Your Custom Text Here
I talk about being aware of your mental and emotional selves a lot on my blog. I wish I was better at taking my own advice, I give really good advice guys, but please make sure you find joy in what can seem like trying times. I also want to stress to take it easy on people and be patient. Primarily if, like me, you work with and deal with people and different personalities every day…
Read more
By Patricia Rogers | Posted Sunday, August 1, 2021
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about happiness. I read somewhere that it is not a destination, that happiness is an ongoing journey. But for some reason, it has been feeling like a battle. There are so many aspects of life that lead to this pursuit. There is your personal/social life, physical/mental health, professional, and family. I can go on and on. This is why it is important to take care of yourself from the inside and out. Is there peace and happiness in your orbit?
I met Mike, aka Nisho, via social media when he joined our wrestling Twitter community. He was nice, funny, and I learned that he was multi-talented. He is a musician and podcaster. His friends would describe him as laid back, stubborn, and caring.
He hosts a podcast called The Cole and Soul Podcast:
“Alongside my cohost Nicole Learner, we highlight artists, entrepreneurs, and business owners (we emphasize Black/people of color) within the DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas. (Commonly referred to as the DMV).
We offer a mix of humor, introspective conversation, and a safe space for the people we interview to really dive deep into the person behind the art. On top of that, I am the sole wrestling fan among us haha. Nic handles all of the technical sides of the podcast as far as editing audio and visual, I handle the booking of our guests and some social media across FB and Twitter.”
Keep your finger on the pulse of your field. One thing that is important about thriving in the digital space is finding an audience and community. There are billions of people online that you need to find that will be dedicated and engaged in your content. And you also have to be able to provide the information they seek. This means you have to always have your finger on the pulse. For example, once I realized I wanted to start a wrestling podcast, I listened to the most popular wrestling podcast that was out at the time. I also consumed all of the wrestling I could and followed other fan groups and communities. Soon we became the go-to place for women’s wrestling news, and opinions.
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
Stay tuned for the next edition of Words with P.R. powered by Jersey Indie!
Follow Queen P.R. on Twitter
Follow Queen P.R. on Instagram.
Follow Words with P.R. across all socials.
By Patricia Rogers | Posted Friday, April 2, 2021
Hi! Welcome to my blog
Hello! You may remember me as Valley Girl NJ or the Zine Editor from Orange, NJ. I used to run a blog called Masconsumpion (ran from 2012-2017), and throw cool events in the Valley Arts District. I had fun living and working in Orange. I got to meet and interview artists, musicians, community leaders, and recap art and music shows, political debates, and so much more.
Now, I go by Queen P.R. and am back home in New York City. I am working as a content creator, brand marketing manager, and podcaster. I have learned a lot, and want to share my lessons (learned from mistakes) with you all. So I hope you can come along for this ride twice a month!
Powered by Jersey Indie, I will share Words with PR, a bi-monthly lifestyle blog where I share a short interview, recommendations, marketing tips, and everything in between!
MEET CAROL PADBERG
I was connected to Carol via Molly Rose Kaufman, my friend and the Provost & Program Director at the University of Orange. I was excited to talk to the woman who led the Lunch and Learn workshop titled, “A Mushroom Walks into a Bar...”. I mean, can you think of a more classic joke? And Carol is about all things mushrooms! (Her favorite being the oyster mushroom).
For the University of Orange’s 2021 Jan Term, Carol taught a workshop on how much mushrooms can teach us, answering questions like: What can we learn from mushrooms about undoing toxic individualism and affecting regenerative social change?
For the Lunch and Learn seminar, Padberg spoke about how to weave mushrooms, and also what it can teach us about radical world changes, urban neighborhoods, and more. It was inspired by a graduate program, NOMAD MFA, she designed herself. This was interesting to me because you tend to think about college programs as already established, but this was something new!
I wanted to learn all about the NOMAD MFA program, because to me it felt like one that filled a void. It combined art, creativity, and ecology. And as someone who did community organizing through art & creativity, I was all ears..
The relatively new graduate program offered by the University of Hartford, was inspired by an art project by Padberg, who is also an interdisciplinary visual artist. A few years ago Carol created a 1,000 square foot quilt made of compost, and the fascination of the life and connection that happened to the quilt is what made Padberg consider mushrooms. She realized she could teach art, and ecology, by building creative experiences. The guiding philosophy behind the NOMAD graduate program is “one of connection.”
When speaking with Carol, who is one of the loveliest women I have had the pleasure to speak to, she was able to inform me on mushrooms and climate collapse, regeneration, and more. The more Carol and I spoke, the more I realized just how needed her program was. I also could not help but think about how glad I was that she was able to meet and work with the wonderful folks over at the University of Orange.
The University of Orange is a free people’s university where the learning doesn’t end. I have had the pleasure of graduating twice, and even taught a blogging workshop. Founded in 2007, The University of Orange is a community organization and free people’s urbanism school that builds collective capacity for people to create more equitable cities. You can teach a class as well as take a class and it is open to all people, you can graduate more than once.
