March 19, 2025 • 44 mins
As we close out our 400th episode celebration, we wanted to shift focus to how media representation has impacted Black women over the years and how changes in the industry inform how we will continue to see ourselves in the future. Joining me this week are The Cut’s Beauty Editor, Asia Ware, and founder of Black Girls in Media, Tasha McCaskiel. With their separate but interconnected experience as journalist and media strategist we unpack how one begins a career in journalism, how the state of the industry shifts where we find authentic Black stories, and the importance of not skipping out on “the work”.
About the Podcast
The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly
conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small
decisions we can make to become the best possible versions
of ourselves. I'm your host, doctor Joy Hard and Bradford,
a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or
(00:32):
to find a therapist in your area, visit our website
at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you
love listening to and learning from the podcast, it is
not meant to be a substitute for a relationship with
a licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks so much
(00:57):
for joining me for session four or three of the
Therapy for Black Girls Podcast. We'll get right into our
conversation after a word from our sponsors. Have you heard
the news Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community
on Patreon. It's your space to be seen, heard, and
understood in an even more connected way. We're excited to
(01:20):
bring you new segments like so my Therapist Said, where
we break down viral therapy hot takes with real mental
health professionals, TBG community chats, where we unpack trending pop
culture topics that have us all in our feelings and
opportunities to connect with other sisters all over the world.
Sign up now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com, slash
(01:41):
join Patreon for all the details about what we're planning
and to be the first to know when the doors
are open. We can't wait to see you inside. As
we close out our four hundredth episode celebration, we wanted
to shift the focus to how media representation has impacted
black women over the years and how changes in the
(02:03):
industry inform how we will continue to see ourselves. Joining
me are the Cuts beauty editor Asia Ware and founder
of Black Girls in Media Tasha mccaskell. With their separate
but interconnected experience as journalists and media strategists, we unpacked
how one even begins a career in journalism, how the
state of the industry shifts, where we find authentic black stories,
(02:26):
and the importance of not skipping out on the work.
If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, please
share with us on social media using the hashtag TBG
in session. Here's our conversation. Thank you both for joining
me today. I'm very excited to chat with you.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Thank you for having us super excited.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yes, thank you Yeah, very very excited to hear more
about you and your incredible career. So Asia, we'll start
with you, if you could just introduce yourself and tell
us a little bit about how you actually got started
in your career.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
It's been a journey.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I am now a beauty editor at New York Magazine's
the cut To make a long story short. I've always
known that I wanted to work in magazines, work in
fashion and beauty. But I really started interning when I
was at Hampton University. I would intern in Essence magazine.
I'd interned for radio stations, and when I graduated college,
(03:23):
I had an internship at InStyle magazine, which kind of
just catapulted my career from there.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
And yeah, that's how I started.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Okay, what about you, Tasha, Yeah, so I started.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Off with internships too.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
I'm from Charlotte, so I was like, how can I
get to a bigger city. So I went to grad
school at NYU, majored in PR, and I majored in
PR and undergrad a ANTI and then yeah, when I
was in New York, I just took advantage did internships,
went from one to another and just you know, learned
what I like in terms of media and the media industry.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
And then after.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
I graduated, that's when I wanted to network with other
black women and that's when I started Black Girls Media Perfect.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
So it's like you both have had, I would say,
pretty traditional routes into media, right, like the internship kind
of funnel. But I definitely want to hear more about that.
But I wonder if there is any like particular moment
that made you think, like, oh, this is definitely the
career for me, Well, what about you, Tasha will start
with you.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
It took me a while, I would say, so I
went into undergrad undecided. I really didn't know what I
wanted to do when it came to media or let
alone my career. So that's when Anti I just really
started testing, doing PR classes, doing journalism classes, and I realized, Okay,
I like to talk a lot, I like to help
(04:47):
people with their brands.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
So it took me a while.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
I started off in PR, and then once I moved
to LA doing more of it, I kind of realized
the PR life wasn't really for me, and then that
that's when you know, I started going into social media,
growing my personal social media, but then also joining companies
on their social media team. So yeah, just giving myself
(05:10):
that freedom to explore what I liked, whether it was PR,
social media, branding, and entrepreneurship in general.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
What about you, Asia, Yeah, I'd have to agree.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I knew from very early what I wanted to do,
but my mom would always be like, you need to
try everything to make sure that is really what you
want to do. And so when I was in high
schools I grew up in New York. When I was
in high school, my senior year, I was in a
journalism class and we would go to magazines as class trips,
and I just remember going to see So we went
(05:45):
to People magazine and we went to the fashion and
beauty closet and I was like.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
I had always known I wanted to work in fashion
and beauty, but seeing that closet and seeing the people
working there, I was like, Oh my gosh, this is
actually a real. And I just remember all my classmates
being like, Asia, we can see you doing this, like
this is so you. But there was nobody black, and
there was nobody over a size too. And when I
(06:11):
went to Hampton, I actually didn't major in communications. For
my first semester because I was like, I want to
do that, but it seems like it is just a dream.
It doesn't seem like it's a reality because I didn't
see my self represented. And I had a professor my
first year at Hampton who read my writing and she
was like, you do not, so I was. I went
into Hampton majoring in education because I was like, well,
(06:34):
I like kids, I'll just be a teacher and I'll
have a style blog because I just needed fashion to
be a part of my day to day somehow. And
my professor was like, you do not want to do this.
If you want to do journalism, you need to just
go for it and your lane will make way for you.
And that is exactly what happened. But speaking to just
trying different things, I too had like Tasha said, I
(06:56):
had a pr internship and I was like, okay, well
this isn't for me. I had a marketing internship in radio.
I really tried everything, but at my core, I knew
I wanted to be an editorial. I knew I wanted
to be a magazine and I think when it came
down to that and I was doing that, I felt
really settled and Okay, I know this is exactly what
(07:17):
I want to do because I've tried everything else and
this is still what makes me happiest and this is
where I still feel the most fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
So Asia, do you remember what magazines did you kind
of really grow up reading and were very influential to you.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Team Vogue was one, which is amazing because I spent
two and a half years in my career working at
Team Vogue seventeen magazine.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
But even like early days like Vibe.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I remember my older cousins having Vibe magazine and like
having the posters on their wall like that. I would
so look forward to just taking posters out and putting
them on my wall, flipping through like People stylewatching People
Style Watch was a thing seeing what it's celebrities where
and where can you find to look for less. I
was just always like this obsessive teenager with magazines and
(08:08):
so yeah, like I said, especially Team Vogue. Being able
to work for Team Vogue later in my career after
growing up with it was completely full circle.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
So, Tasha, I would imagine you have a very unique
vantage point because of the organization that you founded, and
it sounds like part of the reason why you found
it black girls in media was because of the underrepresentation
and really wanting to have an outlet to talk with
other black women in media. But what are your thoughts
about like the current landscape of black women in media.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
I see a lot of opportunity for us, for black
women in the media landscape. I think that the world
knows and also we know now that we are the media,
We are the culture.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
We shape what's happening, we shape what's.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
Trending, and so us knowing that now and walking in
that power through content creation and being able to have
our own platforms now. Just like Aga said, like when
we first started off, I remember when I went to
New York for the first time, I worked Fashion Week
in those rooms and not seeing anybody that looks like you.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
We had to fight for those opportunities.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
And so now the fact that we're able to have
our own platforms on social media, I see a great
trend of us being able to, you know, just dominate
when it comes to media, create more outlets and more projects.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
And just really own the narrative.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I think for me, it's been really influential to have
black women as mentors in my career, and so I think,
like Tasha said, the landscape is changing. I think in
fashion and beauty especially, it has been a slow it's.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Been very slow to build with seeing more black women.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
But again, like having black women as mentors in my
career has completely changed my career. And so I think
the big thing there is just like like reaching as
we climb, right, like when we get in, like not
closing the door behind us. Like we are in these
spaces not only to be representative of just Black women
(10:12):
as a whole in the media, but we are also
in these spaces to make sure that other Black women
are coming up behind us.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
And I'd love to stay with you Asia to talk
a little bit of because you are in a more
traditional kind of media space, right and we know, you know,
especially with like Joy and Reed's show being canceled and
like there's been lots of commentary around traditional media spaces
and black women. How do you besides mentorship, are there
other things you can think of in terms of Black
women continuing to create lanes for themselves in traditional media.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, I mean I always tell people all the time.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I remember when I was interning, before I could get
an internship in magazines, everyone would always say, you need experience.
You need experience, You need experience, right, And I was like, well,
I can't get experience if you're not giving me experience.
