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news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog · 6 years

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Jouelzy is here to talk — and whether you're a #SmartBrownGirl or not, you should listen

This piece is part of an ongoing series exploring what it means to be a woman on the internet.

In early May, Kanye West said something that made the nation groan — again.

“When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?! That sounds like a choice," he bellowed, voice echoing across the walls of the TMZ offices and broadcast on social media timelines. Fans were in an uproar, loyalists stood by the erratic remarks from their hero, while hip hop analysts argued the implications of a pioneer’s words.

Two months later, a vlogger who goes by the name Jouelzy uploaded a video to YouTube that shared a little over 10 minutes of discussion about West’s charged comments. That is a long time to wait before producing content that’s riffing off of a viral moment. Just think of how quickly we all cycle through challenges or memes online, and the insane speed at which we move on to the next big thing.

But that is the beauty of the work that Jouelzy, 33, has consistently churned out to viewers over the years.

SEE ALSO: The unstoppable Molly Burke: A day in the life of a blind YouTuber

Today, Jouelzy is as synonymous with her compelling videos on YouTube as she is with the hashtag #SmartBrownGirl, a movement she began to encompass the critical content she produces. At first glance, it seems like a rallying cry — perhaps akin to CaShawn Thompson's #BlackGirlMagic. But while it evokes a similar sentiment, it has also become a space for a community Jouelzy ushered. It's created space for folks that might not have felt comfortable or accepted in other corners of the internet, and for people craving brash and critical dialogue in a wild, wild web of underwhelming takes.

Before there was an official hashtag to align with her content, smart brown girls were always at the forefront of her work. “I was just talking to myself in the beginning,” she explained, and talking to herself attracted others similar to her, birthing a strong movement on social media built of “smart brown girls” and others.

“[#SmartBrownGirl] was initially to start a conversation and just to be able to work through things that I was going through myself and to see myself represented,” she explained. “Now it’s more so that I want to encourage a critical dialogue and critical thought because I realized so much of what we consume on social media and in media in general in our day to day is very surface, shallow content.”

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With each upload, Jouelzy tackles the many conversations of the moment but her conversational approach is wrapped in a blanket of time and care that is invaluable. By the time a video of hers lands on your screen, the viral moment may have passed, but the nuanced discussion that matters is still going strong in cultural conversations — and Jouelzy’s strength is giving viewers the tools to understand the context from her perspective around what exactly is going on in this complicated world we live in.

Nowadays the Texan is a YouTube Creator for Change and member of a Google cohort focused on public policy, but like many of us who grew up in the generation of influencer, Jouelzy — who keeps her legal name to herself — just wanted free weaves at the beginning.

While she held down a job in advertising, and in the midst of applying for a masters degree in business administration, she did what many with access to the internet and a camera have done. She uploaded her first video in 2010 and after some time doing the tutorials, things began to mold into a more concrete path that just worked for her.

“I just was dealing with a lot of ways in which the world was trying to box me in and tell me who I needed to be in order to be respected,” she explained, recounting the shift between making those hair videos and transforming her channel into a burgeoning hot spot for nuanced conversations. “I was having a hard time with it because I didn’t want to sand down to fit into a perfect little box of what it means to be a respectable black woman in ways that other people don’t have to sand themselves down.”

There’s also the harsh reality about the toll that being a woman, particularly a black woman can bring, and while we witness that manifest in real life, it also impacts those online.

“I was watching my Facebook timeline change,” Jouelzy said, recalling the months well before the 2016 U.S. presidential election. "I think in 2015, I saw someone tweet “Hillary, if I have to,” she said. “I thought this was fascinating, and then watching that thought process be manipulated by outlets to sway perceptions amongst black women.”

It was that shift, coupled with the desire to dive deeper into conversations that platforms like Twitter or Instagram limited, that propelled her to do the work that’s resulted in hundreds of videos. Those videos, whether about celebrities or racial discourse, offer up another way to consume the news — but from a friend who is willing to go there, all while having the insight to understand how exactly millennials consume news.