My friend, artist, and U of O’s Head of School and lead designer Aubrey Murdock was one of Carol’s students in the NOMAD MFA program. She says about the program, “I had an inkling that I wanted to devote more energy to my individual creative practice, and to understand my work with U of O as a type of socially engaged art practice. I was not actively looking at MFA programs, but came across an article about NOMAD MFA. What drew me in was an attention to human ecology — the ways that social, cultural and technological systems are inextricably linked with landscapes, food systems and watersheds.”
Aubrey’s interest in the program was something Carol and I talked about, how it is important for artists doing community work to understand systems, and how to come into one with care. “I was interested if the program really embraced a critical analysis around compounding issues like structural racism, environmental inequity and the linkages between capitalism and ecological crisis,” says Murdock.
Carol’s ”conviction around why she started the program and her transparency around some of the difficulties of navigating these ideals within an institution like a university” is what sold Aubrey, and the same for me as well. In addition to being a wonderful person, Carol is smart, kind, real, and funny. In other words just the right person we need to build a better future. “Collectively [Carol] brings cohorts of interdisciplinary artists into conversation around regenerative culture, and what is ours to do in this critical moment.”
Also, Carol was nice enough to share an amazing mushroom tea and risotto recipe. Tag us on the @wordswithpr social media for the recipe. ;)
Get to know Carol Padberg more by checking out her website.
Want to learn more about the NOMAD MFA graduate program click here.
Watch and learn from her “A Mushroom Walks into a Bar...” Jan term Lunch & Learn workshop here.
Learn more about the University of Orange here.
QUEEN P.R.’S RECOMMENDS...
My Early AM Self-love routine
I learned back in 2017 that exercise was the best way to help with my anxiety and depression. So, I began doing what I call my “self love” journey every morning starting at 5:00 AM. This time of the day is so quiet and peaceful. Great for clarity and self-reflection.
For my Self Love routine, I pray, Thank God for waking me up, stretch, exercise, meditate, jump in a hot shower, and start my day. I can not express enough what this has done for my energy and focus levels (gave up coffee months ago!), clarity, and anxiety. I understand everyone is not a morning person, so whenever you can squeeze in some self care, do it!
Movo Podcast mic
So for those who don’t know, I am the co-host of Those Wrestling Girls podcast. My co-host Krista B. and I started back in 2018, and were lucky enough to be able to record in a professional studio. All of this changed when the pandemic hit (we don’t feel comfortable recording there yet), so we were forced to make it work from home. Thanks to a friend, we have found a fun way to record via Stream Yard, which has helped us stream live from our social media channels like YouTube, and our Facebook Discussion group. Recording from home meant that I needed to get actual professional equipment to help with quality. So as a birthday gift, I got a MOVO mic that I highly recommend. The set up was easy, the sound quality is amazing (especially during live shows), the instructions were easy to follow as well. So to all my podcasters out there, the MOVO computer USB mic is TOTALLY WORTH IT.
I HAVE LEARNED THAT...
Always reach out to your friends. This first edition of Words with P.R. is dedicated to the loving memory of one of my best college friends Natalia Cordova. She sadly passed away this month. Her death has been super hard on me because we grew distant over the past few years. I did not get a chance to reminisce with her on our college memories, or tell her how much meant to me and how much she impacted my life. So I urge you all: LOVE ON YOUR LOVED ONES. Life is short. You never know when it is going to be too late. A random text or DM saying, “Hi I am thinking of you and I love” you does the trick.
SHOUTOUT TO...
Breaking Through Glass Ceilings with Brian H. Waters
Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a workaholic. And I am very hard on myself. There are very few times when I take a step back and reflect and be proud of myself. Well, I was able to finally do that on Brian H. Water’s podcast Breaking Through Glass Ceilings, where he interviews people that have been successful in media. Check out my episode here.
I was able to chat with Brian (who is also a wrestling content creator) about what inspired Breaking through Glass Ceiling:
“Producing this podcast gives me fulfillment because, in a day and age where we are disconnected and only talk to our friends through text and tweets, the time I spend talking to them while recording this show allows me to have a raw and authentic conversation about their career. This also allows me to learn more about them and their journey, but also provides listeners with lessons they can use forever. One day I was in Atlanta and as I was talking to my manager about networking, I was reminded how blessed I was to be connected to a wealth of smart people. From there I decided I wanted to share my network with the world.”
Check out Brian’s podcast Breaking Through Glass Ceilings here.
SOCIAL MEDIA/MARKETING TIPS
Building your personal brand: Always be proud of your passion, you never know where it will lead you.
So, I am a shy person and would always hide my extra curricular activities and accomplishments from my classmates and friends growing up. I was easily embarrassed and didn't like attention to myself. But one thing I have learned is the only way to get ahead in life and career is to be proud of who you are, what you do, what you love, and be strong in your convictions. I am a wrestling fan, and have a women’s wrestling podcast, and an abundance of wrestling tees. So I style them for work, which I would have been too afraid to do before, but now I like standing out. Me wearing these shirts have been a conversation starter and have led me into rooms I would never have been in before.
For more tips follow Words with P.R. across all socials.
Stay tuned for the next edition of Words with P.R. powered by Jersey Indie!
Follow Queen P.R. on Twitter.
Follow Queen P.R. on Instagram.
Follow Words with P.R. across all socials.
