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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default” animate=”yes” delay=”50″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Ernest Owens is an award-winning journalist and CEO of Ernest Media Empire, LLC. He is the Editor at Large for Philadelphia Magazine and President of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. He is also the host of the hit podcast “Ernestly Speaking!” As an openly Black gay journalist, he has made headlines for speaking frankly about intersectional issues in society regarding race, LGBTQ, and pop culture.
In 2018, he launched his growing media company that specializes in multimedia production, consulting, and communications. His work has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, MTV News, and other media outlets. He has won countless honors, which includes landing on the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and receiving the 2019 NEXT Award by the American Society of Magazine Editors. He can be found on Twitter and other social media platforms at @MrErnestOwnes and ErnestOwens.com
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”7%” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” class=”custom-p” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”left-right” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][toggles style=”default”][toggle color=”Default” title=”Episode Transcription”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”padding-3-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]13:30:41
Welcome to hidden human, the Podcast where we explore the stories behind the business leader. Get ready to hear insights from business leaders, speaking candidly about how they became who they are today, and the lessons they learned along the way. And now, here’s your host, leadership coaching speaker, Kelly Meerbott.
Kelly Meerbott 13:31:05
Welcome to the space where we reveal our personal humanity to reconnect with our shared humanity. It is really my true honor to introduce Ernest Owens, award winning journalist and CEO of urness media empire. He also just launched an incredible podcast that hit 1000 downloads called earnestly speaking, which, if you haven’t subscribed to it, do it now. It’s incredible. I just finished it. And he was just elected president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, which at 2929, this treasure that we have in Philadelphia, and across the world, is the youngest president in the organization’s history, the first openly gay leader to run the nearly 50 year old organization. I mean, okay, so what’s next for you? Seriously, like you, you’re doing all these boxes, and I’m just, first of all, you know, I’m grateful that you’re here on hitting human. And if I can spread your voice to our audience like that, I’ve done my job, because I think everybody in the world needs to hear you and really have their mind penetrated by Ernest Jones. Like, that’s what I talk to me about. First of all, if I was a six year old child, and you were explaining to me what it is you do in a way I can understand so maybe you’re explaining to your younger brothers, what what you do? How would you explain that?
Ernest Owens 13:32:32
I am a storyteller. I’m a purveyor of truth. I am someone who’s looking for facts and information to inform people to make decisions that will lead to impact. Essentially, that’s what I do. I give people information that provides them, hopefully ammunition to make decisions in their lives that will impact our world and our society. Yeah, that’s, and that’s one aspect of my work. Following that I’m an advocate for truth for inclusion. I’m an advocate for people being able to tell their stories from themselves, communities being represented, and change. And that’s something that I would say, to a six year old. Yeah. So that’s someone younger, I have a brother that’s 10 years old, another brother, who is 10 months younger than me, actually, who is 28 and have a 17 year old brother who’s graduating from high school this year. And each of them are in different phases of their life and aspirations and careers. And you know, how I explain what I do to each of them is very different. So my younger brother who’s 10, I, you know, he’s at the point where he like, okay, journalists are the personal TV, I’m like, sometimes, but I write and he knows that I write, he knows that I tell stories, my brother who’s 17, he’s like, you’re the guy who starts a lot of stuff. Like, that’s how he sees me in that way. And then my brother, who was 28, he, you know, knows that this is a real revered part of my life and what I do, and he looks at me almost like a doctor or prescriber of something where he calls me says, Hey, I’m reading this, is this true? Is this false? In many ways? We