“I think it’s becoming really dangerous, the fact that we have this mass access to information and a lot of us don’t know how to consume that in relation that’s actually productive and honest and able to verify the correct sources to pull things from,” she said.

News consumption has changed over the years. According to a study conducted by the American Press Institute, millennials, as compared to their boomer predecessors, are often exposed to even more diverse stories because of the various means from which they get their news — including everything from Twitter to group text messages. The same study, which surveyed over 1,000 people on the phone and in-person between the ages of 18 and 34, also suggests that 83 percent of millennials use YouTube to get their news.

Constant attacks on the press from the White House and a headline-skimming culture (thanks to the ubiquitous presence of social media timelines) are just a few of the problems facing new and traditional media. And considering most newsrooms are overwhelmingly white, a perspective from a middle-class, college-educated black woman who is not affiliated with a major media organization makes her point of view even more critical. But for Jouelzy, it’s more important now than ever to, in her words, “not tell people what to think but encourage people to think.”

And she does exactly that — in an entertaining fashion.

If you wander over to her YouTube channel, you'll find some videos dubbed "Get Ready With Me" — they are like makeup tutorials with a social impact twist and show Jouelzy vulnerable and open on camera as she prepares for the day. Others, like a series called "Pop Snark," are specifically devoted to the latest news in pop culture. There are also reviews of shows like Insecure, a series called #Blessed, and videos tackling the topics on everyone’s minds. The common thread is a hilarious and accessible way of understanding why something is happening, not just that it’s happening.

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“We tend to have a binary thought process, everyone tends to talk like they have the answer,” Jouelzy explained. “I think the more that I’ve gotten into trying to hold these conversations for my smart brown girl audience about things around societal issues that we deal with, the way we are using pop culture, the way pop culture intersects with political history, and how we view each other or even how capitalism impacts our life, [the more] I try to step away from trying to give the answer on things or act like I have the solution or that correct way of thinking because you’re just going to end up tripping yourself up,” she said.

“The internet has its way of doing that to women who inhabit its corridors,” Jouelzy said. Despite her lack of inhibition when it came to launching her YouTube channel in the beginning, there’s still a lot she keeps offline. “It went decently from the beginning, but I think the more that I’ve gotten into this and the more that I’ve been vulnerable and talking about things that were more intimate to myself that I have picked up some weird insecurities,” she explained. “Now I’m more cognizant of the fact that people don’t like me and beforehand, I wasn’t.”

But people do like her. A lot of people. She has nearly 175,000 subscribers.

"I was never that great with school or in a classroom setting," Dante Dcasso, a fan, said over email. "Jouelzy has a way of keeping me intrigued and wanting to learn more about certain topics when it comes to politics, race, women’s history, etc. I love that I can watch a video about a Kardashian, but also get a lesson," he explained. "She comes off as relatable and I trust her."

Dcasso found her work randomly on YouTube but since then, has remained an avid viewer after being touched by her discussions around mental health. "I remember immediately binge watching her past content. I wanted to get to know her and I wanted to put everyone on. Jouelzy is the older black sister that I never had," Dcasso explained.

An older black sister whose goals are to bring the #SmartBrownGirl movement everywhere.

Jouelzy's working on a top-secret podcast, continuing writing, and trying to make her way to television screens as a commentator. She credits YouTube for being an "equalizer" that has brought support and access and is now helping her actualize bigger dreams — but there's no doubt that like her work in the past, she'll take us all along with her.

WATCH: The first queen of 'Medieval Times' is ushering in a new era of representation

#_author:Martha Tesema #_category:yct:001000002 #_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL #_uuid:c211ace9-6f95-3dbf-9a31-f9e6f0a16a08 #_revsp:news.mashable

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podcastcoach · 6 years

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The Power of Your Knowing Your Why

Because of My Podcast: Free Tickets

2:00

Brad from the Cinema Guys ( www.wearethecinemaguys.com ) explains how he was approached by a small local Cinema Chain who listens to his podcast. Brad worked a deal that enables him to get tickets to movies. Brad (being the cool guy he is) is using them as a give away for his audience. He has also worked to do a screening of Brad's all-time favorite horror movie, "John Carpenter's The Thing." They get to introduce the movie and then do a Q&A afterward.

