Becoming Storytellers
32 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsA space where journalists are supported, celebrated and heard.
Hear the story behind the journalists and get tips/advice on how to succeed in your career.
Created and hosted by Emmy-nominated anchor, Venise Toussaint.
Follow @BecomingStorytellers on Instagram.
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Episodes
Ep 32. Legendary Journalist Bruce Johnson on His Storied Career & New Book "Surviving Deep Waters"
February 22, 2022 21:35 - 31 minutes - 58.1 MBLegendary journalist Bruce Johnson's story is one of grit, survival, grace and ultimately perseverance. He grew up poor in a racially segregated Louisville but never one to view himself as a victim, Johnson pushed through obstacles that could've killed him, to became a 22-time EMMY award-winning, Edward R. Murrow award-winning, Society of Professional Journalists & Washington D.C Hall of Fame inductee among many other accolades in his 44-year career at WUSA in Washington D.C. Johnson chron...
Ep. 31 Talk show host Chundria Brownlow on how persistence and betting on herself lead to getting her show aired in 200 cities
January 20, 2022 20:33 - 25 minutes - 47.6 MBChundria Brownlow is a talk show host, speaker, and filmmaker. Born and raised in Chicago, she has produced entertainment TV and hosted events for more than a decade. Chundria caught the TV bug as a young girl watching her father who was a long-time broadcast engineer at a local Chicago TV station. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, with a Bachelors degree in Television and a concentration in Production/Directing, Chundria, like many young journalists, struggled to land her firs...
Ep. 30 Garin Flowers talks being booked, busy and having freedom to create a career path he loves
January 07, 2022 15:49 - 25 minutes - 46.3 MBFreedom is the way forward for Emmy nominated journalist Garin Flowers, with three journalism jobs and an upcoming Netflix movie appearance, the former “Bachelorette” contestant and local TV news reporter now spends his time doing what he loves, on his own terms. Garin left local news to pursue his passion in Los Angeles and his leap of faith paid off. He’s currently a reporter for Yahoo News, host for Cinemark and a professor teaching the next generation of journalists at the University o...
Ep. 29 Reporter Victor Williams On His Viral Skateboarding, his journalism career and what's next
October 21, 2021 17:22 - 22 minutes - 42.5 MBHis viral skateboarding on live TV has garnered more than 5 MILLION views on social media but WDIV-NBC Detroit reporter, Victor Williams, wasn’t always praised for his skateboard skills. Growing up in Southwest Atlanta, Victor was teased and told “Black people don’t skateboard”. He kept at it anyway. Victor hopes his story will inspire young Black kids that it’s ok to be different and to stay true to who they are. In this episode, Victor talks about his journalism career, his love of sk...
Ep. 28 Veteran journalist Tracie Potts reflects on 20+ years at NBC News and the next chapter in her career
September 23, 2021 17:21 - 39 minutes - 72.7 MBAfter more than 30 years gracing our TV screens, veteran NBC News correspondent Tracie Potts is stepping into a new chapter; she’ll be taking over the reins as Executive Director of the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College in less than two weeks! In this episode, Tracie & I chat about her decades long career doing live reports each morning on dozens of NBC stations across the country, the highlights of her career, challenges, her new chapter, words of wisdom for younger journalists &...
Ep. 27 Award-Winning Producer Georgia Dawkins on Creating Her Own Media Empire
September 08, 2021 20:36 - 31 minutes - 58.6 MBAward-winning producer Georgia Dawkins counts ABC's Good Morning America and Will Packer's Central Ave. talk show among her many producing credits. She's worked in television markets both large & small across the country and has earned a name for herself in the broadcast industry. While at a crossroads in her life, Georgia wrote her memoir Everybody Knows: The Power of Being in Position, detailing her journey from humble beginnings to the news business. She then launched the Purpose P...
Ep. 26 ESPN's Tiffany Greene on breaking barriers & thriving in a male-dominated field
September 02, 2021 20:07 - 30 minutes - 55.8 MBTiffany Greene talks about making history as the first Black woman play-by-play commentator for ESPN, what it's like working at the network, how she landed her dream job, motivation for aspiring sportscasters & much more.
Ep. 25 Award-winning journalist, Dave Jordan, on career pivot to PR Director after 25 years as a TV reporter/anchor
July 22, 2021 17:03 - 30 minutes - 56 MBVeteran journalist, Dave Jordan, gets candid about his decision to leave journalism for a job as a PR director. He details how he got his start in TV, the changes he's seen in the industry in his 25 years and career gems for others who feel burnt out and in need of a change.