are those were news experts. We’re truth experts. That’s how I look at journalists. And so he’ll tell me he’ll see a meme or he’ll see a story. And my mom does this and my family. And I’ll say, nope, nope, not true. Look at that link. That’s been disputed. And we do this every day. We were just doing it recently with Megan, the stallion who was a victim of gun violence. Yeah. And she was shocked by you know, another musician and industry. And there was bad reports that was trying to disclaim her experience and something said along lines of the charges were dropped and no credible source really validated that there were blogs. And so my brother’s like what’s going on here? I thought this has happened while she dropping the charges that photo on calm down, went straight to the source her and she said this was absolutely false. And that this man’s team, which we know happens to victims, these men empower these individuals in power will do everything discredit. So he was actively his team is he’s a millionaire. He’s a multimillion dollar musician. Team was putting out things to the press, to to blogs, not just It was because we would bet we verify everything. No major credible news source had said this. And so my brother was very relieved and said, Wow, you know, I’m so happy to say something. Because if you know what we would do if you have you in the family, and I think a lot of communities in Philadelphia and across the country, look at people like us to be those defenders of truth, because in a day where there’s so many people that is purposely distorting, and putting out misinformation now more than ever, you know, the work that I do matters. And the last thing I would say, is that I began to realize that I am someone who was almost like a historian. Yeah, I’ve been archiving history, the history of people who often don’t get coverage, communities that don’t get a spotlight. And I began to take that more seriously, because I’m realizing the stories I’ve written about people. People use Google those stories last, and people read them and it makes impacts and, and that’s what a historian archivist do so by curating archive, information and stories as well. And that’s something I’ve began to think about as I write stories that 10 years from now, five years from now, you know, when people want to know these moments in history of these stories, that there is someone who was there who said, No, who said, think about this, that it wasn’t always a consensus as much as we do with history, right? There’s always been people in history, who said no, or we should do this differently. And we always forget those people in the larger story. So that’s something that’s important to me.
Kelly Meerbott 13:37:04
Yeah. And I that’s actually a shift that occurred for me when in hidden human I was like, I’m having these amazing people on and hopefully I’m archiving their story or piece of their story for them for later. You know, this space is not about a gotcha. It’s about showing who you are as a human and your your loving essence, which comes through clearly in your work. I mean, I was I was thinking about you, when, when they were talking about like, I heard a couple of journalists say, you know, the war on the free press is now over and you you know, choke out. I know, it’s not true. I know, it’s not true. Like,
Ernest Owens 13:37:41
No, I know, we, you know, my podcast episode, I talk about how a lot of this stuff still continues.
Kelly Meerbott 13:37:47
Right, right. Right. And just to you know, my background, I spent a hot minute in a newsroom. In 97. I was an associate producer for WP TV in West Palm Beach. And I don’t you You’re much younger than me. But that was the summer Versace was murdered in Miami. So I actually, I actually got to watch the inner workings of the newsroom and how important it is to report the facts. I mean, especially when there was a nationwide manhunt for Andrew Fanon. And I mean, it was, it was insane. But I think to your point about I see journalists, good, good journalists. And we know there aren’t a lot of you out there. But there are a lot of you out there that are doing really good work. Like you’re fact checking on your your podcast, I was like, Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh, my God. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Like when you were talking about Mitch McConnell? I was like, this faster, man. He is. But you talked about him being as strong as bolt passed. And I was like, Yup, that’s totally true. But yeah. My question to you was, you know, these last four years have been challenging to all of us. But I think especially to the black and brown community, that’s not a surprise, right, as a journalist doing what you’re doing, do you ever get scared? And how do you overcome that fear?
