OWN’s Angela Robinson Shares Advice to Emerging Creatives
Have you heard of The Haves and the Have Nots on OWN? How about the original Broadway production of The Color Purple? Yea, THAT Angela.
TL:DR
🫶How I know Angela (long story short: church)
✨Angela’s words of encouragement ✨ (a ~6 minute long mini podcast)
✏️My advice nuggets to aspiring nonfiction writers and/or journalists✏️
🚨Jobs, Grant, and Networking Opportunities for WOC🚨
Sneak Peek at Bonus Newsletter 👀 (guess who moved to Mexico??)
🫶How I know Angela
Like I said, I met auntie Angela and her amazing husband, uncle Scott, in church back in 2011. At the time I was in high school and was a competitive spoken word artist. Back in the day, I used to compete at a national level for a huge Christian organization for middle school and high school aged kids that would send us all over the continental US called FineArts Festival. 2011 was the last year I competed and the beginning of my family switching churches. Remember when I said there was a particularly scandalous church that “lost” tens of thousands of dollars…yea…we needed to find somewhere else. In our family’s church hunt, we came across a growing church called Metro Community and the pastor found out that I was a spoken word artist. After watching me perform the pastor was like “we gotta get you on stage at Metro” and I was like “aight.” After my first spoken word performance at Metro, I was walking off the stage to find my family and a man approached me and said, word for word, “We need to talk about your future.”
That man was uncle Scott. I had no idea at the time but he and his wife were going to change my life forever.
✨Angela’s words of encouragement ✨
You’re probably going to want to get a pencil and some paper for this one. Notes might be necessary.
Enjoy!
If you want to hear more, she and I had a whole hour long chat a few weeks ago that you can watch and listen to HERE :)
✏️My advice nuggets to aspiring nonfiction writers and/or journalists✏️
Jumping off of Angela’s encouragement: Just start
. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just start.
I made a TikTok that goes into detail about what exactly I mean by that and how you can start off on the right foot, but I want to elaborate more on what I said in that video. There are three things that I considered before I started writing professionally and pitching to publications:
What do I like to write about? What can I write about for days and never get bored?
What do people write about or talk about that people like to listen to/ read? Do they like when I make TikToks about tv and movies? When I write about what I did with my family on the weekends? Etc.
(Arguably the least professional rec out of them all but def helpful for me in narrowing down my options) What kind of free things do you want?
The last one is a question to think about for long term goals. Once you’ve finally become a professional writer –and, by professional, I simply mean that people are paying you for your words– what kind of free things would you like to receive? Most writers have an infinite line of PR packages of different types arriving either at their door or in their inbox. First I said “I want free gym memberships” so I started fitness and wellness writing. That wasn’t quite my jam so I said “I think I want free makeup” so I started beauty writing. Now, I’m saying “I want free trips and food” so I transitioned into travel, food, and wine writing. Once again, it can take a while to get the free stuff but, if you work hard and hone your craft, they will come!
🚨Jobs, Grant, and Networking Opportunities for WOC🚨
Black Founder Startup Grant: $5k to $10k. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Wish Local Empowerment Program: I can’t find a deadline so I think they are also accepting applications on a rolling basis. Up to $5k
Plant Based Vibes is a vegan wellness coach looking to hire a woman of color to be her lead generation virtual assistant! I think this is a 100% remote position. Reach out to her on IG and ask about rates, time commitment, all of that. She seems like a wonderful person and I’d love to be tagged if one of you decides to work with her!
Demetria would like to know if anyone owns/works for a Black-owned bookstore that would be interested in selling her card game, Sing That Sh*t. If you’re interested, please contact her through the website
Lyra Hale is an editor who is looking for Latina/e writers who are interested in film, tv, and/or culture! The rate for quick news posts start at $50 and everything else starts at $100. Sounds like a great way to get your foot in the door, if you’re interested in building your writing portfolio.
If you, or someone you know, wants to share an opportunity or wants to network with my readership, please either comment or send me an email :)
Sneak Peek at Bonus Newsletter 👀
So…I did the thing…I sold my everything and moved to Mexico…also I’m going to be traveling to Oaxaca for Wine Enthusiast in late March AND I’ll be able to interview and feature Black- and Indigenous-women owned businesses in the article! Who’s excited? This lady right here! But first I need to find an apartment lol. I’m currently in the middle of my own real-life episode of House Hunters International.
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