, Mayo is a vice president and executive editor at Random House. She works for Roc Lit 101, an imprint of Random House and Roc Nation.

Early Life and Education

Kierna Mayo grew up in Brooklyn, New York. When she was a teenager, she loved hip-hop music. She went to Murry Bergtraum High School. Some famous musicians, like Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest, also went there. Mayo later earned her bachelor's degree from Hampton University.

Career Highlights

Mayo's career in editing started in the early 1990s. She was one of the first writers for The Source magazine. She worked there for four years. Her writing often spoke out against unfair treatment of women in the music industry. She also defended hip hop music from criticism. After that, she reported on city issues for City Limits magazine.

Founding Honey Magazine

In March 1999, Mayo helped create Honey magazine. She became its first editor-in-chief. Honey was a lifestyle and fashion magazine. It was published every two months. The magazine was made for young, diverse women. Mayo and her co-founder, Joicelyn Dingle, later sold the magazine. It closed in 2003 because of disagreements with the new owner. There were also some money problems.

Working at Ebony Magazine

By 2000, Mayo joined LikePepper.com, an online magazine. She also worked as a Senior Editor for Cosmogirl magazine. She was a founding member of the Hearst Diversity Council. This group worked to make sure different voices were heard in publishing.

In 2011, Mayo became the editorial director for Ebony magazine. She was promoted to editor-in-chief in 2015. A few months into her new role, she created a magazine cover that caused a lot of discussion. The cover showed the fictional Huxtable family from The Cosby Show in a broken picture frame. The article inside, written by Goldie Taylor, explored the TV show's legacy. It discussed how the show's meaning changed over time. This cover received both praise and criticism.

In 2016, Mayo left her job at Ebony. This happened after the magazine was sold to new owners. Later that year, she became a senior vice president for Interactive One. She was in charge of content and brands. As of 2021, she is a vice president and executive editor. She works at One World/Roc Lit 101, a publishing company.

Other Creative Work

Kierna Mayo has also written for books. She wrote the introduction for Joan Morgan's book, She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (2018). She also wrote an essay called “Hip-Hop Heroines.” This essay was part of the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap (2021).

Mayo has appeared as a commentator in documentaries. She was featured in On the Record. She also used to be part of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. This group works for human rights.

Awards and Recognition

• 2012 - Nominated for Outstanding Magazine Article at the 23rd GLAAD Media Awards
• 2015 – Named to The Root 100 list
• 2020 – Honored at the Equality Now Gala