Sage, Truth & Love: Meet Samantha Callender

Writer, content creator, and ardent foodie Samantha Callender is a Chicago-based multimedia journalist whose passion for storytelling shines through her various work.

Born in Circleville, Ohio, and raised in Cincinnati, Samantha’s penchant for storytelling came to the fore during her involvement in her high school newspaper and yearbook. Journalism & Communications at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio was her focus of study.

"I come from the media world as a beauty and entertainment contributor to pubs like ESSENCE, People, HuffPost, xoNecole, and others. While I often speak about my work as a reporter and journalist, I’d love to share and speak more about the creative side of my work."

Being a people person by nature, Samantha’s has an amazing ability to build deep and lasting relationships. One that enables her to interview celebrities in various capacities, uncover heartful stories and garner an active following on social media.

Reporting media from the ranges of political and civic news to all things luxury, lifestyle, and entertainment, Samantha's stories catalyze candid dialogue and activism. With the core belief that pop culture has the power to entertain as well as educate, Samantha’s work often explores the compelling intersection between entertainment and social-political matters.

When she isn’t writing, you can find Samantha exploring local galleries and cafes or attending plays and concerts. A true lover of arts, Samantha finds inspiration in anything that makes life fun and enjoyable.

Currently, Samantha is a contributor to Essence.com. Read more from her on The Root, People, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, and many other publications nationwide.

Her first book, a collection of poetry and prose, is titled Sage, Truth, and Love.