Jessica Rose is a writer, editor, arts organizer and digital storyteller located in Hamilton.
A graduate of Carleton University’s School of Journalism, Jessica Rose is a writer, editor, arts organizer and digital storyteller located in Hamilton, Ontario. Her writing has appeared in publications across Canada, including THIS Magazine, Hamilton Magazine, and MarQuee Magazine. Her book reviews have appeared in Quill and Quire, Room, THIS, the Humber Literary Review, Herizons, Ricepaper, Broken Pencil, and on rabble.ca. Jessica is a founding editor at The Inlet, the book reviews editor at THIS Magazine, a writer and reporter for MarQuee Magazine, and a senior editor at the Hamilton Review of Books. She was a long-time columnist and feature writer for Hamilton Magazine until 2019.
Jessica is a passionate digital marketer and fundraiser who uses digital tools to launch integrated campaigns that raise brand awareness, support advocacy work, steward and retain donors, champion community partners, and encourage fundraising initiatives and event ticket sales for not-for-profit organizations of all sizes. As Marketing Manager of gritLIT: Hamilton’s Readers and Writers Festival, she is a member of the small team that brings together the biggest Canadian authors, up and coming talent, and local Hamilton writers in a series of readings and themed events. Between 2015 and 2020, she was also the Social Media and Communications Coordinator at YWCA Hamilton where she combined her passions for social justice and digital media. Jessica is a previous public relations chair of Hamilton HIVE, Hamilton’s largest nonprofit organization focused on providing resources and opportunities for emerging leaders and young professionals to succeed.
Jessica’s passion for literacy extends to all she does. For 15 years, she has used her editorial skills to write and edit award-winning literacy resources and magazine articles for children, including ELL/ESL students and reluctant or struggling readers. A primary focus has been creating inclusive, highly engaging texts — including graphic novels and anthologies — in which First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students (Turtle Island, Rubicon Publishing) and African Canadian students (Sankofa, Rubicon Publishing) see themselves and their worldviews reflected. Jessica sits on the board for the Adult Basic Education Association (ABEA), which hosts Hamilton's annual Leaders in Literacy Breakfast. Recently, she initiated a partnership between the Hamilton Public Library and YWCA Hamilton to bring books into YWCA Hamilton’s facilities for the marginalized populations the organization serves, including children from low-income families, seniors, and women in the Transitional Living Program. Jessica is also a member of the Hamilton Arts Council’s Literary Arts Committee, which hosts the annual Hamilton Literary Awards and she sits on the organizing committee for the City of Hamilton Senior of the Year Awards.