Ernest Owens 13:39:07
Well, I think what I’m scared of the most is complicity. I think people thinking that because this is the new normal, or it became the new normal, that we as a community, adjust our entire selves to submit to it knowing that this isn’t right. And so you know, I’m, I’m happy Trump’s out of office, clearly. Because I did begin to see people in my community, people in other communities begin to start thinking, hey, this man might be here another four years, we might have to adjust some things. Yeah. And there were people that were beginning to really compromise and there was something that I completely compromised. Right. I began to witness other people started to think, hey, maybe we might have to put some things in the back burner, because this is probably not going to happen. And maybe we might need to, you know, bring these people to the table. And these are people who are aligning themselves with white supremacy and bigots and sexism, serial sex offenders, you know, people who are not people that we should ever be having any common ground because we don’t have anything in common, right? People are bad, right? But there was a moment where it’d be we’ve seen it, where people were beginning to compromise. And so my concern as a journalist, was that that time and still continue to is that regardless of whether we change one coat of personality. We don’t exchange one for another. Yeah, we don’t lose sight of the continual coverage and the important information. I think now more than ever, we should keep rising for more on the White House. Yeah. Because I don’t want a culture that begins to just compare everything to Trump. Well, it’s better than Trump. It’s better than Trump. Because we had that with Nixon. It’s better than Nixon. Nixon, it’s better than Bush. It’s better than Bush. But there were still problems. Yeah. And one of the things that really made me cringe and I talked about on my podcast was this conversation around Washington’s back to normal.
Kelly Meerbott 13:41:17
Yeah. No,
Ernest Owens 13:41:19
that’s not that’s not a compliment.
Kelly Meerbott 13:41:22
Oh, it’s not? No, absolutely not. And, you know, the other thing that really resonated with me because I’m a leadership coach, and one of my tenants is accountability, like, yeah, you do this. These are the consequences. And when I sit there, and I see, okay, let’s just talk about the insurrection for a second. And your research on that was incredible, because I’m sitting there going, Okay, why are we impeaching him? Why are we walking him out in cuffs this is, you know, like, I see this, and I’ll say this, and this is not a shot at me. I am not a very smart person. But when I can observe it, why isn’t he being walked out? Like, it doesn’t make sense. But your point, it’s compromised. And I think also, and this is not excused, but I try to understand these things. I think there’s a little mind control involved. You know, what I mean? Like, saying certain things like, Oh, don’t worry, if you commit that crime, Steve Bannon, don’t worry, I’m going to pardon you. You know what I mean, that kind of like, quid pro quo, and like all of that, so yeah, I mean, I was reeling with you. I’m like, Dude, I wish I had a bottle of wine. And I was vaccinated, because I would go over and be like, listen, let’s talk about this, because it’s bullshit as far as I’m concerned. I
Ernest Owens 13:42:35
agree. Agree. Agree.
Kelly Meerbott 13:42:38
So and I have to tell you, that you, so I’ve been doing this work. And it’s never I don’t think ever in my lifetime anti racist work will be done. And like, I don’t call myself an ally or an advocate, because I don’t, I don’t think I deserve those yet. Honestly, I don’t. I haven’t done enough work to
Ernest Owens 13:42:55
Well, I think I think what it is, is any reasonable good point, I think that it’s important that those designations are given from the people that you’re that you’re doing the work with. Yeah, I think if they call you an ally, they call you a comp accomplice or a comrade or anyone who’s in that work. Let them do it, they do it. Right. I always say that even in the work that I do I identify as a feminist, but an advocate for women’s issues or supporting women. People tell me that those are the letters I get from groups and I volunteer with. And so that’s what they call me. And I humbly accept. And that’s what I have. I used even in my experiences, even for other communities, even within the LGBTQ community with the transgender community, specifically, there are people from the community that have seen my coverage and consider the work and being an advocate. And so it’s where I go with it. And I think what we’ve seen in a lot of this work, and even your thinking about is don’t spot on is that there are people who have ran and have said, I’m an ally, because I did