Earn Money Referring People to the School of Podcasting

7:20

As a podcaster, people may approach you about how you started your show. You may be thinking of creating an online course, or an ebook. Instead of spending all that time and resources, you can signup to be a School of Podcasting affiliate and earn a commission when they subscribe and also for every month when they stay subscribed. For more information go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/affiliates

Why Knowing Your Why Matters

8:00

It keeps you focused. You are no longer distracted by things that don't help you achieve your goal.

If you know why you're doing something, you can see the results clearer. This enables you to spot the small victories that then motivate you to keep going.

It is then the motivation that enables you to try again.

When another small victory comes along, you get another dose of motivation, and a pinch of this thing called confidence.

How My "Why" Gave Me Super Powers

I had been wanting to lose weight, and over the last year, I have been going up and down. I would get down to maybe 218 lbs, and then go up to 221 or 222. I wanted to get up and go to the gym in the morning. I knew to drink lots of water, and get plenty of sleep. I knew what to do. However, when I listed my priorities I wrote down things like rewriting my book More Podcast Money, I needed to update some tutorials at the School of Podcasting, and take a class on SEO. Nowhere in there is anything about my health. That's when I realized why I wasn't losing weight. It simply was not a priority.

I got a call from letting me know that I was being inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame. The minute I hung up the phone, I said out loud, "Well somebody's getting up early tomorrow." While it is somewhat weird, as I normally try not to care what people think of me, I knew there would be lots of pictures. I even hired a photographer to take pictures during my presentation. Suddenly, like a light switch, I had willpower. I had focus. I had a purpose. No longer did I need to watch TV. I realized that most of the taped TV shows I use to watch rarely delivered any real value. I could take that time and use it at the gym, or walk around, or cook healthy food, and THAT would deliver value to my goal of losing weight.

When You Know Your Why You Can Make it Through the How

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born.– Mark Twain

Apple Podcasts hits 550,000 Podcasts

I listened to my first episode, and in it, I mention in April of 2005, there were maybe "4000" podcasts. This article says in 2005 there were 3000 podcats, now there are 550,000 and according to this TechCrunch article, there have been Fifty billion episodes have been streamed/downloaded since launch. The new numbers include 18.5 million individual episodes representing 155 countries, in more than 100 languages.

So in 2005 when I was explaining to people how cool podcasting was, and how awesome it was that you could "teel the software to watch this site" (better known today as a subscription) and that you didn't ' need a Mac, and you didn't need an iPod to listen. IT WAS PAINFUL as many people just didn't get it (it took a while for me to get it). But I knew the potential power of podcasting, and I had quit listening to radio, and I wanted people to experience the same joy I had found. It didn't seem hard because if I helped ONE person understand and start listening to podcasts, and I had ONE more person to talk about Dawn and Drew with, it was worth my time and effort.

When you know you're why the "work" doesn't seem like work. It just seems like something you do. When I first started playing the guitar it was BRUTALLY PAINFUL, but I knew I wanted to play. I wanted to be like my brother (who played) and so the pain wasn't so bad. I knew it was temporary, and I could make it through the how.

My "Whys"

I get to help people (my background is in training. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Education specializing in Technical Education from the University of Akron)

It's creative (my hobbies are music, writing, photography, poetry).

It's geeky (I get to play with software to build websites, track downloads, and more)

I get to leave a very small fingerprint on the planet. Neither of my marriages produced any children. The word "Legacy" seems a bit much, but you get my point.

I am meeting and creating great friends.

It's helping me to pay off my student loans

If I lost my job today, I would have a cushion of money coming to tie me over (and in reality, I would probably be able to the School of Podcasting Ful time)

I'm not sure what I would do with my free time if I didn't.

