Joy Sewing is a powerhouse journalist whose voice has shaped Houston’s storytelling landscape for more than 25 years. In 2023, she made history as the Houston Chronicle’s first Black news columnist in the paper’s 122-year history —an appointment that followed her acclaimed cultural commentary, including a 2022 Pulitzer Prize nomination. The Society for Features Journalism has described her columns as “touching works about humanity.”
She previously spent more than a decade as Houston Chronicle’s fashion and beauty editor, interviewing hundreds of iconic figures, from the legendary Oscar de la Renta to Houston’s own Beyoncé.
Joy’s passion for children deepened when she became a foster parent to two beautiful siblings, and she shared the moving story of their final adoption in April 2023.
A proud Houston native, Joy has served on numerous boards, including Discovery Green Conservancy and the University of Houston Friends of Women’s Studies. Her greatest community impact is evident in Year of Joy, the nonprofit she founded to provide cultural and educational experiences for children in Houston’s underserved communities. A former competitive ice skater and coach, Joy created the Year of Joy Holiday Ice Skating Party at Discovery Green to introduce children to the sport and give them a magical holiday experience. This year, the event celebrated its 10th anniversary, bringing joy to more than 2,000 children.
Joy is also the author of the children’s book “Ava and the Prince: The Adventures of Two Rescue Pups,” inspired by her beloved boxer dogs. The book was selected by the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation Houston for its home-library program and fueled a statewide literacy and empathy tour that took Joy and her dog, Ava, to more than 100 schools, libraries, and community events.
She has earned numerous honors, including the Houston Humanitarian Award, Crime Stoppers of Houston’s “Women Who Shape Houston Award,” St. Agnes’ “Academy Alumni Award,” and CCFA’s “Woman of Distinction.”
An aspiring gardener and roller skater, Joy can be found dancing around the house with her children, Nova and Niles, and their boxer rescue dogs, Prince and Tina Turner.