this. And then the thing they stopped that they’ve done is when things get murky. Yeah, I wrote a check to the NAACP. I’m an allies like what? That NAACP, the group make that decision, right, yeah. And I think that’s kind of what’s happened. And you will find that there are many people that you know, see the work and experience it and, you know, will will say those things, but I think we should be you know, you know, it’s funny, because people say, all lives matter or say things like that, but then their logic behind doing certain things are rooted in separate doing it separately. So like if you’re a humanitarian, or someone cares about just the common good of people, and you really don’t see color, which is nonsense. But let’s say you’re that person, then you should do these things, willy nilly fine without even thinking about a designated title, because quite frankly, you’re just doing good in the world. Right? So interesting that a lot of folks who will say they don’t see color to the colorblind thing, which is again, ignorant. Yeah, but those people who do that are also the same people who then will turn around and say, Well, why am I not getting this ally badge for what I did in the black community function and see that community? I thought you were just all lives met everybody helping everyone. So I tell those people wrestled with that and think about, think about that. Let that sit in that and think about that as
Kelly Meerbott 13:45:29
well. So it’s your point then I am announcing because the IBA and PHL diverse He has has gifted me that title I but I do the work to make sure that I deserve it honestly. And so the All Lives Matter statement I, that’s one of my favorite things when that comes up. And because my response is usually all lives can’t matter until black lives matter. Like, there’s How can all lives matter? It’s still people are getting killed in the streets. And there was something else that you said that was really, really powerful. And I’m like, Yes, that’s exactly it. To me, this movement isn’t about, and I’m tiptoeing into this, but I’m just gonna go right in. And if you smack me down, I’m okay with that. I don’t really think it’s about race. I think it’s about the desecration of humanity. I mean, it’s about people dying in the streets, you know what I mean? Like, this is a human life, and the fact that somebody can kill you, just because they have the title of a police officer, and not be held accountable for that. That’s a cognitive dissonance in my mind, you know?
Ernest Owens 13:46:34
So yeah, so So the thing about it is that it’s interesting. So there’s two, there’s two folks when I think people could miss read it, if they didn’t do their, their, their context. So I hear what you’re saying completely. And I think, on a surface level, that people’s compassion and interest should be on just how it’s there that mean, that’s how black people look at their fighting for the humanity, of the fact that they’re not granted this in this same way. I think that’s the way everyone should look at it. But I think when ends up happening, and what has happened, is that because people don’t identify that it’s black people are specifically being the target of this got it, then people then don’t show up for black people in this way. Gotcha. You know, cuz like, look, look, look at the gun violence stuff movement, you know, in March, and all of those marches and all that stuff against gun violence. We have gun violence issues in Philadelphia. Yeah, we don’t see that level of energy being put for black communities in supporting those particular causes. And what ends up happening is that when we do those humanitarian fights, there are people who do recognize those differences, right. They’re informed, they’re railroad, they’re educated. But there are some people who don’t, at all, take that time to understand race and understand it and really understand the disparities, that in that pursuit for that humanitarian and that humanity want to restore and likeness will always fade out. Right. And I’ve seen in many groups I’m a part of, and so you get to a point where you’re like, okay, yes, if we all know, humanity is certain, we have to emphasize black. Because when we get to the humanitarian part, just the general, we don’t, we don’t think of black people. But the diversity mindset does not fit in the advocacy aspect, right? It’s weird. I mean, even nonprofits, I’ve seen it, where it’s, it’s, it’s anti blackness, it’s, it’s it’s a societal thing. And it’s when we talk about hunger, or whatever, there’s people that are like thinking, but then when you look at the faces, the brochures, the outreach, it just does not go black, which is so down, we’ve gotten to a place where we’ve had to literally say black this black that because if we didn’t, we would keep getting lost in the sauce.
