Mitchell to moderate Fireside Chat with TV writer-producer Sa’Rah Jones at SC State
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Television newscaster Octavia Mitchell will be the moderator for South Carolina State University’s fireside chat with fellow alumna Sa’Rah Jones on Wednesday, March 27.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m. in SC State’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium, the university will screen the Lifetime movie “Single Black Female 2” followed by the chat with the movie’s screenwriter, Jones.
The public is invited, but registration is required by filling out this form.
About Octavia Mitchell
A native of Awendaw, South Carolina, Mitchell is a graduate of Lincoln High School and received a Bachelor of Arts in English and broadcasting from SC State.
A member of the Count on 2 Team since 2002, Mitchell is well-known throughout the Lowcountry for her comprehensive coverage of education. Octavia and News 2 have made a special commitment to covering positive news about local schools. In particular, Mitchell’s “Cool School of the Week” segments highlight the many positive and effective programs and community initiatives in local schools.
Mitchell is an Emmy award-winning journalist. Among her recognitions are the title of “Most Cheerful News Anchor” by the Charleston City Paper and “Community Tribute Honoree” by the MOJA Arts Festival.
She was recently inducted into The Citadel’s Zucker Family School of Education’s Wall of Fame.
She has served as the media champion for the Lowcountry American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign for several years. She also is proud of her work with My Sister’s House, a non-profit organization serving victims of domestic violence in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties. Mitchell was named the organization’s 2022 Voice of the Year.
Mitchell is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and Union African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mitchell visits schools regularly and has served as a mentor for many school-aged children. She serves as a mistress of ceremonies or hostess for many school and community events.
When not reporting on local news, Octavia enjoys spending time with her husband Neilson Hilton, son Cayden, and her close-knit family. Also, when time allows, Octavia enjoys dancing, reading a good book, writing poetry, swimming, and watching old movies.
About Sa'Rah Jones
She completed her degree in professional English with a minor in broadcasting at SC State in 1995. The South Carolina State University Foundation honored Jones as one of the inaugural four recipients of the Dr. M. Maceo Nance Jr. North Star Awards in April 2023.
After graduating from SC State, Jones relocated to Los Angeles to realize her dream as a television comedy writer. She worked in production for multiple shows at Warner Bros., MGM, and Paramount while honing her writing skills. After the birth of her son, Cornell, she left the entertainment business and pursued a career in pharmaceutical sales. Jones spent 10 years in corporate America before returning to her first love television comedy writing.
She previously served as the writer and executive story editor for the hit CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.” In addition to writing sitcoms, Jones wrote three feature movies for the network Lifetime: “Single Black Female,” “A Girl in the Closet,” and most recently, the sequel “Single Black Female II.” She was the writer and co-executive producer for the latter.
Keeping alive her love for movies, in 2022, Jones co-wrote the hit Lifetime Original Movie, “Single Black Female.” “Single Black Female,” which starred Raven Goodwin and Amber Riley, was one of Lifetime’s highest viewed shows bringing in a total of 5.1 million viewers in one night.
From there, Jones went on to write three additional Lifetime movies – “Girl in the Closet” (2023), “Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge” (2024) and an additional Lifetime movie slated for (2025).
She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.