WLWT talks importance of Black representation, talent in media

I had decided not to return to my job, I was sitting on my brother's couch watching Sportscenter and Sage Steele was on there and she's in indiana Grad which is where I went and she's also, you know, I just saw this black woman talking about sports and I was like that's what I want to do. Once I got to high school I went to when I was *** part of *** journalism boot camp for high school students and so that was when I Okay 100%, yes, love this. My journey to journalism actually probably went *** lot differently than many folks. I was terrible in math and so I wanted to find *** profession that I thought presumably did not have to deal with *** lot of math, which I was sadly wrong. So I've actually known that I wanted to get into rock journalism since I was 11, which is *** little crazy. I actually got *** christmas present for my parents, they gave me *** cable tv and *** small television in my room. So I actually started off by watching sportscenter every single morning at six a.m. Getting downloading all the sports highlights from the night before and watching *** Stuart scott, you know, one of my idols in the sports business and then from there I kind of knew I wanted to be on tv in some fashion. Honestly, Oprah and Ellen, um I love, they have had such *** big impact and just impacted so many people's lives have given back to the community and I feel like that's what really was inspiring, I enjoy watching *** lot of music video directors put together certain pieces like cole Bennett and like other directors, um and then I also like watching stuff from radio and podcast interviews like Breakfast club and things like that, to see how they will put that together. What pushed me to go to school for it, um to put to further my education was the death of my father, um with his death over going on seven years this year, um he pushed me to do something that I wanted to do and I was doing *** whole bunch of open ended jobs, not really getting nowhere, really not growing. Um I can honestly say when I made that conscious decision, yes, it had to take *** tragedy to do it, but at the same time, um it benefited my life, I told everybody I'm the next Oprah, y'all don't know, I'm the next Oprah, I kept saying it over and over again and really speaking that life into that manifestation and speaking into that prayer, my parents watched all of the different stations, so that was pretty cool growing up and watching them, there was one named Darius Chisholm who was the evening anchor at the NBC station, who I adored and was fascinated by. So the first time I met her, I think I was super wide eyed, but so inspired just to meet someone face to face, she was another black woman that I could look up to even you know here when you know Ashley and I were lucky enough to anchor together for three years, that was just something you didn't see was two black people anchoring *** prime time news show and we got to do it. I don't know if it was the first in the market, it felt like it was, but um you know her and I, especially with kevin as well, chief meteorologist, the three of us together, you know, we definitely took that seriously when I meet older people of color, older black people, they're just so proud and I always say my grandmother was born in 1922 in Jim Crow Mississippi, I am her wildest dream and she never got to see me live out my dreams on the news, but when I see the older black woman in the grocery store, I know that she is proud of me, like my grandmother would be for the broader audience is that these are not black stories, these are american stories being my unique self being able to express who I am and what I am and having that freedom with no boundaries and limitations. I love that I'm in *** position to dig into stories and to tell these in depth stories that matter and that maybe everyone doesn't see the value in but I see value in or that I'm able to get interviews specifically because they feel like they can trust me and that is so important to me, I do not take that responsibility lightly.

WLWT talks importance of Black representation, talent in media

Updated: 4:48 PM EST Feb 23, 2023

Black history is American history. The memories of the past, help to shape the realities of the present and future. To celebrate the evolving history of Black Americans in the United States, WLWT team members sat down to discuss the importance of Black representation and how it can encourage, inspire and uplift generations. To watch individual testimonies click the videos below: Ashley KirklenBrooke KinebrewSteven AlbrittonNikki ColonGabby Mabra Tim RosewoodJatara McGee

CINCINNATI —

Black history is American history. The memories of the past, help to shape the realities of the present and future.

To celebrate the evolving history of Black Americans in the United States, WLWT team members sat down to discuss the importance of Black representation and how it can encourage, inspire and uplift generations.

To watch individual testimonies click the videos below:

Ashley Kirklen

Brooke Kinebrew

Steven Albritton

Nikki Colon

Gabby Mabra

Tim Rosewood

Jatara McGee