You Can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been.
HBO Max
At HBO Max, from 2020-2022 (shortly after the launch of the app), Whitney shaped editorial strategy and community-focused marketing initiatives that elevated cultural destinations and strengthened audience engagement across diverse viewer segments. Her work focused on curating compelling experiences for underrepresented communities — from strategic content direction to cross-functional campaign execution — helping translate cultural moments into meaningful conversation and measurable results.
Case Study: Black History Is Our History
It all begins with an idea. In December 2020, Whitney reached out to her manager on slack and said: “I think I have an idea for Black History Month.” And, the rest is (Black) History.
The nation was feeling the heaviness of 2020 in so many ways - a pandemic, a divisive election, racial protests and so much more. It felt more important than every to celebrate Black History - which is essentially our American history. But, the challenge was: How do you do that in an authentic way? The answer was simple: say what you want to say, what’s the worst that could happen?
Two days after sending that slack message, Whitney emailed a brief titled: Black History Is Our History to HBO Max Marketing leadership. And, within 24 hours, the idea was a full 360 campaign. Here were the goals:
Build a community-first destination for BHM
Promote our Black-Interest programming, including the same-day premiere feature, Judas and the Black Messiah
Challenge
Coming out of the weight of 2020’s cultural climate, it was clear that streamers needed to lean into representation — not just release a playlist of titles, but truly honor Black voices and stories in a way that felt authentic and expansive.
Whitney’s Role
Lead the strategy and curation for the on-platform experience, anchored around a thematic approach that celebrated the depth and range of Black storytelling. This included all design elements, copy, title selection, and talent integration.
Strategy & Execution
Whitney built the destination with categories designed to reflect a breadth of Black experience:
OUR PAST — historical documentaries and biopics
OUR JOY — comedies and uplifting stories
OUR FUTURE — emerging creators and fresh voices
OUR PRESENT STRUGGLES — socially urgent docs
OUR TRAILBLAZERS and more
This narrative framework informed all campaign elements — from artwork and promotional videos to title sampling and editorial messaging. collaborated with creative teams, product partners, and media planners to bring the vision to life both on and off the platform.
Impact
The Black History Is Our History destination achieved strong engagement across online readership and view metrics, resonating with both core audiences and wider platform users. The project stands as an example of community-centered editorial marketing and the impact of giving voice to diverse stories with intention and care.