And so I started my own blog when I was
in college. I was probably a freshman, I think, still
(11:08):
in college, I started my own blog and I was like, look,
if you aren't going to give me an opportunity, I'm
going to create an opportunity myself. And I think with
a lot of black women, that is ultimately what it
comes down to, because again, like a lot of times,
they just need black women to check off a box
like Okay, we've done out higher, and especially in today's
(11:30):
political climate with DEI and everything, like, we aren't a
first thought, right, And so I think a lot of times,
like what I've always learned is just as a black woman,
we have to be great at everything, right.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
And so I felt like I didn't have a choice
but to create.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
My own platform. And even now working at a magazine,
I still do my own thing because you just have to.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
You just have to.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
And so I think along with mentorship, it's been like
always having your lane, like it's been the most important
thing to me, and it's I think learning to be
great at everything is something that as black women, we
just have to do in these positions, but it also
(12:14):
is what kind of helps to build our career because oh,
you said you need somebody for this, but we're not
good enough for this. Okay, well I can also do that.
And does it put us at a disadvantage? A lot
of something isn't unfair, absolutely, but it's just from what
I've always seen in this traditional media landscape, it is
what sets us apart.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
So I'd love to hear you both kind of talk
about because you know, the independent space is like substas
and even podcasts and I think blogs You've mentioned several times.
Asia Riter does definitely feel like black women thrive in
those spaces and continue to set up shops there because
we don't know if traditional spaces will be available to us.
So how viable do you think these more independent lanes
(12:58):
of media are.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I think it's extremely viable.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
I mean even when we look at you know, having
your own platform, whether it's a sub sect, whether that's
a podcast, you have no limits to what you can say, right,
And I think a lot of times me I'm grateful
that I work for a publication that never tries to
turn down my voice or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Right, But I have been in that space before.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I've been in places where it's like, oh, this may
be too urban or something like that. Right, But when
you have your own platform, there are no limits to
what you can say. And I think that is when
your audience in your community find you. And a lot
of times that community looks just like you, right when
a black woman starts a podcast, Like, yes, the audience
(13:43):
can vary, but a lot of times the community is
built on black women because black women support black women,
especially like somebody being in the beauty industry and looking
at the black dollar and look at how black women
spend money on beauty, Like we are each other's community
and we will never let each other fail. And so
I think just having your own platforms in that way,
(14:05):
it comes down to not being limited on what you say,
not being limited on the community that comes to you.
And so I think it's extremely viable and I love
seeing more women go into it.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Yeah, I agree, And even from the exposure aspect, right
like back in the day when we were starting off
our careers and you would see black women in the
rarity of it. But whenever we would see a black
woman in a higher position in a corporate setting, we
would look up to her, but it's like we would
have to be in the building to actually contact her.
(14:36):
And I think the fact that we have our own platforms,
Like you know, how many young girls see Asia's content
and it's like, I want to do exactly what she does.
So the importance of us sharing what we do as
a person, as a black woman, but also as a career,
that inspiration through that value through our platforms is super important.
(14:57):
And it's like, if you're given a platform, if you're
given these gifts, why not share it?
Speaker 4 (15:02):
So yeah, I'm loving it.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I would like to kind of go back to talking
to the people who may be listening to you, who
may be in college or thinking like, oh, I want
to do what Asia and Ta should do, Like it
seems like they have really cool jobs. I do know
that like a lot of the internships and things that
maybe you had a chance to participate in either don't
exist or they're extremely competitive. So what would you say
to people who are maybe looking at what you're doing
(15:25):
and trying to call out a lane for themselves, what
advice would you give them?
Speaker 5 (15:28):
The advice I would give is still the same thing
kind of how I'm sure Asia can attest to this
is being hungry. I think we shouldn't lose that aspect
of starting off our careers. When I did my internships,
you know a lot of them, some of them were,
you know, a stipend, but some of them, like Fashion Week,
were free, and I wasn't looking to necessarily be comfortable
(15:51):
or get paid. It's just I was willing to do
anything to get started, to learn and get my foot
in the door. So I think that it's important to
not forget that, yes, realize our value and especially want
to get paid as black women because we're so far behind,
but also be willing to find humility when first starting
golf and just making those connections. When I did my
(16:14):
first internship at VH one, I went on LinkedIn and
I messaged a black woman who works at VH one, and.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
She pretty much gave me that foot in the door.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
So, you know, don't be afraid to step outside the
box to contact women that look like you.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
And when you get in those doors, put the work in.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
You said exactly what I was about to say, put
the work in.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
I always tell young women right now, do not stare
away from the work.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I think that.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I think it can become very smoking mirrors sometimes, right,
because I have so many young girls tell me like,
oh my gosh, I love your life, you know, I
love that you get to travel here, and I love
that you get to do this with this brand and
all these things, and that is all so lovely and
so great. But that is not even like ten percent
of the job. You cannot steer away from the work.
(17:08):
And so I think it's even Tasha, like you were saying,
like majority of the internships I did were free. Even
when I was interning at InStyle, I was barely making
any money weekly, like barely, and all the money I
was making I was just putting back into my blog.
But I didn't care about the money. And it was,
like you said, building the connections. I would reach out
(17:29):
to anybody if I was just free in the office,
I'd be.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Like, Hey, if you need my help, I'm here. Hey,
if you need my help, I'm here.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
And I think, especially with social media nowadays, it can
become such a like, oh my gosh, I want to
do this because this looks cool, or I want to
do this because you know, I want to do all
these things.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
I want to go to this event. I want to
do that. And like I said, those are all great things.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
But I think the biggest advice I would give is
to just not steer away from the work. Like we
work so hard to be able to be in positions
black we are now, and then there's black women before us, right,
that came and we're able to be in these rooms.
And because they showed up in the great way that
they did, we are now able to be in those rooms.
(18:09):
But again, you cannot steer away from the work. And
it is so much more than just the cool, pretty
outside things, Like there's real work that goes into what
we do.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
More from our conversation after the break, Aja, I wonder
if you could talk a little bit more, because I
feel like this has been a conversation I've seen online
about people trying to skip steps essentially right, which is
kind of the look you gave me. Seems like you've
(18:43):
seen this conversation too, Because I do think because of
social media and like because of the advent of like
lots of independent platforms, it is easy enough for like
a brand to send me something and I can review
a product, and like I have my own version of
like the column that you have at the cut, right,
But what are some challenges are things for people to
kind of be aware of that they might not know
(19:05):
if they are thinking they can just skip steps.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Skipping steps, skipping steps, just it doesn't get you to
where you're looking to be, right, like you you.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Just I'm trying to figure out that the best way
to put this.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
But it's like when I look back in my career
and again, like I say, things have changed drastically. And
so I know that when I was interning and it
was for free and all these things, like certain things
just aren't looked at the same nowadays. And I have
one of my best friends, Blake ch always says it
is expensive.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
To dream, right.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
I say that because I tell people all the time,
like I was able to intern for free, or to
stay at publications making barely any money for years, right,
because I was able to have a mom that was like, look,
you can stay home and you can hustle, and you
can do this.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I believe in you. Things like that, And so I.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Say it is expensive to dream in that way because
I know that that is a privilege, right, And so
I get that sometimes people want to skip steps because
sometimes you genuinely can't afford to be in these spaces,
you know, And it's even like it comes down to
looking the part. So I understand how hard it can be,
and I too understand how much of a privilege it
(20:26):
was for me to not skip steps. But what happens
when you skip steps is you get into rooms sometimes
and you there's just certain things that you learn in
the process and throughout the journey that you need for
when you get to where you actually want to be.
I think what makes my job different, right, is that
(20:46):
journalism is actually a hard scale. Having journalistic integrity and
all these things like these are things that you learn
throughout the process and throughout the journey.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Right.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
It's very different than just popping up a camera and
going on screen.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
And I think that both are respectable.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
But I just think that there are things that you
learn throughout the process. There's a certain grit that you
get throughout the process. There's certain relationships that you build
throughout the process. I mean, if I would have skip steps,
I wouldn't be where I am today because half of
the bosses that I had connected the dots for me
to be where I am. And so the people you
meet along the way, the lessons you learn along the way,
(21:24):
they all add up. But again, when you skip the steps,
you end up in rooms and a lot of times
have no idea what to say, what to do. And
so as privileged as it is to not skip steps,
it is something that is it's necessary.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
It just reminds me as Angels talking my favorite rapper, Nipsy,
he just says, it's a marathon. And I think that
it's so important to remember that we're in such a
fast world, you know, fast everything. Even when we listen
to our podcast, We're in the car, I'm rushing to
yoga and then you get on TikTok. You see viral
tiktoks and people might become famous overnight. But it's just
(22:04):
important to realize what are you in it for. If
you're in it for the long game, like Asia said,
you can't missteps and you want to do it the
right way. You want to be here for a while.
