A bit about me:
I’m a freelance editor and journalist based in North Carolina. I cover politics and identity, with some of my specializations in social policy, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive justice, sexual violence, and science and health. I also did a short stint as a music journalist.
My work has been published by ELLE, Bustle, Rewire.News, Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, Refinery29, Woman’s Day, ThinkProgress, NationSwell, Romper, Rolling Stone, and The Village Voice, among others.
I regularly make radio appearances to talk about my abortion policy reporting, though I’ve also spoken about gun violence, country music (yes, really), and sexual violence in prisons. I have appeared on panels to talk about my experience as a sexual assault survivor, and I have moderated discussions about women’s health.
Recent clips
From Alpaca Farms in Colorado to Tiny Homes in Arkansas, Queer Folks Are Fleeing US Cities to Create Their Own Refuge, BuzzFeed, August 2020
I Had to Put Off Dealing With My Ovarian and Breast Cancer Risk During a Pandemic, Rewire.News, July 2020
Meet West Virginia’s First Out Trans Lawmaker: Rosemary Ketchum, Rewire.News, June 2020
What Are Lucid Dreams?, Teen Vogue, July 2020
12 Podcasts About LGBTQ+ History, Activism, and Culture, Woman’s Day, June 2020
Why Teenagers Seeking Abortion Care Are Texting ‘Abby,’ Rewire.News, April 2020
Bloomberg Staffers Say They Were Promised Jobs Until The Election, Then Laid Off In A Pandemic, ELLE, April 2020
SCOTUS Will Hear An Abortion Rights Case With Major Implications, Bustle.com, Updated March 2020
Utah’s Conversion Therapy Ban Is A Victory For Activists, Bustle.com, Feb. 2020
A South Dakota Bill Would Criminalize Trans Minors’ Health Care, Bustle.com, Jan. 2020
Some of my favorites
3 Abortion Providers On Tailoring Their Services To Trans Patients, Bustle.com, March 2020
7 Myths About Trans Health Care, Debunked By Trans People & Doctors, Bustle.com, Jan. 2020
We Spoke To Julián Castro One Week Before His Campaign Ended. Here’s What We Learned, Bustle.com, Jan. 2020
Sex Workers Describe The Policy Reforms That Would Actually Help Them, Bustle.com, Dec. 2020
These Are the Ways Plastics Can Mess Up Your Body, Teen Vogue, Dec. 2018
The Case for Public Sex Classes, Teen Vogue, April 2019
How to Support the Survivors In Your Life This Week, Marie Claire, Oct. 2018
Rape Behind Bars: Stopping the Cycle of Violence, NationSwell, Sept. 2018
For Survivors of Prison Rape, Saying ‘Me Too’ Isn’t an Option, Rewire.News, Jan. 2018
Sexual Assault Survivors Talk About Sex After Rape, Teen Vogue, Aug. 2018
The right’s dangerous use of moral relativism to defend Sarah Sanders, ThinkProgress.com, June 2018
Grief Can Last For Years, So Why Don’t We Acknowledge It?, Romper.com, May 2018
Lifestyle and wellness reporting
What Quitting Your Smartphone Is Like, According To 3 People Who’ve Been There, Bustle.com, Feb. 2020
6 Signs You Need To Break Up With A Friend , and the Best Way To Do It, Woman’s Day, Feb. 2020
How To Interpret Cat Language, Woman’s Day, Feb. 2020
The 9 “Dumbest” Dogs That Are Actually Pretty Smart, Woman’s Day, Jan. 2020
8 Signs You Suffer From Work Stress & How To Deal With It, Woman’s Day, Jan. 2020
Is Crying At Work OK? HR Reps and Psychologists Weigh In, Woman’s Day, Jan. 2020
Do Dogs Sweat? Here’s What Happens To Your Pup When It’s Hot, Woman’s Day, Jan. 2020
Diarrhea During Your Period? Here’s the Reason for Menstrual GI Problems, Woman’s Day, June 2019
Travel and food writing
On a Fishing Charter with a Chef at Amelia Island, Florida, The Daily Meal
Chef Stephen Henry Brews Syrup in Tunnels, Keeps Bees on the Rooftop, and Still Has ‘More to Do’ in Chicago, The Daily Meal
620 Square Miles of Food Celebration and Conservation in Milan, The Daily Meal
Chef Mathew Wiltzius of Chicago’s Lockwood Restaurant Feeds Nostalgia with Carrot Cake, The Daily Meal
A Perfect Model of Sustainability in Amelia Island, Florida, The Daily Meal
When I’m not writing, I’m riding. I was two weeks old when my parents visited the Budweiser Clydesdale barn in New Hampshire, and my dad says he held me up in front of one of the Clydesdales. We looked each other in the eyes, and I haven’t been able to part with horses since. I’ve traveled to the Pyrenees in France and the countryside of Bosnia and Herzegovina to ride.
Contact
Email me: joyurcaba@gmail.com
Follow me on Twitter.
Check out my resume.