Ep 24 From a viral hairstyle to a Black hair movement: ABC Dallas Anchor Tashara Parker talks about #TheBunMinistry, impact, & her journalism career.
June 16, 2021 16:27 - 42 minutes - 32.9 MB VideoYou may have heard the name or seen the infamous bun hairstyle but do you know Tashara Parker's story? The self-proclaimed community-focused journalist has taken Dallas & the nation by storm with her unapologetic, authentic style and unwavering commitment to advocating for Black people and Black hair. On this episode of @Becomingstorytellers, Tashara details the moment her hairstyle became the news, how she responds to criticism, the work that she's doing to continue shining light on B...
Ep. 23 MSNBC Associate Producer Cora Cervantes on importance of diversity, equity & inclusion in newsrooms.
May 26, 2021 15:03 - 27 minutes - 49.7 MBMSNBC Associate Producer Cora Cervantes' mission is to push for more diversity, equity & inclusion in newsrooms. In her former role as diversity coordinator for the NBC News group, her duty was to center the varying voices and perspectives that help tell a more accurate story of people in diverse communities. Cora's own story is one that many people in immigrant communities can relate to; she was brought to the United States as a child and had to navigate the challenges of being undoc...
Ep. 22 How NBC12 Morning Anchor Anthony Antoine went from part-time camera operator & sales rep. to 2x Emmy award-winning morning anchor.
May 18, 2021 14:01 - 27 minutes - 49.6 MBBorn in Trinidad, Anthony Antione's mother moved to the U.S. to create a better life for her children. As a child Anthony knew he wanted to be a journalist & he was determined to make it happen. He started his career behind the scenes as a part-time camera operator while working full-time as a sales rep. His weekends were also spent at the station shadowing reporters, learning how to shoot, write, edit. When a reporter opportunity came up, Anthony made sure his work ethic made him the cle...
Ep. 21: NBC Washington D.C’s Jummy Olabanji’s rise to morning anchor at the station she grew up watching
December 14, 2020 18:00 - 23 minutes - 43 MBAfter grinding it out in NYC as a weekend anchor/reporter for WNBC for 2 1/2 years, Jummy Olabanji was offered an opportunity in her hometown that she couldn’t refuse. She joined the NBC Washington D.C. Morning Team as Live Desk anchor/reporter in July 2019, now less than a year and a half later she’s preparing to take over as morning anchor on the station she grew up watching! On this episode, Jummy talks about her broadcast journey & the lessons along the way. *Episode was recorded b...
Ep. 20: Protecting your mental health as Black & journalists of color
July 15, 2020 16:03 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBTo say the last few months have been challenging, as journalists specifically as Black journalists, would be an understatement. From the coronavirus pandemic, to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aurbery & others and the racial unrest that followed. Those stories hit us differently. In this episode, I talk to clinical psychologist Dr. Tasha Brown about: Coping with the trauma of covering these difficult stories, signs you need therapy, navigating toxic spaces & all thin...
Ep 19 How focusing on God in one of her darkest moments led journalist Jade Jackson to create her own media platform for Christian storytellers
April 30, 2020 15:15 - 30 minutes - 44.9 MBWhat keeps you grounded through tough times? For journalist Jade Jackson, founder of The Main Source Media, focusing on Christ has given her strength in her darkest days. A young ambitious journalist, Jade held down several internships in college & landed her first TV job in her home state just months after graduation. She was on top of the world, everything was going great... until it wasn’t. Jade was let go from her reporter job after only a few months, her boss told her she “wasn’t the...
Ep 18 Midday Maryland host Elsa M on how she landed a TV job that she loves after a seven year hiatus from the TV business
March 06, 2020 17:00 - 31 minutes - 29 MBMidday Maryland host Elsa M left the TV business for seven years after feeling emotionally drained & burned out, she hit her breaking point with all the negativity of news and vowed never to go back to TV unless she was in the lifestyle hosting position she wanted. Elsa spent years doing other communications related work for Yelp and a non-profit connected to singer/songwriter Bono. It all led back to the position she was destined to be in, doing what she loves. Listen to Episode...
Ep 17: WISN's Derrick Rose on investigative reporting, winning his first Emmy, and being prepared for opportunities by always doing your best work
January 07, 2020 17:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBWhen Derrick Rose joined WISN Milwaukee’s news team, he was hired to help lead the investigative unit. He held down the *many* FOIA requests, intense research and hard work that goes into being a good investigative reporter, all while turning daily stories on a nightside schedule; then one day, just months into the job he was called into the office with his news director & general manager. Naturally, his initial thought was “what did I do?” Turns out he did everything right and his wer...
