Chavonne “Vida Starr” Taylor hosted and produced many live pre-recorded radio programs such as Life Star Radio on RadioJustice.org as well as Reality is Real and Flip the Script on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles. Combining her roots in community organizing and multimedia, she works with both independent and public institutions to bring overlooked and ignored groups to the forefront of political and social discussion.

Chavonne is currently a trauma educator, facilitating workshops on the correlation between health and childhood trauma. She has trained medical professionals, teachers, social workers, and therapists in understanding childhood trauma and how to create a space for trauma-informed care. She has spoken at educational institutions, such as Chapman University, presenting information about the Adverse Childhood Experiences study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente.

Taylor’s history of serving the Los Angeles area began at age 14 when she joined South Central Youth Empowered thru Action (SCYEA) in an effort to help improve the conditions of South Los Angeles schools. As a student activist, she addressed student inequities facing South Central students such as misappropriation of resources, access to college preparatory classes, and lack of quality learning facilities. Chavonne has also served as the project coordinator for The California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities initiative—a 10 year, $1 billion initiative created to address statewide health inequities. She has since gone on to both participate in and create media programming highlighting community outreach through activism and art. She is a proud graduate of the University of Southern California.

Chavonne spent four years as associate producer of The Front Page with legendary radio host Dominique DiPrima on Los Angeles radio station KJLH 102.3-FM. Taylor developed, produced, and hosted Reality is Real Radio at Los Angeles radio station KPFK 90.7-FM. The show became the station’s number 1 radio Hip-Hop talk show. During her career, she has interviewed artists such as Jay Rock and Glasses Malone as well as politicians and dignitaries such as Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), and Margot Perez president of Nawat Pipil Original Peoples Council in El Salvador. She has also interviewed award-winning filmmakers such as Justin Simien (Dear White People), Lena Waithe (Dear White People, Master of None), and Pamela Tom (Tyrus, PBS’s Finding Home).

After many years working with non-profit organizations in both social service work and community organizing, Taylor shifted her focus from facilitating entertaining and engaging discussions to bringing overlooked and ignored people to the forefront of sociopolitical discourse. This shift was built on her belief that community progress is dependent upon awareness and conversation with those who are the most marginalized. Chavonne has been invited to speak on many panels including the Los Angeles Public Library’s “The Big Read” in February of 2018 where she joined noted activists and academics in a panel discussion discussing the works by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sylvia Rankin and the experiences of African Americans. Taylor also participated in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture panel discussion, God Talk, where she discussed the shift in religious ideologies among African American millennials with noted Los Angeles Times writer Tre’Vell Anderson and Los Angeles radio personality Devi Brown.

Alternative, Thoughtful Perspectives

 

Chavonne Taylor prides herself on her unique approach to common conversations. Under her radio moniker, “Vida Starr,” she offers alternative perspectives which may be controversial to some but insightful to others. Absorbing the on-hands instruction and mentorship from legendary Los Angeles radio host, Dominique Diprima, Chavonne went on to become a glaring progressive voice in Los Angeles radio.  While working at 102.3FM KJLH’s The Front Page as the associate producer, Chavonne also began her role as co-producer and host of Flip the Script on Pacifica Network’s KPFK 90.7FM Los Angeles which airs from Santa Barbara to North San Diego. Both The Front Page and Flip the Script are highly respected radio programs that uplift the voices of often marginalized and neglected communities. Her passion for community combined with the inspiration she drew from her Hip-Hop culture was clear when she developed Reality is Real Radio for KPFK. Produced and hosted by Taylor, Hip-Hop conversations were given a new angle that highlighted the activism and economic empowerment that resided in the culture. Not only did guests include music artists and music producers but politicians and educators that contribute to Hip-Hop culture as well. In addition to Flip the Script, Chavonne also hosted and produced Life Star Radio on digital platform RadioJustice.org. Life Star Radio serves as a space of inspiration and motivation by highlighting the amazing work of movers, shakers, and change makers in art, politics, fashion, music, education, mental health and more. The mission is to encourage her audience to be a star in their own lives by learning what’s possible by adjusting their thinking and continuing to persevere toward their goals.

 

Authentic and Informed

 

Chavonne Taylor began her days as a community organizer and activist at the age of 14 when she joined local South Los Angeles student activist organization South Central Youth Empowered Through Action at the Community Coalition. She was often a featured speaker at press conferences, community meetings, government assembly meetings and more. Her fearless voice resonated with community members and led her to be featured as the Teen Spotlight on BET’s Teen Summit. Since then, she has been offered and has accepted positions on panel discussions with local and major institutions such as the Los Angeles Public Library and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Chavonne currently travels throughout southern California where she is requested to speak to teachers, professionals, and parents about understanding childhood trauma while sharing her own story of trauma and abuse.