You want your work to be purposeful. You don't want
it to be here today and gone tomorrow. So yeah,
it's important to have that mindset and learn and be patient.
(22:25):
It's not going to happen overnight. I started black Oes
and media in twenty eighteen, and I'm still learning. It's
still a startup, you know, I'm still growing learning. Nobody's
done this before and my family, so it's just being
able to be patient, not compare, and just keep going
forward day by day.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
I think that's key.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
So Asia, you mentioned something earlier that I want to
go back to, specifically around what I think is like
the mental health tool of kind of being a black
woman in a space where there are not a lot
of us. Right, Like you mentioned this idea of having
to do all the things great so that like if
one door closes, you can kind of be ready for another.
And while I do think it can help you to
be propelled into opportunities, I do think that there is
(23:09):
also a toll. And you mentioned right like it's not fair,
but it is what it is. I wonder if you
could talk about maybe some of the mental health implications
are some of the challenges kind of related to being
a black woman in the media.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Yeah, I remember just being an intern and I think
I was twenty one years old when this was said
to me. I came into an internship and I said, I.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Went to an HBCU and they were like, oh, is that.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
A sorority, and of course HBCU stands for historically Black
colleges and universities.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
And I just.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Remember I didn't even know how to respond because I'm like, no,
like and the fact that you'd even say that, I mean,
they're the amount of things that were said to me,
whether it was like about being black or whether it
was about my body and things that I wore. I mean,
(24:01):
I even now have things that are said to me
and I can't even believe that people would be comfortable
saying it around me. And the mental health told that
that takes is real because a lot of times what
that looks like is like swallowing your pride in that moment, right,
Because if a lot of times I speak up the
(24:22):
way I want to speak up, right, then it's like, oh,
there goes the black girl being aggressive, or it's like
that is exactly what we expected. That's the exact type
of reaction that we expected from her.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
And it does take a mental health toll on you.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I mean, I started therapy I think when I was
twenty five, and a big part of it was because
I remember telling my mom, like, I cannot make it
through this industry without having some type of therapy. It's
also a very vain industry, right when when you talk
about fashion and beauty, Like again, a lot of times
(24:57):
sometimes it's like I am again grateful for being at
a publication and having a boss that is amazing, and
so I don't have to deal with these things right now.
But in the past it was very much like you know,
the promotions you get are based on like.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
What do you look like or what like.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
It is rooted in vanity, but it's also rooted in
like politics of years of racism, and it is a
lot and so, like I said, I had to turn
to therapy while being in this industry because I remember
a lot of times when I started with my first therapist,
everything would always be about work, work, work, work, work,
(25:33):
and even trying to explain to her what this industry is,
because I think when you're on the outside looking in,
sometimes you just sometimes don't understand how much it can
take a toll on your mental health. But I mean, yeah,
I think the biggest thing for me has always just
being like, Okay, I really was told that, and I
need to swallow that and keep a pushing and talk
(25:56):
about it in my next therapy session because again if
I react and it's like, oh, well, will I not
get that promotion because I reacted that way, or again,
it's just going to be like.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
There she go act in the ways we expect her
to act.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
It's also very rough for me because I've always been
very committed to being real, into being authentic, which i
know is like such a cliche word, but I'm like,
I am a real hardcore black girl, and I think
that sometimes that can be a lot to digest.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
And I'm big on like who I'm for, I'm for
and who I'm not.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
I'm not everybody's cup of tea, but that also comes
with mental health implications, right, because it's like.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
You have to be okay with like, Okay, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
This person's cup of tea, but then they may treat
me a certain way when I'm at an event. I
think that I've had to build really, really, really tough skin.
I don't think ten years ago you could have never
told me that I would even have skin this tough.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
Yeah, I would love to add to that.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
I know when I first started off, like even at
my internships, you know, we mentioned how we were a
lot of the times the only black girl in the
space and just how isolating that can be, especially me
from North Carolina coming all the way to New York
and going into these internships and really for one feeling secluded,
(27:15):
you know, in a big city by myself, but then
also going into office and not seeing anyone that looks
like me, not really seeing anyone who I can confide in.
Just that isolation was a lot for me. And when
I moved to New York, that's actually when I first
started having anxiety. I had like my first like panic
attacks when I lived in New York, and so I
think that that might have been I'm just now realizing
(27:38):
that why I started Black Girls in Media. I started
then because I'm thinking, like, Okay, who can I talk to,
who can I get support from. I know I'm not
the only one feeling this way, and that's just the
importance of community and therapists or platforms like this Black
Girls in Therapy where we can be able to have
that safe space. And I feel like we didn't always
(28:00):
have it. So that's also the importance of media and
the growth that we're doing.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Mm hmm. In Touch, I'd love for you to talk
more about people finding that sense of community in their networks,
whether they be in the places they work or outside
of that. Like what tips would you have for people
looking for community in the industry.
Speaker 5 (28:18):
So I think that for one, when I in Asia,
you can attest to this or let me know. I
feel like we didn't have ergs back then. Now I
think a lot of companies have ergs. I was at
HBO last year when I was living in La and yeah,
we had monthly gatherings with the ergs within the organization
(28:39):
where all the black people in the company would come together.
I don't know how what's going to happen with those
now that the D and I things are changing, but yeah,
those finding those kind of networks within your company can
really help with that support and being able to vent.
But you know, still recognize like these still your coworkers,
so be mindful. And then also, yeah, external communities like
Black Girls and Media other organizations where you can come
(29:03):
together outside of work, have webinars. We had a webinar
last week about imposter syndrome within Black Girls and Media
and a member in the group shared something that happened
at work where she felt really isolated. So, you know,
being able to decompress after a work day and have
that safe space in group chat. I think it's important
(29:24):
to seek out those kind of groups that are outside
of your family and friends, who you know, like Asa said,
not everybody. If you're not in the media industry, you
might not understand what's going on. So being able to
have people who understand the industry, who look like you,
who can feel you, that can just really help you
with that isolation feeling and just being supported and to
(29:44):
be able to keep thriving as well.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
I'd say for me what worked is really just and
in addition to having ergs and having those communities within
our companies, I think when it came to just meeting
people in the industry, I always gravitate to work who
is real, Like who do I not have to be
this like industry version of Asia for right, because a
(30:09):
lot of times you almost feel.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Like you have to have a veil up around these people.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
And so I've been very grateful to find certain people
in the industry who are just like family. And I
think that's very hard because a lot of times people
can be just very superficial in these industries and things
like that, and so for me it's just been leaning
on who is real, who is raw and.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Who you don't need a veal up around.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
And that is true community, right, because we don't only
have to come together to talk about industry things, but
we can just we can talk about everything together and.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
You become family.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
And I think it's hard and rare to find in
the industry, but when you find that, you hold on
to it because again, like we were saying before, it's
just not everybody can understand the things you go through, right,
You want to be able.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
To have those people who you can turn to, like, girl,
can you believe if X, Y and Z happened?
Speaker 3 (31:01):
And it doesn't just sound like this crazy story or
sometime it can sound like really privileged. Again, you need
people who just are real and raw and you can
lean on them.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
They're like family.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
So what would you say the landscape of media and
specifically black women in media looks like in the next
five to ten years.
Speaker 5 (31:20):
I would say I see it growing and thriving. Like
we mentioned earlier, just I see new platforms developing. I
see more just opportunities developing. When it comes to the
content creator space, the corporate space, I see a lot
of I feel like traditional media is coming back. I
know a lot of times people still want to have
(31:43):
like physical copies in their hand. A lot of people
these days are feeling nostalgic. We want to sometimes go
away from this digital life. We want to feel things
that feel real. So I see just us really dominating
when it comes to all forms of media, controlling that
narrative and talking about things that matter, talking about things
(32:04):
that are deep, meaningful, while getting paid what we're worth too.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
That part pay black women what they are worth, because.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
I just think the pay disparities, that the fact that
in twenty twenty five the gap is still as huge
as it is. I think in the next five to
ten years, that is what I want to see change.
But I also I just in these opportunities that come,
I want to see all types of black women being
able to get these opportunities. I think that it is
not enough to just say, okay, we have black women here.
(32:40):
I think you need black women from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
You need black women who have different educational backgrounds. Where
we grow up has such an impact on us. Right
where we study has such an impact on us family background,
and so I think there is diversity within diversity, and
that is what I really hope to see in the
(33:00):
next five to ten years. I just want to see
all types of black women being able to have these opportunities.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
More from our conversation after the break. Have you heard
the news Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community
on Patreon. It's your space to be seen, heard, and
understood in an even more connected way. We're excited to
bring you new segments like so my therapist said, where
(33:29):
we break down viral therapy, hot takes with real mental
health professionals, TBG community chats where we unpack trending pop
culture topics that have us all in our feelings, and
opportunities to connect with other sisters all over the world.
