Maya James

I am a writer, information gatherer, resident cat lover and multimedia specialist. I believe that words move people and this belief is strengthened by my background in journalism. 

'No War with Iran' Protest 1/9/20

Signs and chants filled downtown Orlando during a "No War With Iran" protest planned by organizers. Concerned citizens took to Orlando City Hall Jan. 9 in order to protest former President Trump's decision to attack Iran via airstrikes that killed military leader Qasem Suleimani.

Published gallery

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade 1/18/2020

Dancers, community leaders, and nonprofit organizers filled the streets of downtown Orlando in a colorful display. The festivities marked the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission's 36th annual MLK Day parade in downtown Orlando.

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DaJen Eats Feature 2/18/2020

Jamaican chef Jenn Ross poses in her food truck that she just managed to open for business. Ross said her journey in acquiring and preparing the truck for the restaurant was not an easy journey.

Orlando Weekly •

Eatonville's DaJen Eats keeps hauling forward, with food truck debut on Tuesday night

Chef Jenn Ross of DaJen Eats & Creamery has been serving up Jamaican-inspired classics since 2017, first out of a Citgo gas station on North Orange Blossom Trail and then at her Eatonville eatery starting in 2018. Now she's bringing her all-vegan meals to the masses, with a new food truck debuting at Tuesday's Tasty Takeover.Born in Jamaica, Ross, whose first name is short for Jenneil, is known for her eclectic spin on vegan food, incorporating what she calls a "Jamaican flair." We've written a

Chef Jenn Ross smiles widely in her brand new food truck that has just opened for business. Jenn said she plans to debut some brand new dishes to commemorate the addition of the food truck to her growing vegan food empire.

Lime rental scooters are finally unleashed upon Orlando 1/20/2020

Orlando Weekly •

Lime rental scooters are finally unleashed upon Orlando

Lime scooters are officially available to ride in Orlando, culminating months of deliberation and negotiating with city officials.The company scooted off its launch at an Amway Center parking ramp in downtown Orlando today, where Lime staffers offered a tutorial on safely operating an electric scooter. The tutorials were offered to introduce scooters to the press and the public, but also to satisfy parts of the company's agreement with the city, which required safety awareness and training.Aspec

Two UCF Downtown students attend the Lime Bike training at the Amway Center in order to gain safety awareness in preparation for the official launch of the scooters. The city of Orlando required Lime Bike to offer these tutorials as part of an agreement concerning safety training.
NSM.today •

Healthy Knights Expo nourishes students' health knowledge amid COVID-19

Socially-distanced tents lined Memory Mall Wednesday, as various UCF departments gathered to promote healthfulness, give out nutritious snacks and share health resources at the Healthy Knights Expo.

The annual event is the largest health expo at UCF, according to the university's website. However, Wednesday's expo was held with several changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marketing communications specialist Crystal Zavallo said these changes revolved around reducing all general “touch
NSM.today •

UCF Cares' outreach fair brings clarity to student resources

UCF Cares began Let's Be Clear Week Monday, a series of support-based events offered throughout the week that Student Care Coordinator Jessica Farnan said is designed to help students work through traumatic situations.

“All of these resources can help in some way, even if students want one of them or all of them," Farnan said. "They're all available to help them kind of move ... past whatever they're going through.”

On Wednesday, the Let’s Be Clear resource fair was held in Ferrell Commons. Th

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