“Gratitude for the Community at Afros and Audio Podcast Festival.”

In my journey into the podcast industry, I have attended well-curated virtual events, conferences, and summits. At the same time, they were all great experiences and a terrific way to network. Unfortunately-pandemic, I often took those meetings and exchanges of energy for granted. Nonetheless, the in-person events ensured a sensation of motivation for me, an intentional connection required for my involvement in the industry. During the Covid -19 pandemic, we had to adjust and learn how to curate significant relationships virtually, which is achievable in any medium; there is nothing like real-life interactive connections. This past weekend attending Afros and Audios solidified the fundamentals of what real-life networking truly represents.

 As a creative and audio professional, it ignited a fire in me! Afros and Audio kicked off their 4th annual festival for Black audio professionals, created by Talib Jasir, who is a kind, creative, and thought leader. The two-day event was set at the beautiful Warwick Rittenhouse Square Hotel in  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Saturday, October 22, 2022, to Sunday, October 23, 2022.

The festival was incredibly organized, with joyful attendees and a vibe like no other. The festival topics range from" How Can Technology Change Podcasting UX? " to "The Art of Strategic Relationships for Black Podcasters”; furthermore, the amount of support from industry veterans like Libsyn, She Podcast, AdsWizz, Simplecast, and Samson to mention a few was just phenomenal.

Additionally, I had the privilege to connect with some of my peers and great podcast leaders like Danielle Desir Corbett founder of WOC Podcasters, TK  Dutes, and Conscious, both creators of TK in the Am and phenomenal producers, and  Akilah Thompkins Robinson, SEO Strategist and podcaster. Other highlights included meeting my podcast virtual peers Latrice Sampson-Richards, a podcast producer making waves in the industry, and Corey Gumbs, Creator of the Black Podcasters Association. Not simply connecting with my peers was exciting; I also met new leaders in the space, which was incredible.

Every attendee was thrilled to be there; the number of smiles and energy was just electric; it reminded me of how much I missed my community and my gratitude for existing in this collective. I appreciate Afros, and the Audio 4th Annual Festival in-person event uplifted me to reflect on our community of Podcasters in NJ and how in-person connections nourish our growth as podcasters.