Why I Built an Independent Journalist Blog — And What I’m Creating

Many of you may know me from watching television or following me on social media, but let me fully introduce you to who I am and what I am building.

Why I Created This Website

Have you ever felt like you just don’t fit in? Well, that’s exactly why I created my independent journalist blog. Since I can remember, I have always said I wanted to be on television and be like Charlamagne tha God or Wendy Williams — so I worked hard at becoming that.

My Journey Into Media

In high school, I started my first independent journalist blog where I would post the school drama anonymously to practice my writing. I would stay up late at night watching all the 105.1 The Breakfast Club interviews to study how they asked questions. I would even read articles on Sandra Rose and Paris Hilton — I mean, I was really dedicated. From joining clubs at my high school in Montgomery, AL, to majoring in Communications at Alabama State University.

In 2021, after graduating and posting my very first demo reel on YouTube, I received several calls from news stations offering me my dream job. I remember thanking God and John Walton for giving me the opportunity to tell stories and live out my dream in Baton Rouge, LA, at BRProud.

I went on to do great things at the number one station in Memphis, TN, freelancing in California, and even in my hometown — Montgomery, AL. But if I’m being honest, while I was living my dream, it still did not feel right. I felt like I was being put in a box. Like I was being silenced and shrinking myself to fit their image. It was frustrating and exhausting. It honestly left me second-guessing everything I did. I was constantly being told what to say, how to look, and what to cover. There were countless conversations about the stories I wanted to tell and how they “weren’t” stories, or how my accent wasn’t aligning with the station’s audience — I didn’t know what to do. It felt like if I wasn’t covering crime, saying it how they wanted me to say it, and looking how they wanted me to look — it wasn’t good enough, and I was labeled as hard to work with or aggressive.

What I Hope This Space Becomes

But I thank God and the stations for all of the experiences because they brought me back to the little girl in high school who simply enjoyed writing and informing people about what was going on. And while I won’t be talking about who’s dating who or what happened in the girls’ ballet locker room, I now get to tell the world what’s really important — like politics, health, lifestyle, and so much more — in my own voice.

My goal with this website is to inform and inspire. I believe that if I am curious about something, there is someone out there just as curious — if not more. I am creating a space where I can tell stories that may not always be told on the main screen and where everyone’s voices can be heard. So hopefully, after you leave this website, you will not only learn something, but also see the world not just from your point of view, but from someone else’s — and go into the world more united than divided.