Sign up now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash
join Patreon for all the details about what we're planning
(33:50):
and to be the first to know when the doors
are open. We can't wait to see you inside. So
what are some of the media spaces that are particularly
inspirational or exciting to you right now? Like, are there
any substacks or independent creators that you found very exciting
right now?
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Who I was having this conversation a few weeks ago
out of dinner. There's one content creator, Kira Amanique, and
she's an Atlanta based creator And I was at a
black owned brand dinner actually a few weeks ago with
a lot of black creators when we were talking about
her and how her content is like commercials. The girl
does full productions. And it's so interesting because we look
(34:36):
at white women, right and I'm not going to say
any names, but they can just go on social media
and be like, oh my gosh, I haven't washed laundry
in five days and get these like crazy partnerships just
because like people think that's cute or people think it's cool, right,
whereas black women to get even half of the same opportunities,
(34:57):
we have to do these grand product actions and all
these things. I just think that alone speaks to paid
disparities and everything. But if I wanted to highlight one person,
I think Kira would be it because she just absolutely
kills it when it comes to production. And I know
I was talking to her about a year ago and
she's like, she doesn't have any management anything, and I'm
(35:19):
just like girl, But I think she alone speaks to
just the amount of creativeness that that black women have.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
She'd be one highlight on.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
I love Kira, I really do I love her content
and like you said, just I posted a threat about
that the other day. Like the Girlies, the Black Women,
we are putting actual content out there. We're showing how
creative we are, how talented we are, how multi hyphenated
we are. I'm really loving that trend. And also I
do love substacks. I'm loving reading being able to read
(35:54):
from CEOs. I know Amani with culture cons she has
a substat where you know, and then even Donie Taylor,
they talk in their substacts. It's like they really get
intimate with their audience. They talk about personal relationships, they
talk about burnout, they talk about a vacation they just
went on and what they learned from it. So I'm
really loving to aside from social media, being able to
(36:18):
read what people are really feeling behind their content, and
you know, on a personal level.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
So Asia and Tasha, you are both underscoring. Asia You've
talked about like blogs like as a part of your
personal experience, but also Tasha with you highlighting subtects, it
feels like blogs are kind of making a resurgence. Where
do you feel like blogs will play a role in
the future of media.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
I feel like it's absolutely having a resurgence, especially when
I saw substack come around and I saw everybody go
to substack. I mean, you even have media brands now
turning to substack, which has been really interesting for me
to see. I mean, I see a lot of journalists
going there. But I think, I mean, I think the
only reason we really ever straight away from blogs is
(37:03):
because video content and everything and social media just started
growing so rapidly. But I think there's such an intimacy
to blogs. It's such a personal thing. And I think
again just the community that you build with that is
like no other Blogging is like so personal to me
because again I started blogging when I was in college,
(37:25):
and so I love seeing this resurgence of it. But
I feel like in the next five to ten years,
like I don't feel like it's going anywhere. If anything,
I feel like it is it is going to be
larger than it's ever been.
Speaker 5 (37:38):
Yeah, I was kind of nervous because I thought I
was the only one, or not the only one. But
I didn't know, you know, like with TikTok and like
this video content. I didn't know if the world was
ready to slow down and still read because even me
sometimes it's hard. I've been wanting to read before bed,
like an actual book, and I have like five books
that I haven't even cracked up, and I keep buying
(37:59):
new books.
Speaker 4 (38:00):
It's like why, So yeah, I love to hear that.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
You know, it's definitely a trend that you know we're desiring,
and I see it growing as well also along with yeah,
just like traditional print magazines and just being able to
step away and get intimate.
Speaker 4 (38:19):
So yeah, I'm excited to see that come back.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Mm hmmm. So, Sasha, I wonder if there are any
careers that maybe young people might not even know existed
that you've run across recently, maybe in your organization to
kind of put on the radar that people like are
making money doing X Y Z. Are there any kind
of new media spaces that people should be aware of.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
Yes, I would say for one, like content creation editing,
even just social media editing, because I have so much
footage on my phone and I want to, you know,
showcase more of like the behind the scenes and like
my struggles when it comes to entrepreneurship and business. But
it's like I try to do work and I can't
even so it's like I've hired a few people before
(39:02):
to hey, can you just edit these tiktoks for me?
Speaker 4 (39:05):
So I see that.
Speaker 5 (39:07):
I see what else, like copywriting, grant applying, Like if
you're just good at writing in general, you can help
people apply to grants.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
So yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
Would say, like when it comes to just figuring out
new opportunities and media, like figured out what you like.
If you like writing, there's so much that you can do.
You can copyright when it comes to email, newsletters for corporations,
social media captions, and even at HBO, Like if you're
good at writing, you can write the descriptions of movies
(39:37):
and shows and things like that on the platform, so
so much. When it comes to writing videography, you know,
there's producing, there's being a PA, you know, helping set
up the sets and being behind the scenes. So yeah,
I love the fact that media has so many roles
in it already, but then just these new creator coming up,
(40:00):
there's even like specific roles that you can get into
these days.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
So I really love now mm.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
So it's just something that I have seen journalists talking
about is that it is not only that you have
to now right well and like do your pieces, but
you also have to kind of be a content creator
in some ways yourself right to get eyeballs on your pieces.
Can you say more about that and maybe some of
the things that journalists may not be aware of about
how to be successful these days.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yeah, So I always struggle with this because I don't
think you have to be I think that it puts
you at.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
An advantage if you are.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
But I always tell people social media isn't for everybody, right,
and I think that everyone doesn't necessarily want to post
their life. Everyone doesn't necessarily like being online everything like that,
And so why I think my trajectory, my personal trajectory
has been doing content and being a creator influencer and
(41:04):
also being in the journalism space. There are majority of
my coworkers don't care about social media at all, and
so I always try to tell people I don't think
I don't think you should force yourself to have to
do content creation if you want to be in journalism.
If that's not for you, that is okay, because journalism
(41:25):
is a great hard skill to have, and learning how
to write, learning how to report, all of those things
are just as important. Like I said, for me, it's
worked amazing because I can have a community for myself
who also reads my work and all these things, and
they follow me as I travel from different publications. But
(41:47):
I do always tell people I don't want them to
be discouraged because I remember when I was interning and
I was blogging and I had a lot of followers,
there were so many people that would tell me, Oh,
they feel like they're not going to get hired for
a job, like because they didn't have a lot of
followers on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
And I never wanted anybody to feel like that.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
And I also would always tell people like, don't just
think because I have a lot of followers on Instagram
that means that I didn't put in work or do
all the internships and all these things and do the
real hustling. And so again, while I think it can
put you at an advantage of doing both, I don't
think it's necessary.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
I don't think it's necessary.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
And I say that as again, like I have a
lot of peers who do not care about social media
at all, but they're thriving and their work in journalism
is amazing.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Perfect well, I have enjoyed learning so much more about
you both. I appreciate you spending some time with me
today Tasha, can you tell us where we can stay
connected with you? What is your website as well as
any social media handles you'd like to share?
Speaker 5 (42:49):
Yes, So, my personal Instagram is toss Tash J Mack
with two k's. I'm on LinkedIn to Tasha McCastle, and
then my business since black Girls in Media that is
really our username on Everything Threads, Instagram, all of that. Facebook,
we still have a Facebook group and LinkedIn, so yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:11):
Connect with us there.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
We have a membership where we do events monthly, virtual
and everything conferences. And also if you're looking to get
in the media industry or wanting to learn more, definitely
check us out on Instagram and our website Perfect.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
We'll be sure to include that in the show notes.
And what about you Asia?
Speaker 3 (43:29):
For me, my social media across all platforms is miss
Asian Malaya and my ssas I A M I L
I A on LinkedIn. I'm Asian malaia ware and you
can follow.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
My work at the cut on at the cut literally.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Perfect. Thank you again for being here with me today.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Thank you so much. This has been amazing.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
Thank you, Yes, thanks for all you do.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
Thank you. I'm so glad Asia and Tasha were able
to join me for this converse. To learn more about
them and their work, you should have visited the show
notes at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash Session four three,
and don't forget to text two of your girls right
now and tell them to check out the episode. Did
you know? You can leave us a voicemail with your
(44:14):
questions for the podcast. If you have a movie or
a book you want to suggest for us to review,
or even thoughts around topics you'd like us to discuss.
Drop us a message at Memo dot fm slash Therapy
for Black Girls and let us know what's on your mind.
If you're looking for a therapist in your area, visit
our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash directory.