Your Why's Might Be:

Share your knowledge

Get your message out out

Promote a business

Stay connected to friends and family

Be seen as an expert

Open the door to possibilities

Find like-minded people

Inner office company communication

Educate

Entertain

Getting the Motivation To Start

I just listened to a great episode of the You Wanna Do What? Podcast by Monica Rivera where she interviewed Jeff Haden about motivation. It was a really good interview and had some great insights into motivation. Including:

You only need enough motivation to start. If you set small achievable goals, those "little wins" give you the motivation to try again and keep moving. So some examples of small achievable goals my be

Buying your equipment

Plugging everything in and making your first recording

Getting your artwork

Publishing your first episode

Syndicating to Apple, Stitcher, etc

Getting 10 downloads for an episode

Getting 50 downloads an episode

When accomplishing these little milestones, it feeds your motivation to keep going.

25:10

Brenda from My Tech Toolbelt explain how her kids are grown, and while she is thankful for her job, it can be kind of boring, and she is podcasting because she enjoys learning. Yes, there is a lot to learn but as she put it, "It's fun. It's exciting, and I've already got two press passes (to be continued)"

27:37

Jim Collison from The Average Guy Network (and my Co-host for Ask the Podcast Coach) is a lot like me. We both love being around people, we both love helping people. We both like to talk and to influence people to help them do things.

The #1 Killer of Motivation and Why Podcasting is Like Golf

30;03

There is a reason that employees at companies are strongly urged not to share their income amount with other employees. If two people share that information, one person is leaving that meeting upset. So when people share how many downloads they get in a Facebook group, and their numbers are three times as many as you, ignore it and instead of focusing on their numbers, focus on your audience and how you can serve them.

If two golfers shared their scores, someone is going to think, "WHAT?! How is that person better than me? Well, there are a number of factors:

Better equipment

More experience

Better coaching

Better attitude

More athletic

More time to practice

So if you came to me and said, "I can't believe they are better than me! And I answered:

Your sound quality is very distracting

You have half as many episodes

They have a completely different niche

They have more time to promote their show

They have a budget to market your show and you don't

They have no children and you have five

They went to the School of Podcasting and you watched outdated YouTube Videos

Wouldn't you be able to see why someone might be getting more downloads than you (and keep in mind, there are more ways to measure podcast success than downloads).

So unless you want to detail your podcast DON'T COMPARE YOUR SHOW TO OTHER PODCASTS.

Heli PR77D Microphone Shootout

35:02

The Heil PR77D is basically a Heil PR40 with a bass roll-off switch, and something that will look very cool in any videos. It comes in black and purple and retails for $249 where the Heil PR40 is $308. You will hear these with my mic preamp the DBX 286 $199 off during the shootout.

In today's shootout, I compare it to an

Electrovoice RE320 $299

Audio Technica AT2005 $79,

Audio Technica BP40 $349,

Blue Yeti $129

The Heil PR77D has that traditional warm Heil Sound. When I switched it voice mode (which cuts out frequencies below 120Hz) it seems a little too clear for my voice). It comes with a nice black velvet bag to keep it in. It's a very sturdy microphone, and I love the retro look.

Of the microphones above, the only one I steer people away from is the Blue Yeti unless you PROMISE to read the manual, buy an over-priced pop filter, and use it on a boom arm. I personally use the Electrovoice RE320, but I liked the warmth of all the Heil Microphones and I need to play with it a little more to see how the proximity effect is (if it has more bass when you get close to it). The rear rejection seemed about as good as the other microphones.

Where Will I Be?

42:07

Catch me speaking at Podcast Movement July 23-26 in Philadelphia PA (and being inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame )

I will also be speaking at Podcast Midatlantic in September in Philadelphia PA

Ready to Start a Podcast?

One on one consulting

Podcast Reviews

Online Courses

Mentoring Programs

www.schoolofpodcasting.com/workwithme

The Question of the Month

As a podcast listener, do you look at Show notes? If so, what do you want to see in show notes? I need your answers by 6/22 go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact

if you email me from that page, please put "June Question" in the title of the email. You can also call 888-563-3228 (be sure to mention your podcast)

Check out this episode!

#podcasting #podcast #coaching #new media

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