Rosianna Halse Rojas

British YouTuber and writer (born 1991)

Years active2006–present
  • Rosianna Halse Rojas
Years active2006–presentGenre
  • vlog
Subscribers58.9K[1]Total views1.07 million[1]Associated acts
  • John Green

Last updated: 16 April 2023

Rosianna Halse Rojas (born 15 August 1991) is a British writer, video blogger, social media manager, and online personality. She is best known for working with vlogger and novelist John Green, initially as his personal assistant, later producing partner.[2][3][4]

Regarding her work with Green, Rojas has stated, "The job is varied – books, online video, podcasts, film and television projects, our work with Partners in Health Sierra Leone, a book club – but overall what I’m most passionate about is that every person I work with understands and is enthusiastic about the potential of community to effect change."[5]

Early life and education

From London, Rojas was born to an English father and a Mexican mother.[6] She attended Tiffin Girls' School before going on to study English at the University of Exeter. During her second year, she studied abroad at Vassar College.[7] She would later pursue a Master of Science in Migration, Mobility and Development at SOAS University of London, completing her dissertation in 2022.[8]

Projects

YouTube

Rojas first created a YouTube channel in 2006, when she registered her account under the username missxrojas.[9] On the account, she would post vlogs about Harry Potter, intellectualism and her personal school life as she studied for GCSE and A Level exams, among other topics.[9][10] Her videos attracted an audience, and she developed a presence in the Nerdfighteria community. Eventually, in March 2013, Halse Rojas became John Green's personal executive assistant.[11] John Green, along with Hank Green, comprise the VlogBrothers, a vlogging channel from which the Nerdfighteria community was created. She also gave a TED talk at TEDx Brighton.[10] She was one of 16 vloggers recognised by YouTube's Next program in 2012.[10][12]

Rojas has been described as "a pioneering nerdfighter," by The New Yorker.[13] In 2013, Rojas was one of six fill-in hosts for Green on the VlogBrothers channel, while Green was on paternity leave.[14] Rojas has also served as the editorial director of Leaky News, a Harry Potter fansite.[15]

Aside from being involved in Nerdfighteria, Rojas is a personality in YouTube's female community; she identifies as a feminist.[9] She moderated the Sexism on YouTube panel at VidCon 2014.[16] In this field, Rojas has also designed "The Ladies Survey", an online survey about women and the internet.[17][18] She is also credited with being a writer on the humanities-related courses (world history, literature, US history) on Crash Course.[7]

In 2017, Rojas was named a Creators for Change ambassador by YouTube.[19]

Life's Library

In 2018, Rojas founded the Life's Library book club with John Green.[20] The book club read a book approximately every 6 weeks, with online discussion occurring on the Life's Library Discord. Rojas and Green alternated choosing books, with guest curators occasionally making selections.[21] Regarding Life's Library, Rojas has stated:

After the first year we’ve seen a brilliant and engaged community on the Discord, with thoughtful discussions about each of the titles and an excitement and curiosity about finding out more about the text, authors, and similar books. It’s such a positive space on the internet and I feel very lucky to be a small part of it.[5]

Life's Library was free to participate in, with paid subscription options available to receive digital or physical subscriptions, containing additional materials such as a discussion podcast, or a version of the book itself. All profits from Life's Library were donated to Partners in Health Sierra Leone to help reduce maternal mortality.[20][21] The book club ended in March 2022.[22]

Podcasts

Rojas hosts a relationships advice podcast titled Make Out With Him with friend Lex Croucher.[3] It is described as "A crushes, dating, friendships and kissing podcast hosted by love amateurs Lex Croucher and Rosianna Halse Rojas."[23] It is currently on hiatus.[24]

Rojas also produces the podcasts The Anthropocene Reviewed and Dear Hank & John, both being co-productions of Complexly and WNYC Studios.[3][5] She featured as a guest host in the episode It's My Soundtrack! when Hank Green was absent.[25]

Rojas has also been a guest on three episodes of the popular Harry Potter podcast Potterless.

Film production

After signing a first-look producing deal with Fox 2000 and Temple Hill Entertainment, Green hired Rojas as a producing partner.[26] Their currently unnamed production company is working with Fox 2000 to produce a film about AFC Wimbledon, a third-tier English soccer team.[27]

Rojas is also set to executive produce the upcoming Turtles All the Way Down film alongside Green.[28]

References

  1. ^ a b "About Rosianna Halse Rojas". YouTube.
  2. ^ "John Green Promotes 24-Year-Old "Virtual Assistant" to Production Partner". The Hollywood Reporter. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "ABOUT". rosianna halse rojas. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  4. ^ Votta, Rae (31 July 2014). "What it's really like to work for a YouTube star". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Rosianna Halse Rojas – Writer & Producing Partner". Sonder & Tell. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  6. ^ "In Conversation with Rosianna Halse Rojas – Writer & Producing Partner". Sonder & Tell. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b Rojas, Rosianna (2 May 2014). "Rosianna Halse Rojas (2001-2009)". Tiffin Girls' School Review. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  8. ^ "About Rosianna". Rosianna Halse Rojas. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Girl Like Us: Rosianna Halse Rojas". Lydia Magazine. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  10. ^ a b c Digby (15 August 2012). "Rosianna Halse Rojas – Online Communities as Sites for Engagement". TedxBrighton. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Rosianna Halse Rojas". LinkedIn. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  12. ^ Lawler, Ryan (8 May 2012). "With 125M Views, These Vloggers Are Already Good. But YouTube Wants To Make Them Better". TechCrunch. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  13. ^ Talbot, Margaret (9 June 2014). "The Teen Whisperer". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  14. ^ Rojas, Rosianna Halse (2 July 2013). The Perks of Being John's Assistant. VlogBrothers. YouTube. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Rosianna Halse Rojas". LeakyCon London 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  16. ^ Votta, Rae (14 July 2014). "What it's really like to be a woman on YouTube". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  17. ^ Matthews, Cate (3 December 2013). "Science YouTuber Delivers The Perfect Response To Sexist Commenters". Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  18. ^ "Del Rey author's take vlogger Rosianna Halse Rojas' The Ladies Survey". Del Rey UK. 25 March 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  19. ^ "Creators for Change | YouTube". Creators for Change | YouTube. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  20. ^ a b Polson, Emily (23 October 2018). "John Green Launches Book Club with Rosianna Halse Rojas". BOOK RIOT. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  21. ^ a b "About Life's Library - Free, Online Discussion Groups". Life's Library Book Club. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  22. ^ "The End". Life's Library Book Club. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  23. ^ "make out with him (@makeoutwithhim) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  24. ^ Rojas, Rosianna Halse (23 April 2019). "I saw Eighth Grade and I loved it". Youtube (Video Description). Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  25. ^ "It's My Soundtrack! (w/ Rosianna Halse Rojas!) | Dear Hank & John". WNYC Studios. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  26. ^ Lewis, Andy (21 August 2015). "John Green Promotes 24-Year-Old "Virtual Assistant" to Production Partner". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Dons story on big screen". AFC Wimbledon. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  28. ^ McNary, Dave (11 January 2019). "Hannah Marks to Direct 'Turtles All the Way Down' Movie for Fox". Variety. Retrieved 9 January 2020.