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Six months ago, I was sick with COVID. Six months ago was my 32nd birthday. I was always one of the people that have looked at the pandemic as a blessing and a curse because there are times where you need to pause. And as an ambitious New Yorker, that did not seem possible. I, thank God, came out on the other side of COVID because it really set things off…
Read moreI met Krista B. through media. My sister Letty was producing a Black Women in Media blogger panel in 2015 for a brand called Daze Summit. I was on the panel representing my blog at the time, Masconsumption, and she was representing the blog Brooklyn Social. On the panel, someone mentioned wrestling, and me and her eyes lit up. It is not often that you meet another black girl your age that loves wrestling as much as I do…
Read moreBy Patricia Rogers | Posted Monday, May 9, 2022
"Wrestling is a love story,” - Cody Rhodes
I am back from Dallas and feeling better than ever. I had the pleasure of going to Texas for WWE Wrestlemania as a part of my women’s wrestling podcast, Those Wrestling Girls.
If I had one word to describe what wrestling fans call “Mania Week” is passion.
When hoards of fans travel to the host city of the biggest wrestling events in the world, the streets are filled with people dressed in t-shirts adorned with their favorite stars, and championship belts.
It is almost like everyone there is buzzing with excitement. There is love in the air because we are all there for the same reason, the love of pro wrestling.
This was the first time my friend and co-host Krista B. and I were able to travel outside of New York for Mania Week. The entire trip was one of firsts, and I can say it was the best weekend of my life. I got to meet a lot of friends that I have known online for years for the first time. Including other black wrestling podcasters, and tastemakers in the industry. We were able to have fun, network, and make unforgettable memories including working out of the press box, floor seats to see my all-time favorite, WWE Hall of Famer and Texas native Stone Cold Steve Austin (TWICE!), and the bonding that took place at the after after-parties.
I am already planning the next trip to Los Angeles, California for 2023.
KIPP AMP School teacher, musician, & Wrestling Club founder Mr. Perry. Okay, his name is Victor but I was introduced to him by my mother as that so for my sister and me, he will always be Mr. Perry.
He is a great sixth-grade teacher and one that many of us wish we had when we were younger. Like myself, he grew up a wrestling fan and there were times that he did not have other people with whom he was able to talk about it. My mother introduced us, and we have been good friends ever since.
I was honored when he sent me his proposal to start a wrestling club in his school, KIPP AMP Brooklyn. Students can come to his classroom on lunch breaks to watch matches and documentaries. After the club was approved by the school he posted pictures and videos of his students enjoying marquee matches and it soon went viral. Everyone praised the young teacher for bringing wrestling to his students, and how fans of all ages and backgrounds wished they had a teacher like Mr. Perry.
Not only were other fans inspired by what Mr. Perry was doing, but so were WWE superstars themselves. It was not long before one of the biggest WWE superstars in the world reached out to Mr. Perry asking to visit his club. She is someone who has had a passion for wrestling since watching WWE for the first time at 10 years old. Sasha Banks had to face many obstacles growing up and has been very vocal about how much wrestling has saved her life and given her a purpose. So I can only imagine what it meant to her to see Mr. Perry’s students enjoying a club like that.
“One day while I was in the middle of class teaching, I got a Twitter notification and I briefly looked and saw that it was from WWE. I had to keep calm while in class and after class, I read the message and saw that Sasha really wanted to come to see The Wrestling Club… Never did I actually think that could happen. From that interaction on we made it happen. I have so much love for WWE for working with me and the school to create such a beautiful moment that will live forever in the lives of my students. I've gotten phone calls, text messages, emails, from students telling me how much it meant to them,” says Victor Perry.
The students lost their minds and were so moved by her visit. Banks answered questions from the kids who were eloquent, respectful, and filled with joy. I think the most memorable part for me was seeing how much it meant to the kids but also what it meant to Sasha Banks. She kept thanking Mr. Perry and the entire moment was genuine and emotional.
He went on to share with me, “Meeting Sasha I realized quickly that she was like the sister I never had. She's so easy to talk to. She was so warm and inviting and you could see the joy all over her face. I think this moment not only meant a lot for my kiddos but it also meant a lot to her. She got to dance and sing to her iconic theme song, answer and give some insightful words of wisdom and take the best photos ever with The Wrestling Club. She's inspiring a whole generation, the future. Not many people can say that! I'm really happy we could make this possible. I hope we can continue to have others stop by and hang out with the kids in the club. I want The Wrestling Club to be the coolest club ever."
Relive the entire experience with me exclusively on Those Wrestling Girls Patreon. Thank you, Sasha Banks, WWE, KIPP AMP Brooklyn, and Mr. Perry for making that moment happen for those kids. Glad I was able to experience that.
The University of Orange, the free-people university and non-profit organization based in Orange, New Jersey is gearing up for its annual music festival this month.
