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Writer's pictureAbrienne Smith

My Experience at the Black Girls in Media Conference

Black Girls in Media is an organization founded in 2018 by Tasha McCaskiel with the goal of amplifying and uplifting the voices of black women within the white dominated media space. For the third year in a row, Black Girls in Media hosted a conference, this time in New York City, on August 24th.

The day was full of panels that featured media powerhouses such as culture editor at Teen Vogue Katilyn McNab, CBS TV personality Jasmine Monroe, filmmaker Jazmin Jones, and Managing Director and Principal Publicist of Chambers Media Solutions Tenille Clarke. Guests also had the opportunity to meet with people like Director of Talent Acquisition for Paramount, Niketa Eason, Associate Talent Manager at Condé Nast, Qieara Lesesne, and on air radio personality Tai Perkins for one on one office hours.

I will start off by saying that this was an amazing event. The atmosphere was so welcoming and it was nothing but refreshing to meet and network with all these black women with the same goals and aspirations as me. The panels allowed even a media novice to get an inside look into what working in the world of media is like as a black women/fem presenting person and several of the speakers emphasized the importance of forging your own path and staying authentic to who you are as those two things will get you where you want to go. Sticking up for oneself also had an important place in the conversation as these women wanted to prepare us for rejection and redirection from higher ups that may want us to compromise the very authenticity that might get us a job elsewhere.

I had the opportunity to talk to the wonderful Qieara Lesesne, to whom I expressed my fears of being boxed into one location because of my career aspirations. Through her encouragement and reassurance as well as her insistence on redefining my definition of “breaking in” to the industry, I left our conversation with a weight lifted off my shoulders and a new fire lit under me. She encouraged me to chase my passions even if I didn’t reach my dream company right away. “A more experienced candidate has more stories to tell,” she said.

Being a screenwriting major at Ithaca College, I have never felt worse imposter syndrome than I do at school. That is only amplified being a black woman and not seeing many people that look like me making it to where I want to be. There are so many talented people that I feel like I not only have to compete against but catch up to. It was really encouraging for me as an aspiring filmmaker to know that all of these women are rooting for me and want to help me succeed. I met so many other people in my position that were supportive and willing to help each other meet their goals. If nothing else, this event is a confidence booster. I know now that I am in the right place, doing the right and all that I can to reach my dreams. If no one else, I have myself to rely on to make my own opportunities and ensure my own success.

At the conference, I heard several attendees express that they felt right at home with their newfound sisters and I couldn’t agree more. I think all aspiring black women in media should have the opportunity to attend this wonderfully put together event. My only complaint is the price of the tickets which were about $260 each. Black Girls in Media is a business and it is someone’s passion so I would never question the prices someone puts on their hard work. At the same time, there are likely dozens of women across the country who cannot make the leap over this paywall. With the more this conference grows, I can only hope that Black Girls in Media evolves to include the sisters of all price points and budgets.


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