(44:35):
This episode was produced by Elise Ellis, Indaichubu and Tyree Rush.
Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank y'all so much
for joining me again this week. I look forward to
continuing this conversation with you all real soon. Take good
care
Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly
conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small
decisions we can make to become the best possible versions
of ourselves. I'm your host, doctor Joy Hard and Bradford,
a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or
(00:32):
to find a therapist in your area, visit our website
at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you
love listening to and learning from the podcast, it is
not meant to be a substitute for a relationship with
a licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks so much
(00:57):
for joining me for session four or three of the
Therapy for Black Girls Podcast. We'll get right into our
conversation after a word from our sponsors. Have you heard
the news Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community
on Patreon. It's your space to be seen, heard, and
understood in an even more connected way. We're excited to
(01:20):
bring you new segments like so my Therapist Said, where
we break down viral therapy hot takes with real mental
health professionals, TBG community chats, where we unpack trending pop
culture topics that have us all in our feelings and
opportunities to connect with other sisters all over the world.
Sign up now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com, slash
(01:41):
join Patreon for all the details about what we're planning
and to be the first to know when the doors
are open. We can't wait to see you inside. As
we close out our four hundredth episode celebration, we wanted
to shift the focus to how media representation has impacted
black women over the years and how changes in the
(02:03):
industry inform how we will continue to see ourselves. Joining
me are the Cuts beauty editor Asia Ware and founder
of Black Girls in Media Tasha mccaskell. With their separate
but interconnected experience as journalists and media strategists, we unpacked
how one even begins a career in journalism, how the
state of the industry shifts, where we find authentic black stories,
(02:26):
and the importance of not skipping out on the work.
If something resonates with you while enjoying our conversation, please
share with us on social media using the hashtag TBG
in session. Here's our conversation. Thank you both for joining
me today. I'm very excited to chat with you.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Thank you for having us super excited.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yes, thank you Yeah, very very excited to hear more
about you and your incredible career. So Asia, we'll start
with you, if you could just introduce yourself and tell
us a little bit about how you actually got started
in your career.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
It's been a journey.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
I am now a beauty editor at New York Magazine's
the cut To make a long story short. I've always
known that I wanted to work in magazines, work in
fashion and beauty. But I really started interning when I
was at Hampton University. I would intern in Essence magazine.
I'd interned for radio stations, and when I graduated college,
(03:23):
I had an internship at InStyle magazine, which kind of
just catapulted my career from there.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
And yeah, that's how I started.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Okay, what about you, Tasha, Yeah, so I started.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
Off with internships too.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
I'm from Charlotte, so I was like, how can I
get to a bigger city. So I went to grad
school at NYU, majored in PR, and I majored in
PR and undergrad a ANTI and then yeah, when I
was in New York, I just took advantage did internships,
went from one to another and just you know, learned
what I like in terms of media and the media industry.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
And then after.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
I graduated, that's when I wanted to network with other
black women and that's when I started Black Girls Media Perfect.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
So it's like you both have had, I would say,
pretty traditional routes into media, right, like the internship kind
of funnel. But I definitely want to hear more about that.
But I wonder if there is any like particular moment
that made you think, like, oh, this is definitely the
career for me, Well, what about you, Tasha will start
with you.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
It took me a while, I would say, so I
went into undergrad undecided. I really didn't know what I
wanted to do when it came to media or let
alone my career. So that's when Anti I just really
started testing, doing PR classes, doing journalism classes, and I realized, Okay,
I like to talk a lot, I like to help
(04:47):
people with their brands.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
So it took me a while.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
I started off in PR, and then once I moved
to LA doing more of it, I kind of realized
the PR life wasn't really for me, and then that
that's when you know, I started going into social media,
growing my personal social media, but then also joining companies
on their social media team. So yeah, just giving myself
(05:10):
that freedom to explore what I liked, whether it was PR,
social media, branding, and entrepreneurship in general.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
What about you, Asia, Yeah, I'd have to agree.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I knew from very early what I wanted to do,
but my mom would always be like, you need to
try everything to make sure that is really what you
want to do. And so when I was in high
schools I grew up in New York. When I was
in high school, my senior year, I was in a
journalism class and we would go to magazines as class trips,
and I just remember going to see So we went
(05:45):
to People magazine and we went to the fashion and
beauty closet and I was like.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
I had always known I wanted to work in fashion
and beauty, but seeing that closet and seeing the people
working there, I was like, Oh my gosh, this is
actually a real. And I just remember all my classmates
being like, Asia, we can see you doing this, like
this is so you. But there was nobody black, and
there was nobody over a size too. And when I
(06:11):
went to Hampton, I actually didn't major in communications. For
my first semester because I was like, I want to
do that, but it seems like it is just a dream.
It doesn't seem like it's a reality because I didn't
see my self represented. And I had a professor my
first year at Hampton who read my writing and she
was like, you do not, so I was. I went
into Hampton majoring in education because I was like, well,
(06:34):
I like kids, I'll just be a teacher and I'll
have a style blog because I just needed fashion to
be a part of my day to day somehow. And
my professor was like, you do not want to do this.
If you want to do journalism, you need to just
go for it and your lane will make way for you.
And that is exactly what happened. But speaking to just
trying different things, I too had like Tasha said, I
(06:56):
had a pr internship and I was like, okay, well
this isn't for me. I had a marketing internship in radio.
I really tried everything, but at my core, I knew
I wanted to be an editorial. I knew I wanted
to be a magazine and I think when it came
down to that and I was doing that, I felt
really settled and Okay, I know this is exactly what
(07:17):
I want to do because I've tried everything else and
this is still what makes me happiest and this is
where I still feel the most fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
So Asia, do you remember what magazines did you kind
of really grow up reading and were very influential to you.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Team Vogue was one, which is amazing because I spent
two and a half years in my career working at
Team Vogue seventeen magazine.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
But even like early days like Vibe.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I remember my older cousins having Vibe magazine and like
having the posters on their wall like that. I would
so look forward to just taking posters out and putting
them on my wall, flipping through like People stylewatching People
Style Watch was a thing seeing what it's celebrities where
and where can you find to look for less. I
was just always like this obsessive teenager with magazines and
(08:08):
so yeah, like I said, especially Team Vogue. Being able
to work for Team Vogue later in my career after
growing up with it was completely full circle.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
So, Tasha, I would imagine you have a very unique
vantage point because of the organization that you founded, and
it sounds like part of the reason why you found
it black girls in media was because of the underrepresentation
and really wanting to have an outlet to talk with
other black women in media. But what are your thoughts
about like the current landscape of black women in media.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
I see a lot of opportunity for us, for black
women in the media landscape. I think that the world
knows and also we know now that we are the media,
We are the culture.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
We shape what's happening, we shape what's.
Speaker 5 (08:52):
Trending, and so us knowing that now and walking in
that power through content creation and being able to have
our own platforms now. Just like Aga said, like when
we first started off, I remember when I went to
New York for the first time, I worked Fashion Week
in those rooms and not seeing anybody that looks like you.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
We had to fight for those opportunities.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
And so now the fact that we're able to have
our own platforms on social media, I see a great
trend of us being able to, you know, just dominate
when it comes to media, create more outlets and more projects.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
And just really own the narrative.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I think for me, it's been really influential to have
black women as mentors in my career, and so I think,
like Tasha said, the landscape is changing. I think in
fashion and beauty especially, it has been a slow it's.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Been very slow to build with seeing more black women.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
But again, like having black women as mentors in my
career has completely changed my career. And so I think
the big thing there is just like like reaching as
we climb, right, like when we get in, like not
closing the door behind us. Like we are in these
spaces not only to be representative of just Black women
(10:12):
as a whole in the media, but we are also
in these spaces to make sure that other Black women
are coming up behind us.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
And I'd love to stay with you Asia to talk
a little bit of because you are in a more
traditional kind of media space, right and we know, you know,
especially with like Joy and Reed's show being canceled and
like there's been lots of commentary around traditional media spaces
and black women. How do you besides mentorship, are there
other things you can think of in terms of Black
women continuing to create lanes for themselves in traditional media.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, I mean I always tell people all the time.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I remember when I was interning, before I could get
an internship in magazines, everyone would always say, you need experience.
You need experience, You need experience, right, And I was like, well,
I can't get experience if you're not giving me experience.