The 6th annual Music City Festival takes place from May 13-15 at eight different outdoor venues around the city. Over 50 musicians will be performing in partnership with the following restaurants: D’3Fold, Reddz Bistro & Grill, Sarrah’s Cafe Trinbago, Inner City Cafe, Four City Brewery, Benji’s Taqueria, and Hat City Kitchen.
Performers include Alexandra & Real Music, Asad & King Sykes, Big Naut, Jazz Millionaire, Paul Lombardo & Juliana Carr, Voices in Harmony, Orange All-City Chorus, Orange Concert Choir, and Mighty Marching Tornadoes.
Music has always been a part of the fabric of Orange, New Jersey. The diversity is showcased at this festival every year bringing the city together in harmony. The festival is sponsored by lead sponsors HANDS Inc., M&T Bank, DAAB Kids, co-sponsors Four City Brewery, NAACP of the Oranges & Maplewood, and Missing Link Music.
You can sign up to volunteer at the University of Orange’s Music City Festival here.
Great Love is Never Easy
Growing as a person and learning lessons in life along the way is probably one of my favorite things about life. It kind of makes it all makes sense to me. One thing that I have learned and accepted for the better is that nothing worth having in life will come easy. And this could not be more true when it comes to love. I don’t know if there is such thing as true love, but I do believe that we all have great loves out there that will strike you like a thunderbolt when you least expect it. It will feel intoxicating, and it will be all-consuming. However, it will not be easy. It will feel big, destructive, exuberant, dangerous, and inescapable.
As a writer, I like to think that the storm great love brings into your life is worth it because great love stories are the best stories. And whether we like it or not, the best stories make us laugh, cry, angry, sad, and happy. In real life, not so much. But I will always say that experiencing love in life is a blessing and believe that it is better to have love and loss than to never have loved at all.
It’s Okay to Rebrand
The tip this week is probably a little hypocritical as I tend to preach about how important branding is. This means your brand’s tone, voice, colors, logos, and even the font. But I learned that social media is always changing and you have to evolve with the ever-changing strategies. I think it is important to find the balance between trying new things to see what works and also keeping up the brand loyalty you have built with your followers and listeners.
These tips are for those who have not gone to college for social media marketing but for those who are creative up-starts and were brave enough to utilize the free tools at our disposal to start their own brands and companies. We are real people, we change our minds, and a lot of creative fields are fluid. Think about fashion, every year the new It color or fit or length changes with the times. And I think the way we approach social media marketing with our brands should be the same thing.
So if in your soul, or during a meditation you want to change your logo from yellow to pink or want to start featuring different guests on your show to cater to different communities. This is okay because we all change. That is what is exciting about life.
By Patricia Rogers | Posted Saturday, May 1, 2021
WELCOME BACK!
I am back for the 2nd edition, and guess what? It will only get better! I have gotten such amazing feedback, and am excited to keep going.
This edition is dedicated to the memory of DMX. I grew up listening to his music and his tragic story always had an effect on me, and I always prayed that he would eventually overcome his demons. We love you X, thank you for what you brought to the world. He was such a talented artist who touched many.
And congratulations to the University of Orange and HUUB for getting the grant for the Ben Jones Community Garden.
Welcome back to Words with PR! Powered by Jersey Indie.
Words with PR is a bi-monthly lifestyle blog where I share a short interview, recommendations, marketing tips, and everything in between!
Some of you may already know Krista B. She is my co host for our women’s wrestling podcast Those Wrestling Girls. But like myself, she has a lot more going on than that. I met Krista when we were both writing for and was featured on a bloggers panel.
We soon found out we both loved wrestling, and the rest was history. She is also a writer, video producer, media specialist at Hot 97, and so much more.
She owns the brand Unapologetically Eclectic (UE) “a website created as an outlet to let readers know who I am and things that I love. It includes news and entertainment from all aspects and genres as well as interviews from people from all walks of life.” says Krista.
Earlier this month, Krista hosted the very first event powered by UE. A female driven brunch and panel called, “Take Up Your Space, Sis”.
The brunch event was “inspired by all of the dope women that I know who are really taking up their spaces without being afraid to do so.”
The phrase ‘taking up space’ means commanding the metaphorical room you are in and being unapologetic about the value you are bringing to the table. A powerful message, and one that black women are taking seriously.
“The brunch was amazing. It was very informative and inspiring to everyone who attended.” says Krista B. She hosted a panel of women featuring brand manager Asia Golden and Avery Watson who works as an entrepreneur in public relations. The two women spoke on what it is commanding spaces in your respective fields, what advice they would give to others who are trying to make it and what motivates them to keep going.
Krista B. is known for living unapologetically and always supporting Black women. In addition to UE she is a media specialist at Hot 97. She often writes about black culture and even the Black Girl Magic in WWE.
