Black In The City

Two women representing the podcast scene is more than what we can ask for, especially for National Women’s Month!! Looking for an amazing podcast to get you through your day? Want to listen to people and content that you can relate to? Well we have just the right podcast for you! Meet Makeda Hope-Crichlow and Sierra Stewart, the BOSS LADIES of Black in the City with Makeda & Sierra!

Makeda is a first generation immigrant from Barbados, and moved from Denver, CO to her current residence in Seattle, WA. She works as a business consultant and supports Microsoft clients. Sierra was born in Oceanside, CA and raised in Tacoma, WA. She works in Higher Education for the College of the Environment at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. With both ladies having their family as their daily motivation, it’s no wonder why these two ladies are making BOSS MOVES on the podcast scene!

So, what prompted the podcast creation of Black in the City with Makeda & Sierra? Thanks to their producer Mia Francois, Makeda and Sierra were chosen to carry out an amazing vision. Black in the City had its initial launch on August 22, 2017, with its focus being current events in politics, social media, and all other areas that are relevant to their lives – as well as what they think will be relevant to the lives of their audience; all from the perspective of two young black women! (BOSS STATUS)

“We chose our content because we thought there was a lack of black women voices that speak to both current events and what’s ‘gossipy’ on the same platform. You typically see one or the other, but it’s just so much fun when you combine the two.”

Black in the City with Makeda & Sierra audience is 60% women and 40% men, and Makeda and Sierra do all that they can to make men feel included!

“We at first thought our audience would only be women, but that is not the case at all. We do what we can to make the men feel included by catering episodes directly to them, or we find other ways of making sure they feel connected to us and our content.”

In the beginning, Makeda and Sierra faced the challenge of learning how to do the podcast, but this challenge was short lived!

“We didn’t really practice before our first episode, so there was a lot of trial and error, as well as learning our audience and what they relate to the most – which then leads to increased listenership and other opportunities.”

“We are our unique, whole selves, we don’t hold back, we say what we feel and mean what we say—and you can lose a lot of that when you are huge. We want to be able to continue to break down complex societal issues in a way that our listeners can understand, and still make it relatable, and funny—Sierra literally has all the jokes. Our podcast is vital to the world and our community ‘cause we are original!“

Makeda and Sierra hope to empower others, and be a beacon of light for others who want to pursue their dreams without fear. Both ladies feel that there isn’t a reason why people shouldn’t be doing what they love, no matter what that is.

“We want to help people stay plugged in, get involved in their communities, and stay present, as it can feel much better to unplug when we’re continuously seeing such negative information in the media. We hope that we are able to get people to invest in themselves, and in the people around them.”

Makeda and Sierra’s ultimate goal for their podcast is to become a recognizable household name in their city, build relationships and collaborate with other local people to help create opportunities for others to reach their goals while they reach theirs! Both ladies plan to continue to grow their platform, and use it for the good. Though they have not reached their goals yet, these phenomenal ladies are committed and get closer to their goals each week, as their goal is continuous!

Not only do Makeda and Sierra host a podcast, they also host local events of their own, so they try to stay #bookedandbusy and are always looking to collaborate whenever they can. On every episode, they shout out local artists, businesses, upcoming events, and more, so that they can help everyone stay plugged in to what’s going on in their city. These ladies are consistent, and truly committed to their podcast! (BOOM!)

If you’re interested in starting your own podcast, Makeda and Sierra has the following advice:

“Consistency is key. Even if you think no one is listening, KEEP PUTTING YOUR WORK OUT THERE. Someone is watching, listening, loving your art. Secondly, be okay with the fact that everyone will not like your podcast, and people may not agree with you—but that’s the fun. Don’t take it personally.”

“We spend so much of our personal and free time on this project, and the only thing that drives us is our love for this podcast. We’ve been so consistent that we are regularly recognized and regularly asked to do events, which is still so crazy to us! So just knowing that people are really listening means the world to us both.”

You can listen to Black in the City with Makeda & Sierra at:

Instagram & Twitter: @blackincitypod

Make sure you check out their sponsor Broken Kids Brand. They bring awareness to mental health in the urban community: https://brokenkidsbrand.com/products/black-in-the-city-hoodie

You can keep up with Makeda and Sierra on social media at:

Makeda Personal Twitter & Snapchat: @Makee_Duhhhh

Makeda Personal Instagram: @bajan_baddie

Sierra Personal Twitter: @Sierra_Leone2

Sierra Personal Instagram: @sierra2leone

 

Makeda and Sierra have these final words for our readers:

Stay Black. Stay Alive. Stay Moisturized.