And so I started my own blog when I was
in college. I was probably a freshman, I think, still
(11:08):
in college, I started my own blog and I was like, look,
if you aren't going to give me an opportunity, I'm
going to create an opportunity myself. And I think with
a lot of black women, that is ultimately what it
comes down to, because again, like a lot of times,
they just need black women to check off a box
like Okay, we've done out higher, and especially in today's
(11:30):
political climate with DEI and everything, like, we aren't a
first thought, right, And so I think a lot of times,
like what I've always learned is just as a black woman,
we have to be great at everything, right.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
And so I felt like I didn't have a choice
but to create.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
My own platform. And even now working at a magazine,
I still do my own thing because you just have to.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
You just have to.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
And so I think along with mentorship, it's been like
always having your lane, like it's been the most important
thing to me, and it's I think learning to be
great at everything is something that as black women, we
just have to do in these positions, but it also
(12:14):
is what kind of helps to build our career because oh,
you said you need somebody for this, but we're not
good enough for this. Okay, well I can also do that.
And does it put us at a disadvantage? A lot
of something isn't unfair, absolutely, but it's just from what
I've always seen in this traditional media landscape, it is
what sets us apart.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
So I'd love to hear you both kind of talk
about because you know, the independent space is like substas
and even podcasts and I think blogs You've mentioned several times.
Asia Riter does definitely feel like black women thrive in
those spaces and continue to set up shops there because
we don't know if traditional spaces will be available to us.
So how viable do you think these more independent lanes
(12:58):
of media are.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I think it's extremely viable.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
I mean even when we look at you know, having
your own platform, whether it's a sub sect, whether that's
a podcast, you have no limits to what you can say, right,
And I think a lot of times me I'm grateful
that I work for a publication that never tries to
turn down my voice or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Right, But I have been in that space before.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I've been in places where it's like, oh, this may
be too urban or something like that. Right, But when
you have your own platform, there are no limits to
what you can say. And I think that is when
your audience in your community find you. And a lot
of times that community looks just like you, right when
a black woman starts a podcast, Like, yes, the audience
(13:43):
can vary, but a lot of times the community is
built on black women because black women support black women,
especially like somebody being in the beauty industry and looking
at the black dollar and look at how black women
spend money on beauty, Like we are each other's community
and we will never let each other fail. And so
I think just having your own platforms in that way,
(14:05):
it comes down to not being limited on what you say,
not being limited on the community that comes to you.
And so I think it's extremely viable and I love
seeing more women go into it.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Yeah, I agree, And even from the exposure aspect, right
like back in the day when we were starting off
our careers and you would see black women in the
rarity of it. But whenever we would see a black
woman in a higher position in a corporate setting, we
would look up to her, but it's like we would
have to be in the building to actually contact her.
(14:36):
And I think the fact that we have our own platforms,
Like you know, how many young girls see Asia's content
and it's like, I want to do exactly what she does.
So the importance of us sharing what we do as
a person, as a black woman, but also as a career,
that inspiration through that value through our platforms is super important.
(14:57):
And it's like, if you're given a platform, if you're
given these gifts, why not share it?
Speaker 4 (15:02):
So yeah, I'm loving it.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I would like to kind of go back to talking
to the people who may be listening to you, who
may be in college or thinking like, oh, I want
to do what Asia and Ta should do, Like it
seems like they have really cool jobs. I do know
that like a lot of the internships and things that
maybe you had a chance to participate in either don't
exist or they're extremely competitive. So what would you say
to people who are maybe looking at what you're doing
(15:25):
and trying to call out a lane for themselves, what
advice would you give them?
Speaker 5 (15:28):
The advice I would give is still the same thing
kind of how I'm sure Asia can attest to this
is being hungry. I think we shouldn't lose that aspect
of starting off our careers. When I did my internships,
you know a lot of them, some of them were,
you know, a stipend, but some of them, like Fashion Week,
were free, and I wasn't looking to necessarily be comfortable
(15:51):
or get paid. It's just I was willing to do
anything to get started, to learn and get my foot
in the door. So I think that it's important to
not forget that, yes, realize our value and especially want
to get paid as black women because we're so far behind,
but also be willing to find humility when first starting
golf and just making those connections. When I did my
(16:14):
first internship at VH one, I went on LinkedIn and
I messaged a black woman who works at VH one, and.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
She pretty much gave me that foot in the door.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
So, you know, don't be afraid to step outside the
box to contact women that look like you.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
And when you get in those doors, put the work in.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
You said exactly what I was about to say, put
the work in.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
I always tell young women right now, do not stare
away from the work.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I think that.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I think it can become very smoking mirrors sometimes, right,
because I have so many young girls tell me like,
oh my gosh, I love your life, you know, I
love that you get to travel here, and I love
that you get to do this with this brand and
all these things, and that is all so lovely and
so great. But that is not even like ten percent
of the job. You cannot steer away from the work.
(17:08):
And so I think it's even Tasha, like you were saying,
like majority of the internships I did were free. Even
when I was interning at InStyle, I was barely making
any money weekly, like barely, and all the money I
was making I was just putting back into my blog.
But I didn't care about the money. And it was,
like you said, building the connections. I would reach out
(17:29):
to anybody if I was just free in the office,
I'd be.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Like, Hey, if you need my help, I'm here. Hey,
if you need my help, I'm here.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
And I think, especially with social media nowadays, it can
become such a like, oh my gosh, I want to
do this because this looks cool, or I want to
do this because you know, I want to do all
these things.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
I want to go to this event. I want to
do that. And like I said, those are all great things.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
But I think the biggest advice I would give is
to just not steer away from the work. Like we
work so hard to be able to be in positions
black we are now, and then there's black women before us, right,
that came and we're able to be in these rooms.
And because they showed up in the great way that
they did, we are now able to be in those rooms.
(18:09):
But again, you cannot steer away from the work. And
it is so much more than just the cool, pretty
outside things, Like there's real work that goes into what
we do.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
More from our conversation after the break, Aja, I wonder
if you could talk a little bit more, because I
feel like this has been a conversation I've seen online
about people trying to skip steps essentially right, which is
kind of the look you gave me. Seems like you've
(18:43):
seen this conversation too, Because I do think because of
social media and like because of the advent of like
lots of independent platforms, it is easy enough for like
a brand to send me something and I can review
a product, and like I have my own version of
like the column that you have at the cut, right,
But what are some challenges are things for people to
kind of be aware of that they might not know
(19:05):
if they are thinking they can just skip steps.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Skipping steps, skipping steps, just it doesn't get you to
where you're looking to be, right, like you you.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Just I'm trying to figure out that the best way
to put this.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
But it's like when I look back in my career
and again, like I say, things have changed drastically. And
so I know that when I was interning and it
was for free and all these things, like certain things
just aren't looked at the same nowadays. And I have
one of my best friends, Blake ch always says it
is expensive.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
To dream, right.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
I say that because I tell people all the time,
like I was able to intern for free, or to
stay at publications making barely any money for years, right,
because I was able to have a mom that was like, look,
you can stay home and you can hustle, and you
can do this.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I believe in you. Things like that, And so I.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Say it is expensive to dream in that way because
I know that that is a privilege, right, And so
I get that sometimes people want to skip steps because
sometimes you genuinely can't afford to be in these spaces,
you know, And it's even like it comes down to
looking the part. So I understand how hard it can be,
and I too understand how much of a privilege it
(20:26):
was for me to not skip steps. But what happens
when you skip steps is you get into rooms sometimes
and you there's just certain things that you learn in
the process and throughout the journey that you need for
when you get to where you actually want to be.
I think what makes my job different, right, is that
(20:46):
journalism is actually a hard scale. Having journalistic integrity and
all these things like these are things that you learn
throughout the process and throughout the journey.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Right.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
It's very different than just popping up a camera and
going on screen.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
And I think that both are respectable.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
But I just think that there are things that you
learn throughout the process. There's a certain grit that you
get throughout the process. There's certain relationships that you build
throughout the process. I mean, if I would have skip steps,
I wouldn't be where I am today because half of
the bosses that I had connected the dots for me
to be where I am. And so the people you
meet along the way, the lessons you learn along the way,
(21:24):
they all add up. But again, when you skip the steps,
you end up in rooms and a lot of times
have no idea what to say, what to do. And
so as privileged as it is to not skip steps,
it is something that is it's necessary.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
It just reminds me as Angels talking my favorite rapper, Nipsy,
he just says, it's a marathon. And I think that
it's so important to remember that we're in such a
fast world, you know, fast everything. Even when we listen
to our podcast, We're in the car, I'm rushing to
yoga and then you get on TikTok. You see viral
tiktoks and people might become famous overnight. But it's just
(22:04):
important to realize what are you in it for. If
you're in it for the long game, like Asia said,
you can't missteps and you want to do it the
right way. You want to be here for a while.
You want your work to be purposeful. You don't want
it to be here today and gone tomorrow. So yeah,
it's important to have that mindset and learn and be patient.