Ep 16: At Just 22 years old, CBN journalist Emily Jones took a leap of faith & moved to Jerusalem for her dream job
December 17, 2019 17:31 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBAs a young girl, Emily Jones was fascinated with the Middle East & Jerusalem. Growing up in a Christian household, she noticed the stories she read in the Bible happened in the Middle East. Emily was introduced to the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in college and though she didn’t want to be a journalist at first (her dad’s a journalist & she would tell him how boring she thought his job was lol ) she gave it a shot anyway and fell in love with storytelling. At 22 years old she was off...
Ep 15 Nicki Mayo knew she had to be versatile in her journalism career, learning every aspect of the news gathering process for TV, radio & digital. She gets real about the benefits & challenges of having to do it all.
December 02, 2019 15:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBNicki Mayo lives, sleeps & breaths #journolife. She’s worked as a TV & radio reporter, producer, writer, MMJ, social media consultant and journalism teacher. Like most journalists, her career has taken her to several cities and states; some great experiences others not-so-great, but all provided stepping stones and lessons along the way. In episode 15 of BecomingStorytellers, Nikki talks about the highs and lows in her journalism journey and keeps it all the way real about the benefits & cha...
Ep 14 How CW-Chicago’s Brandon Pope overcame doubt, owned his talent & earned his stripes in the Windy City
October 23, 2019 14:47 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBCW26 Chicago reporter/anchor Brandon Pope was just minding his business; anchoring & reporting in South Bend, Indiana, when his news director got a call from his company's sister station in Chicago. They noticed his work and were interested in having him join their team in the Windy City. That call lead to a two month "try-out" before he officially got the job. Now Brandon brings his creativity and talent to a fresh, innovative morning show called "The Jam" (They even have a live DJ on...
Ep 13 Fox 10 Phoenix reporter Jennifer Martinez talks making a major market jump, creating impact & tips for nailing your next live shot.
October 08, 2019 19:26 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBAs a young girl, Jennifer Martinez says her mother gave her journals and told her to write. “ Write your feelings, write about what happened today or what’s going on” her mom would say. Jennifer’s love for writing & talking came in handy leading her to pursue a career in journalism. After working in Springfield, Massachusetts & Tucson, Arizona, she made the jump to one of the top 15 markets in the country. Jennifer talks about working in Phoenix, connecting with people in Spanish-speaking...
Ep 12 A health scare forced WTKR morning anchor Jessica Larche to Decide To Live; she lost 100 pounds, transformed her life and manifested everything she prayed for in her life & career.
September 24, 2019 16:29 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBWhen WTKR morning anchor Jessica Larche talks about her journey, “rejection” is one of the first words that comes to mind. “Rejection is a blessing; embrace it, learn from it, and keep pushing forward” is one of Jessica's Journey Gems. Jessica says she felt rejected when she graduated with a 4.0 GPA and no job; not even a call back from the countless news directors she’d sent her reel to. That rejection continued as a young reporter when she was turned down from her dream job in her...
Ep 11 NBC-Atlanta’s Ron Jones went from Army veteran, to police sergeant, to TV anchor/reporter by never giving up on his dream
September 10, 2019 19:10 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBFrom Army veteran, to police sergeant, to TV anchor/reporter, NBC-Atlanta's Ron Jones’ path to becoming a journalist is as unique as they come. Though he always knew he wanted to be a storyteller, Ron almost gave up on that dream until life’s unexpected twists & turns lead him right to where he was destined to be. In this episode of Becoming Storytellers, Ron talks about making the transition from law enforcement to journalism, how faith led him to his dream & the full-circle momen...
Ep 10 Tahera Rahman made history as the first TV reporter to wear a hijab on air in America but the journey took years. People told her that her hijab would prevent her from getting into the business. She proved them wrong.
August 27, 2019 17:37 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBTahera Rahman has always dreamed of being a TV reporter. She had the talent, passion and ability to do the job but even while being a qualified candidate, dozens of News Directors turned her down. There could only be one reason why, she thought: her hijab. Tahera chooses to wear the traditional Muslim head scarf and it was a non-negotiable in her quest to get into TV News. Finally, she got hired as an evening producer working behind the scenes at WHBF-TV but it would take years and applyi...
