Black Women in Radio are Front and Center

ATLANTA, Georgia May 29—–When Felesha Love kicked off the Black Women in Radio (BWIR) marketing campaign in 2017, she had no idea of the overwhelming support and impact this campaign would have on this interconnected group of women. Love is media veteran with over 30 years of experience in the radio industry. She is using that experience to help change the perception of Black women in radio and forcing the industry to give them the credit they have earned and deserved for their contributions for which many have been overlooked and excluded. That is the primary goal of BWIR.

Since its inception, BWIR has been on an aggressive marketing campaign highlighting women who contribute to radio using industry-specific highlights, feature stories, Influencers of the Month, and Podcast to celebrate the countless women in radio, many of whom have never been recognized for their work. 

“The BWIR platform exists to tell the story of contributors and influencers that impact our culture and to inspire others to enter media arts,” said Felesha Love, Founder of BWIR.

Love has been able to connect women all over the U.S., and abroad of all age ranges and levels of experience in the industry. This effort has proven to be quite effective and most appreciated as many of the women on the BWIR platforms did not previously know each other. 

The BWIR “A Decade of the New Woman” Luncheon in Atl, Ga. Feb. 2020

BWIR has an elite of board of strong and progressive women, some who are also radio veterans and others who are not. BWIR has secured several media partners including 91.9 FM WCLK, WAOK 1380 AM, and Davis Broadcasting, who support the agenda of promoting BWIR. 

In addition to her significant contributions to radio, Love is also an educator and author.  She is a former professor at Spelman College, where she developed a wellness pedagogy that is devoted to addressing Mind, Body, Spirit Wellness and helping people build and nurture healthier relationships. She also established MySpiritFitness Management Group, which produces positive content for broadcast and digital media including her “Two Minute Manager Shows,” the “Felesha Love Show”, and now the BWIR podcast.

She is the author of “Brave Leap to Freedom: Integrating Mind Body and Spirit to Cultivate Healthy Relationships,” for which she facilitated national book tours and workshops.

 These accomplishments only solidify her efforts to strengthen the roles of Black women in radio. Through her own personal research, she noticed the disparities of Black women in the industry, which made her determined to remove Black women from the shadows and shine a light so bright that history can no longer ignore them. 

“Our purpose is not to compete with other women’s organizations, but strictly to make the invisible, visible and change the perception of how Black women are viewed,” said Love.

The BWIR marketing campaign has garnered some 2200 organic Instagram followers whose core audience includes C-suite executives, radio station owners, program director, and radio personalities who contribute content for their marketing campaign and website. 

“God bless you and this movement. It is well needed. I thank God for placing it on you heart and continue to rock with. I feel like its right up there with other movements Black Lives Matter, Black Girls Rock, Women in Radio, baby,” said Courtney Hicks, veteran radio personality and current morning anchor/host of Fox 54 in Augusta, Ga. 

Several board members of BWIR have participated in discussions at several universities and have been invited to speak at the Library of Congress in a panel discussion on the state of black radio in 2021.

Black Women in Radio is an organization dedicated to the inclusion and celebration of Black women in the radio industry.