How she describes herself: “I am a very eclectic person. I try to be real and honest not only to other people but also to myself. I’m passionate about what I do and I wear many hats. I am a journalist, a podcast host, producer, and so much more.”
Check out the video recap from the “Take Up Your Space, Sis” brunch and pictures. Also follow Unapologetically Eclectic!
Staycations!
I have had reasons in the past to take Staycations, booking a hotel room in New York City or New Jersey and getting away for a couple days.
I sort of abandoned them once I moved back into my own apartment in 2019, but due to the pandemic and new people in my life, Staycations have returned.
Not sure what anyone’s budget is, but I do know that the quarantine has not been easy on any of us. Some of us were forced to stay home with family,or people they normally would not have but had to comply with government regulations.
And let’s just face it, after a while you need to just get away. New scenery, walls, and just waking up in a room that is not the same room you have grown used to over the past year. So I say, plan ahead in the next three months, the sooner ahead you book a hotel room, (the cheaper it is).
It can be in your same city to a nearby city to cut transportation costs, and just spend a night or two away. I promise, you will not regret it. Just make sure that you and the hotel are practicing all the right protocols to protect guests from COVID.
The WeWork Story!
I am obsessed with the rise and fall stories of business and industries. And one story has caught my attention over the past few months and that is the extraordinary tale of the co-working company WeWork and its founder Adam Newman.
My fascination with this story is layered, and has a lot more to do than just my love of business stories. I worked at a startup and very close to its founder for two years. And it was one of the most bizarre experiences I have ever been a part of.
I could not help but watch the recent Hulu documentary, and feel triggered by a few things. One, is knowing the feeling of working at a growing company and believing the hype and the kool aid. Believing that you are being underpaid to work overtime hours for this shared goal. And us all reaching that goal meant having equity and making millions of dollars.
Needless to say, I did not make millions, and I am not sure what ended up happening to that company. But the story of the founder Adam Newman, his wife, the blank check given to Newman from one of the prominent investors in the world, the roller coaster that was WeWork’s rise and fall is one you just have to watch.
Streaming from Hulu, and let me know if you want me to write about my experience working at a wellness start up company.
I read somewhere that it is possible for people’s personality to change after being in quarantine.
I found that interesting and it caused me to reflect.
Just like everyone in the world the pandemic was not easy one me.
However, it did put me in a position to grow as a person, which in turn grew the brands that I work with.
Being a podcaster, and having an online presence is important. The more you put yourself out there, usually the greater the return.
Most people don’t know that I am actually a shy and introverted person, so sometimes believe it or not, this is not easy for me.
I remember how nervous I would get before we recorded every episode, or how terrifying it was to go live on social media.
When everything closed down here in New York City, including our podcast studio, it forced us to find new ways to record and engage our audience.
During last summer the ‘don't rush’ challenge went viral, which saw women look bad, and then are thrown a makeup brush and their look turns glamorous.
A lot of these viral challenges happened in 2020 because people were bored at home with not much to do.
The one that caught my eye was one that was done by a group of female wrestling influencers, and suddenly I got FOMO.
That is when I realized, I need to put myself out there more. I already have people who listen to the podcast and support me,
Get out of your comfort zone...learned during quarantine
Sometimes social media can be toxic but sometimes it can connect you to some amazing people. One of those people is Shanitra, who is a women’s wrestling fan but also a basketball coach who enjoys basketball.
She is currently a writer/reporter for Queen Ballers. When talking to Shanitra about her new gig.
Queen Ballers is “a club founded to grow the love for lady hoopers and invested in lifting up women, by giving our queens the spotlight they deserve.”
Her and team over at QB are preparing to create tons of content as they join WNBA in celebrating the organization’s 25th anniversary. “I look forward to writing more articles about WNBA players and providing information about them on and off the court. Basketball is not all they do!”
Similar to my brand Those Wrestling Girls, QB is also “a platform to showcase female athletes” and it is “very important because for some reason the media does not feel that women athletes generate any revenue and no one cares about female athletes.” says Shanitra.
She went on to talk about her own background with basketball, “My history with basketball runs deep since I was a kid, I would play with my older cousins and that is when I fell in love.” She
played the sport in middle school, high school, and college. She became a coach after abandoning her dream of being in the WNBA.
Say hi to Shanitra on Twitter and make sure you check out the Queen Ballers website.
Hashtags! I can not think of an easier way to market yourself and your brand on social media. I can not even begin to tell you how much growth my partner and I have seen using them. It is a way to get people out there who are searching for what your brand offers to find you.
I suggest you use 5-10 relevant hashtags. Everything from super general, all the way to specific words. Put the block of hashtags in the comments on Instagram, or underneath the text on Twitter.
Look on TWG Instagram for an example:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgXQk7pu6d/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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