(22:25):
It's not going to happen overnight. I started black Oes
and media in twenty eighteen, and I'm still learning. It's
still a startup, you know, I'm still growing learning. Nobody's
done this before and my family, so it's just being
able to be patient, not compare, and just keep going
forward day by day.
Speaker 4 (22:45):
I think that's key.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
So Asia, you mentioned something earlier that I want to
go back to, specifically around what I think is like
the mental health tool of kind of being a black
woman in a space where there are not a lot
of us. Right, Like you mentioned this idea of having
to do all the things great so that like if
one door closes, you can kind of be ready for another.
And while I do think it can help you to
be propelled into opportunities, I do think that there is
(23:09):
also a toll. And you mentioned right like it's not fair,
but it is what it is. I wonder if you
could talk about maybe some of the mental health implications
are some of the challenges kind of related to being
a black woman in the media.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Yeah, I remember just being an intern and I think
I was twenty one years old when this was said
to me. I came into an internship and I said, I.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Went to an HBCU and they were like, oh, is that.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
A sorority, and of course HBCU stands for historically Black
colleges and universities.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
And I just.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Remember I didn't even know how to respond because I'm like, no,
like and the fact that you'd even say that, I mean,
they're the amount of things that were said to me,
whether it was like about being black or whether it
was about my body and things that I wore. I mean,
(24:01):
I even now have things that are said to me
and I can't even believe that people would be comfortable
saying it around me. And the mental health told that
that takes is real because a lot of times what
that looks like is like swallowing your pride in that moment, right,
Because if a lot of times I speak up the
(24:22):
way I want to speak up, right, then it's like, oh,
there goes the black girl being aggressive, or it's like
that is exactly what we expected. That's the exact type
of reaction that we expected from her.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
And it does take a mental health toll on you.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I mean, I started therapy I think when I was
twenty five, and a big part of it was because
I remember telling my mom, like, I cannot make it
through this industry without having some type of therapy. It's
also a very vain industry, right when when you talk
about fashion and beauty, Like again, a lot of times
(24:57):
sometimes it's like I am again grateful for being at
a publication and having a boss that is amazing, and
so I don't have to deal with these things right now.
But in the past it was very much like you know,
the promotions you get are based on like.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
What do you look like or what like.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
It is rooted in vanity, but it's also rooted in
like politics of years of racism, and it is a
lot and so, like I said, I had to turn
to therapy while being in this industry because I remember
a lot of times when I started with my first therapist,
everything would always be about work, work, work, work, work,
(25:33):
and even trying to explain to her what this industry is,
because I think when you're on the outside looking in,
sometimes you just sometimes don't understand how much it can
take a toll on your mental health. But I mean, yeah,
I think the biggest thing for me has always just
being like, Okay, I really was told that, and I
need to swallow that and keep a pushing and talk
(25:56):
about it in my next therapy session because again if
I react and it's like, oh, well, will I not
get that promotion because I reacted that way, or again,
it's just going to be like.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
There she go act in the ways we expect her
to act.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
It's also very rough for me because I've always been
very committed to being real, into being authentic, which i
know is like such a cliche word, but I'm like,
I am a real hardcore black girl, and I think
that sometimes that can be a lot to digest.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
And I'm big on like who I'm for, I'm for
and who I'm not.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
I'm not everybody's cup of tea, but that also comes
with mental health implications, right, because it's like.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
You have to be okay with like, Okay, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
This person's cup of tea, but then they may treat
me a certain way when I'm at an event. I
think that I've had to build really, really, really tough skin.
I don't think ten years ago you could have never
told me that I would even have skin this tough.
Speaker 4 (26:52):
Yeah, I would love to add to that.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
I know when I first started off, like even at
my internships, you know, we mentioned how we were a
lot of the times the only black girl in the
space and just how isolating that can be, especially me
from North Carolina coming all the way to New York
and going into these internships and really for one feeling secluded,
(27:15):
you know, in a big city by myself, but then
also going into office and not seeing anyone that looks
like me, not really seeing anyone who I can confide in.
Just that isolation was a lot for me. And when
I moved to New York, that's actually when I first
started having anxiety. I had like my first like panic
attacks when I lived in New York, and so I
think that that might have been I'm just now realizing
(27:38):
that why I started Black Girls in Media. I started
then because I'm thinking, like, Okay, who can I talk to,
who can I get support from. I know I'm not
the only one feeling this way, and that's just the
importance of community and therapists or platforms like this Black
Girls in Therapy where we can be able to have
that safe space. And I feel like we didn't always
(28:00):
have it. So that's also the importance of media and
the growth that we're doing.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Mm hmm. In Touch, I'd love for you to talk
more about people finding that sense of community in their networks,
whether they be in the places they work or outside
of that. Like what tips would you have for people
looking for community in the industry.
Speaker 5 (28:18):
So I think that for one, when I in Asia,
you can attest to this or let me know. I
feel like we didn't have ergs back then. Now I
think a lot of companies have ergs. I was at
HBO last year when I was living in La and yeah,
we had monthly gatherings with the ergs within the organization
(28:39):
where all the black people in the company would come together.
I don't know how what's going to happen with those
now that the D and I things are changing, but yeah,
those finding those kind of networks within your company can
really help with that support and being able to vent.
But you know, still recognize like these still your coworkers,
so be mindful. And then also, yeah, external communities like
Black Girls and Media other organizations where you can come
(29:03):
together outside of work, have webinars. We had a webinar
last week about imposter syndrome within Black Girls and Media
and a member in the group shared something that happened
at work where she felt really isolated. So, you know,
being able to decompress after a work day and have
that safe space in group chat. I think it's important
(29:24):
to seek out those kind of groups that are outside
of your family and friends, who you know, like Asa said,
not everybody. If you're not in the media industry, you
might not understand what's going on. So being able to
have people who understand the industry, who look like you,
who can feel you, that can just really help you
with that isolation feeling and just being supported and to
(29:44):
be able to keep thriving as well.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
I'd say for me what worked is really just and
in addition to having ergs and having those communities within
our companies, I think when it came to just meeting
people in the industry, I always gravitate to work who
is real, Like who do I not have to be
this like industry version of Asia for right, because a
(30:09):
lot of times you almost feel.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Like you have to have a veil up around these people.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
And so I've been very grateful to find certain people
in the industry who are just like family. And I
think that's very hard because a lot of times people
can be just very superficial in these industries and things
like that, and so for me it's just been leaning
on who is real, who is raw and.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Who you don't need a veal up around.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
And that is true community, right, because we don't only
have to come together to talk about industry things, but
we can just we can talk about everything together and.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
You become family.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
And I think it's hard and rare to find in
the industry, but when you find that, you hold on
to it because again, like we were saying before, it's
just not everybody can understand the things you go through, right,
You want to be able.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
To have those people who you can turn to, like, girl,
can you believe if X, Y and Z happened?
Speaker 3 (31:01):
And it doesn't just sound like this crazy story or
sometime it can sound like really privileged. Again, you need
people who just are real and raw and you can
lean on them.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
They're like family.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
So what would you say the landscape of media and
specifically black women in media looks like in the next
five to ten years.
Speaker 5 (31:20):
I would say I see it growing and thriving. Like
we mentioned earlier, just I see new platforms developing. I
see more just opportunities developing. When it comes to the
content creator space, the corporate space, I see a lot
of I feel like traditional media is coming back. I
know a lot of times people still want to have
(31:43):
like physical copies in their hand. A lot of people
these days are feeling nostalgic. We want to sometimes go
away from this digital life. We want to feel things
that feel real. So I see just us really dominating
when it comes to all forms of media, controlling that
narrative and talking about things that matter, talking about things
(32:04):
that are deep, meaningful, while getting paid what we're worth too.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
That part pay black women what they are worth, because.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
I just think the pay disparities, that the fact that
in twenty twenty five the gap is still as huge
as it is. I think in the next five to
ten years, that is what I want to see change.
But I also I just in these opportunities that come,
I want to see all types of black women being
able to get these opportunities. I think that it is
not enough to just say, okay, we have black women here.
(32:40):
I think you need black women from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
You need black women who have different educational backgrounds. Where
we grow up has such an impact on us. Right
where we study has such an impact on us family background,
and so I think there is diversity within diversity, and
that is what I really hope to see in the
(33:00):
next five to ten years. I just want to see
all types of black women being able to have these opportunities.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
More from our conversation after the break. Have you heard
the news Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community
on Patreon. It's your space to be seen, heard, and
understood in an even more connected way. We're excited to
bring you new segments like so my therapist said, where
(33:29):
we break down viral therapy, hot takes with real mental
health professionals, TBG community chats where we unpack trending pop
culture topics that have us all in our feelings, and
opportunities to connect with other sisters all over the world.
