About

Jocelyn Ruggiero’s writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Saveur, Food & Wine, Parade, and Yankee Magazine. Her work explores themes of community and connection, highlighting how food and culture can unite people across diverse backgrounds.

A notable example of her focus on these themes was her award-winning series "States of Farming," published in The Boston Globe, which won the 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Food & Restaurant Journalism Award. This series examined the experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farmers in New England, illustrating agriculture's vital role in preserving cultural heritage and fostering community connections. It featured farmers and growers of color from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including Kenya, Nigeria, Cambodia, Jamaica, Ghana, and El Salvador, many of whom were immigrants and refugees. The final story in the series focused on Native American tribes from New England and South America.

In addition to her writing, she teaches writing and theatre to young adults with developmental and neurological disabilities,

Her work consistently reflects the belief that shared experiences, whether through food, farming, or shared cultural experiences, are essential for creating strong, inclusive communities.

Jocelyn is represented by Erin Niumata, Folio Literary Management.

Awards and Recognition

• 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Food & Restaurant Journalism Award for Boston Globe States of Farming series
• 2021 "Best Agricultural Feature Story” from The Connecticut Agricultural Information Council for Boston Globe, "Alongside a career in IT, Robert Chang forges a new life as a farmer, while advocating for farmers of color in Southern New England (part of Boston Globe  "States of Farming" series)
• 2021 Pathfinder Outstanding Communicator Award from Connecticut's Working Lands Alliance, a project of the American Farmland Trust, for “excellence, dedication, and commitment to advancing local agriculture"