RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The South Florida journalism community is mourning the sudden passing of Daphne Taylor, a Riviera Beach journalist who dedicated more than four decades to her craft and to mentoring young women. She was 63.
Her family confirmed her death to WPTV on Tuesday, saying funeral arrangements are being made.
Taylor’s career spanned television, print, and radio, including work with NBC in Washington, D.C., the Miami Herald and the Miami New Times. Known for her passion and persistence, she often described journalism as her calling rather than just a profession.
“It hasn’t been easy,” Taylor told WPTV in a 2022 interview marking her 43rd year in the industry. “I never made a lot of money, but I have always loved what I did and that fueled me.”
Black History Month
Journalist Daphne Taylor making her mark in history
In addition to her reporting, Taylor was committed to empowering the next generation. In 1998, she founded "Where Girls Come First" (WRGL), a broadcast journalism program for at-risk teen girls in Riviera Beach. The initiative gave students hands-on newsroom experience and access to high-profile interviews with leaders.
“They ended up interviewing everyone from Martin Luther King III to Rosie O'Donnell to Alicia Keys and all the big names,” Taylor recalled.
Former students credit her with shaping their lives and careers. “One of my students recently told me that she would not be where she is today if it had not been for myself,” Taylor said at the time. “That’s something you can hold dear to your heart when you see that you’ve made a difference.”
Colleagues and community members remember Taylor as a powerhouse journalist who reported on Riviera Beach and beyond with integrity, while never forgetting to lift up those who came after her.
