The Atlanta Cultural Exchange highlights the impact of the city’s most influential women in media

The Atlanta Cultural Exchange, the month-long immersive platform taking place alongside the FIFA World Cup, continues to host engaging discussions and panels on music, art, business, and culture at the CTR (the former CNN Center). On Monday afternoon, the platform featured a panel titled “Unapologetically Influential: The Women Who Defined Atlanta’s Media Culture,” which honored women whose voices, leadership, and platforms have shaped Atlanta’s media landscape across generations, including the award-winning The Atlanta Voice publisher Janis Ware. 

Ware was joined by award-winning journalist and news anchor Monica Pearson; Atlanta radio legend Joyce Littel; multi-media personality Rashan Ali; and media strategist and culture critic Dawn Montgomery. The panel was moderated by TV and radio personality Liz Smith, who asked the women questions about their careers, challenges, and the importance of influence over success. 

Nearly 50 years after deciding to work for her father, J. Lowell Ware, the co-founder of The Atlanta Voice newspaper, Janis Ware has continued his mission of amplifying Black voices and stories across generations.  

“I can’t count the number of people who have crossed through the doors and who work with us,” Ware told the audience. “It’s important for us to be influential, to be powerful, and to reach back and help other young people. The fact is that the road is a little rockier today in the news industry, so we just have to pray that we can continue to make certain our stories are heard and that they remain relevant in this environment.”

Pearson and Littel, who have collectively spent close to 40 years in the media industry, reminisced about the glass ceilings they had to break in their career journeys, from being the first female and minority evening news anchor at WSB-TV to navigating a male-dominated industry and being the first female to host V-103’s “The Quiet Storm.” 

“That’s the thing about moving to Atlanta, particularly way back then. 52 years ago, the city was growing, and it provided an opportunity for women, and particularly Black women on air to change the story, and that was important,” Pearson said. “Because when I look at the number of women who are now on the air, you just take it for granted.”

They were candid about the struggles they’ve faced, from workplace discrimination and public scrutiny to battling emotions, making hard decisions for the betterment of their company, and balancing motherhood with the fear and reality of losing their job. But the women also took the opportunity to impart wisdom to the audience, encouraging them to seek advice from veteran journalists, diversify their skill sets, and stand firm in who they are and in their values. 

“I guess my hair’s too gray, I’m too old to tell you something, but I should be able to tell you something, because I’m still in it. 42 years in, and I don’t play, so I just need for our younger audience and people to know that yes, this is a digital world, and you are influencers, but we are too,” Littel said. “And maybe we can help you go through some spaces that you might not have to go through because you asked us about it.”

The post The Atlanta Cultural Exchange highlights the impact of the city’s most influential women in media appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.