Diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at 21, Mitzi Miller (Honey Magazine, Jet/Ebony, among others) received a life-saving liver transplant at 22. Because returning to a classroom could put her health at risk, she reconsidered what she wanted to do and followed her longstanding love of magazines and cultural storytelling into New York’s media world. She describes landing an unpaid internship at Honey through persistence, learning journalism hands-on from editors, and navigating low pay alongside the perks of magazine work. The conversation also touches on her Connecticut roots and personal style.
Topics discussed:
- Autoimmune hepatitis and liver transplantation
- Rethinking career plans after a major health crisis
- A love of magazines and cultural storytelling
- Breaking into journalism without formal training
- Mentorship and learning on the job at Honey
- Low wages, workplace perks, and the contrast between magazines
- Connecticut, family, and personal style
autoimmune hepatitis, liver transplant, organ transplant survivor, career pivot, magazine journalism, Honey magazine, Amy DuBois Barnett, New York media, unpaid internship, media career, Black media, cultural storytelling, Vibe magazine, GQ, Esquire, English degree, second chance at life, transplant journey, journalism origin story, media hustle, perks of the job, Jane magazine, Connecticut to NYC, inspiring career story
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Mitzi Miller: I Was Told I Wouldn’t Survive. Then I Built a Career in Media