This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference from our community authored by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage.
A D.C.-area businesswoman wanted a place where the voices of Black and brown podcasters could be amplified, not canceled.
Angel Livas, who launched the Alive Podcast Network, the first Black woman-owned podcast network, said she noticed a trend from major corporations when it comes to Black podcast hosts.
“They were controlling what they could say, what they couldn’t say,” she said. “If they were doing well, they were still being cut.”
Livas said the network will use a subscription model where listeners will be able to “capture messages, share those messages and build with their community.” She also said it will be a “one-stop-shop.”
“You can go to one place and find a robust amount of content that speaks to the Black population,” Livas said, calling it a win for both hosts of color and their listeners.
Livas was a 2022 NAACP Image Award nominee for producing the hit podcast “Under Construction w/Tamar Braxton.” The show, hosted by TV Reality Star Tamar Braxton, was nominated for Best Lifestyle and Self Help Podcast.
Livas said the show, which has been on hiatus, helped promote mental health awareness and will return to the airwaves under the Alive brand. Although the show didn’t win, Livas made sure to relay the message to her two sons that it’s not always about winning. Instead, she says, it was an honor to be considered.
The network has also produced their first original program, “The Devil Is a Lie” which has already hit Apple Podcast Charts.
The Howard University graduate also is the CEO of D.C. Media Connection and founder of the Woman Behind the Business nonprofit.
Shows on the Alive Podcast Network can be found on all major podcast platforms. For more information, visit its website at alivepodcastnetwork.com or contact the network via email info@alivepodcastnetwork.com or by phone at 202-277-2383
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