Ep 09 TV One’s Krystal Franklin talks spending 6 years applying for media jobs & freelancing before she finally got her big break working for radio legend Tom Joyner
August 14, 2019 17:50 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBTV One’s Senior Digital & Social Producer, Krystal Franklin, is the magic behind taking the network's digital platforms to the next level with more than 16 million page views under her watch; but her journey in entertainment media wasn’t easy. It took years to get there. She talks about the journey that ultimately led her to working for Steve Harvey and radio legend Tom Joyner. Listen, subscribe, leave a rating & review. Follow @BecomingStorytellers on Instagram.
Ep 08 NABJ Candidate Spotlight: Marlon Walker
July 29, 2019 15:38 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBGet to know the candidates running for NABJ President! Atlanta Journal Constitution Education Reporter, NABJ VP of Print & candidate for NABJ President, Marlon Walker, talks about why he should be president, changes he will make to improve the organization, the cost of convention, securing sponsorships, holding major media companies accountable for diversity, leadership opportunities for younger journalists, the future of Print Journalism. He also shares his personal story about how he got...
Ep 07 NABJ Candidate Spotlight: Gregory Lee
July 29, 2019 15:32 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBGet to know the candidates running for NABJ President! Senior Managing Editor for The Atlantic, past NABJ President & current candidate for NABJ President, Gregory Lee, talks about why he should be president again, changes he’s made during his tenure & how he plans to build on that, the cost of convention, holding major media companies accountable for diversity, leadership opportunities for younger journalists, the future of Sports Journalism. He also shares his personal story about how he...
Ep 06 NABJ Candidate Spotlight: Dorothy Tucker
July 29, 2019 15:26 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MBGet to know the candidates running for NABJ President! Veteran CBS Chicago Investigative reporter, current NABJ VP of Broadcast & candidate for NABJ President, Dorothy Tucker, talks about why she should be president, changes she will make to improve the organization, the cost of convention, inclusion, holding major media companies accountable, leadership opportunities for younger journalists. She also shares her personal story about how she got her start in the journalism business and drop...
Ep 05 Former TV Reporter Valeria Sistrunk quit her job after it caused her to go into depression, have anxiety & an eating disorder. Therapy saved her life. She shares a powerful message that every journalist needs to hear.
July 13, 2019 13:35 - 29 minutes - 41.2 MBFrom the outside looking in, Valeria Sistrunk had it all. A job as a TV news reporter, talent, drive; but on the inside she was suffering. The toxic newsroom environment and news business in general was affecting her health. She struggled to pay her bills, got denied for food stamps twice, could barely eat and didn’t at the time see therapy as an option (because she’s black and black people don’t do therapy, right? WRONG) A friend encouraged her to go to therapy and it changed her life. ...
Ep 04 Quincy Harris, host of “The Q” on Fox29 Philly & The Quincy Harris Morning Show on 100.3 WRNB talks about the full circle moment of being asked to host his own TV show, how he prepared for it a decade earlier & what’s next.
June 24, 2019 04:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBQuincy Harris, host of “The Q” on Fox29 Philly & The Quincy Harris Morning Show on 100.3 WRNB talks about the full circle moment of being asked to host his own TV show, how he prepared for it a decade earlier, what’s next & his top 3 “Journey Gems.”
Ep 03 ABC Action News Tampa Anchor/Reporter, Jasmine Styles, talks about how she stumbled on journalism, why she chose a job in market #141 over market #11
June 13, 2019 14:21 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MBABC Action News Tampa Anchor/Reporter, Jasmine Styles, talks about how she stumbled on journalism, why she chose a job in market #141 over market #11 , and how she made the 130 market jump to eventually come back around to be an anchor in the 11th market in the country at just 28 years old.
Ep 02 Bay News 9 MMJ Stephanie Claytor talks about pros/cons of working in bureau, balancing family & career, and starting travel blog
June 13, 2019 14:17 - 19 minutes - 27 MBBay News 9 MMJ, Stephanie Claytor, talks about the pros/cons of working in a bureau & rarely seeing her mangers or co-workers, how she balances being a newlywed, new homeowner & MMJ reporter, and why she started her own travel blog BlackTrekking.com
Ep 01 Cleveland 19 News MMJ Reporter/Anchor Sia Nyorkor shares her journey from behind the scenes to on-air & her advice to younger journalists
June 13, 2019 14:06 - 20 minutes - 28.4 MBCleveland 19 News MMJ Reporter/Anchor, Sia Nyorkor, talks about her journey from documentary producer to on-air, her recent promotion & why she never wants to be a full-time anchor, her role as NABJ’s Region II Director and advice to younger journalists.