Sign up now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash
join Patreon for all the details about what we're planning
(33:50):
and to be the first to know when the doors
are open. We can't wait to see you inside. So
what are some of the media spaces that are particularly
inspirational or exciting to you right now? Like, are there
any substacks or independent creators that you found very exciting
right now?
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Who I was having this conversation a few weeks ago
out of dinner. There's one content creator, Kira Amanique, and
she's an Atlanta based creator And I was at a
black owned brand dinner actually a few weeks ago with
a lot of black creators when we were talking about
her and how her content is like commercials. The girl
does full productions. And it's so interesting because we look
(34:36):
at white women, right and I'm not going to say
any names, but they can just go on social media
and be like, oh my gosh, I haven't washed laundry
in five days and get these like crazy partnerships just
because like people think that's cute or people think it's cool, right,
whereas black women to get even half of the same opportunities,
(34:57):
we have to do these grand product actions and all
these things. I just think that alone speaks to paid
disparities and everything. But if I wanted to highlight one person,
I think Kira would be it because she just absolutely
kills it when it comes to production. And I know
I was talking to her about a year ago and
she's like, she doesn't have any management anything, and I'm
(35:19):
just like girl, But I think she alone speaks to
just the amount of creativeness that that black women have.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
She'd be one highlight on.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
I love Kira, I really do I love her content
and like you said, just I posted a threat about
that the other day. Like the Girlies, the Black Women,
we are putting actual content out there. We're showing how
creative we are, how talented we are, how multi hyphenated
we are. I'm really loving that trend. And also I
do love substacks. I'm loving reading being able to read
(35:54):
from CEOs. I know Amani with culture cons she has
a substat where you know, and then even Donie Taylor,
they talk in their substacts. It's like they really get
intimate with their audience. They talk about personal relationships, they
talk about burnout, they talk about a vacation they just
went on and what they learned from it. So I'm
really loving to aside from social media, being able to
(36:18):
read what people are really feeling behind their content, and
you know, on a personal level.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
So Asia and Tasha, you are both underscoring. Asia You've
talked about like blogs like as a part of your
personal experience, but also Tasha with you highlighting subtects, it
feels like blogs are kind of making a resurgence. Where
do you feel like blogs will play a role in
the future of media.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
I feel like it's absolutely having a resurgence, especially when
I saw substack come around and I saw everybody go
to substack. I mean, you even have media brands now
turning to substack, which has been really interesting for me
to see. I mean, I see a lot of journalists
going there. But I think, I mean, I think the
only reason we really ever straight away from blogs is
(37:03):
because video content and everything and social media just started
growing so rapidly. But I think there's such an intimacy
to blogs. It's such a personal thing. And I think
again just the community that you build with that is
like no other Blogging is like so personal to me
because again I started blogging when I was in college,
(37:25):
and so I love seeing this resurgence of it. But
I feel like in the next five to ten years,
like I don't feel like it's going anywhere. If anything,
I feel like it is it is going to be
larger than it's ever been.
Speaker 5 (37:38):
Yeah, I was kind of nervous because I thought I
was the only one, or not the only one. But
I didn't know, you know, like with TikTok and like
this video content. I didn't know if the world was
ready to slow down and still read because even me
sometimes it's hard. I've been wanting to read before bed,
like an actual book, and I have like five books
that I haven't even cracked up, and I keep buying
(37:59):
new books.
Speaker 4 (38:00):
It's like why, So yeah, I love to hear that.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
You know, it's definitely a trend that you know we're desiring,
and I see it growing as well also along with yeah,
just like traditional print magazines and just being able to
step away and get intimate.
Speaker 4 (38:19):
So yeah, I'm excited to see that come back.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Mm hmmm. So, Sasha, I wonder if there are any
careers that maybe young people might not even know existed
that you've run across recently, maybe in your organization to
kind of put on the radar that people like are
making money doing X Y Z. Are there any kind
of new media spaces that people should be aware of.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
Yes, I would say for one, like content creation editing,
even just social media editing, because I have so much
footage on my phone and I want to, you know,
showcase more of like the behind the scenes and like
my struggles when it comes to entrepreneurship and business. But
it's like I try to do work and I can't
even so it's like I've hired a few people before
(39:02):
to hey, can you just edit these tiktoks for me?
Speaker 4 (39:05):
So I see that.
Speaker 5 (39:07):
I see what else, like copywriting, grant applying, Like if
you're just good at writing in general, you can help
people apply to grants.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
So yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
Would say, like when it comes to just figuring out
new opportunities and media, like figured out what you like.
If you like writing, there's so much that you can do.
You can copyright when it comes to email, newsletters for corporations,
social media captions, and even at HBO, Like if you're
good at writing, you can write the descriptions of movies
(39:37):
and shows and things like that on the platform, so
so much. When it comes to writing videography, you know,
there's producing, there's being a PA, you know, helping set
up the sets and being behind the scenes. So yeah,
I love the fact that media has so many roles
in it already, but then just these new creator coming up,
(40:00):
there's even like specific roles that you can get into
these days.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
So I really love now mm.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
So it's just something that I have seen journalists talking
about is that it is not only that you have
to now right well and like do your pieces, but
you also have to kind of be a content creator
in some ways yourself right to get eyeballs on your pieces.
Can you say more about that and maybe some of
the things that journalists may not be aware of about
how to be successful these days.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Yeah, So I always struggle with this because I don't
think you have to be I think that it puts
you at.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
An advantage if you are.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
But I always tell people social media isn't for everybody, right,
and I think that everyone doesn't necessarily want to post
their life. Everyone doesn't necessarily like being online everything like that,
And so why I think my trajectory, my personal trajectory
has been doing content and being a creator influencer and
(41:04):
also being in the journalism space. There are majority of
my coworkers don't care about social media at all, and
so I always try to tell people I don't think
I don't think you should force yourself to have to
do content creation if you want to be in journalism.
If that's not for you, that is okay, because journalism
(41:25):
is a great hard skill to have, and learning how
to write, learning how to report, all of those things
are just as important. Like I said, for me, it's
worked amazing because I can have a community for myself
who also reads my work and all these things, and
they follow me as I travel from different publications. But
(41:47):
I do always tell people I don't want them to
be discouraged because I remember when I was interning and
I was blogging and I had a lot of followers,
there were so many people that would tell me, Oh,
they feel like they're not going to get hired for
a job, like because they didn't have a lot of
followers on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
And I never wanted anybody to feel like that.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
And I also would always tell people like, don't just
think because I have a lot of followers on Instagram
that means that I didn't put in work or do
all the internships and all these things and do the
real hustling. And so again, while I think it can
put you at an advantage of doing both, I don't
think it's necessary.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
I don't think it's necessary.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
And I say that as again, like I have a
lot of peers who do not care about social media
at all, but they're thriving and their work in journalism
is amazing.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
Perfect well, I have enjoyed learning so much more about
you both. I appreciate you spending some time with me
today Tasha, can you tell us where we can stay
connected with you? What is your website as well as
any social media handles you'd like to share?
Speaker 5 (42:49):
Yes, So, my personal Instagram is toss Tash J Mack
with two k's. I'm on LinkedIn to Tasha McCastle, and
then my business since black Girls in Media that is
really our username on Everything Threads, Instagram, all of that. Facebook,
we still have a Facebook group and LinkedIn, so yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:11):
Connect with us there.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
We have a membership where we do events monthly, virtual
and everything conferences. And also if you're looking to get
in the media industry or wanting to learn more, definitely
check us out on Instagram and our website Perfect.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
We'll be sure to include that in the show notes.
And what about you Asia?
Speaker 3 (43:29):
For me, my social media across all platforms is miss
Asian Malaya and my ssas I A M I L
I A on LinkedIn. I'm Asian malaia ware and you
can follow.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
My work at the cut on at the cut literally.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Perfect. Thank you again for being here with me today.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Thank you so much. This has been amazing.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
Thank you, Yes, thanks for all you do.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
Thank you. I'm so glad Asia and Tasha were able
to join me for this converse. To learn more about
them and their work, you should have visited the show
notes at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash Session four three,
and don't forget to text two of your girls right
now and tell them to check out the episode. Did
you know? You can leave us a voicemail with your
(44:14):
questions for the podcast. If you have a movie or
a book you want to suggest for us to review,
or even thoughts around topics you'd like us to discuss.
Drop us a message at Memo dot fm slash Therapy
for Black Girls and let us know what's on your mind.
If you're looking for a therapist in your area, visit
our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash directory.
(44:35):
This episode was produced by Elise Ellis, Indaichubu and Tyree Rush.
Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank y'all so much
for joining me again this week. I look forward to
continuing this conversation with you all real soon. Take good
care
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