Kelly Meerbott 13:49:05
You know, and I love that I like that is such a great clarity for me. Thank you so much. And I don’t want to lean on you as like, I can Google all I know how to tell,
Ernest Owens 13:49:17
of course, but I think it’s for the listeners to like I think, I think the intention. And again, I think it’s like that, you know, one of the things I’ve been working on, and I’ve really, especially as a journalist, but I call it education privilege, where the things that we know to be common to us, we think everyone gets it because we know it, but we don’t. And in cases where I’m working with people, peers, we’re working together, there’s importance, the make those notes. And I’ve been doing a lot of that, even in community outreach efforts when I’m working with black and brown communities about you know, filing a petition, or issues or them knowing their rights. I’ve got to realize a lot of people don’t know their rights. Yeah, I just simply telling people what their rights are alone. Yeah, would change a lot of things. People who are the most informed about what their rights are, are more emboldened and more empowered, which is why you see lawyers, you know, be quick to jump out into civil rights issues because they know their rights. They know the law, but the highly educated in those institutions should not be the only ones there. is ways that we need to make sure we communicate at least the bare minimum information about access to rights and things of that nature. And so, in the work that I do, I have learned not to assume even when my readers, I provide hyperlinks in my stories, I provide a little bit more of a build up pace to explain even the most minut things, because I don’t want to assume and so I hyperlink a lot of my articles, just as a point of reference, just as a point of research or opportunity. So people can explore more until the topic, because sometimes that you start to lingo that people are like, what, huh? And so I’ll just hyperlink in and say, Okay, you can read more into that. Even in my email, I do pronouns right. And I say, pronouns he, him, in my on my bio, I hyperlink the he him, so that we’re like, what is that, and they click it. And there’s a great article that explains pronouns. May I
Kelly Meerbott 13:51:30
use that and I
Ernest Owens 13:51:34
wanted to be a lot of my friends are doing this trend, so they do the pronouns in their signatures. But they use that hyperlink that breaks down all of the questions and FAQs about it. And that’s something I’ve been doing lately. And I will tell people, no, it’s a simple website. Actually, I’ll tell the listeners this website. It is the website is called my pronouns.org. That’s it. macrominerals.org is the website. And it answers all of your questions, people’s questions about pronouns, and why we should use them, why we should ask them, just all of that great stuff. And so in my bio, I started just doing it this year, for the new year, that in my signature, I have my pronouns, and I hyperlink that link to my pronouns, that org, that explains all of the information about that. So that, you know, it can be a trend, and I think we need to, you know, just not assume anymore.
Kelly Meerbott 13:52:28
I agree. You know, in my work, I call it perception checking to make sure that we’re both operating from the same context. Because I mean, you and I both know, and communication, if somebody is thinking the definition is one thing, and it’s really the other it’s, yeah, yeah, yeah. So okay, so this is something I’ve been thinking about since I started listening to your podcast, steal a line from Hamilton. How young were you? When you first took a pencil and connect it into your brain? Because you talk about loving writing. And it’s evident. That’s, I think that’s what really makes you different from others. Because there’s an emotional connection that you inherently bring to your, your writing and to your, I mean, like, literally, I’m sitting here, you and I are both different ages, we come from different backgrounds with the exception of our South connection. Right, right, right. And I’m like, Yes, he sees me he knows I feel this, I can feel you in your writing. So tell me about the moment like okay, that you were like, oh my god, this is it. This is my calling.
Ernest Owens 13:53:39
So it’s probably been two times I’ve always liked writing in school, because I My mother was a speech pathologist or she studied speech pathology. She studied speech pathology. She worked in corporate communications still does. She’s worked for Verizon. For like 1817 years. First one was private. It was a company called prime cut. I became a writer she’s one of yes, she worked for Prime Co. She worked for Prescott movie fax back in like Illinois, and used to write movie things. So I think I have my love for cinema and truth and trivia movie trivia from her because I think I grew up looking at a bunch of these things. So they were called movie facts with a company when that was a thing of popcorn boxes and everything I work for Prime CO and then prime couple became Verizon and 2021 I think it was no 22,001 Good goodness. 20 years ago, lordy. And she worked for them work there for many, many years, nearly 20 years and then she just turned 50 She’s fabulous. Lolita,
Kelly Meerbott 13:54:43
Lolita. Okay, because I was looking. I was like, I have destined kalbi Kayden and your mom’s boyfriend Harold, I was like, what is his mother’s? Oh, well, Lisa, Lisa. I love that name, Lolita.
Ernest Owens 13:54:54
She was and she then work nationalists, Verizon Wireless and my Verizon, Comcast. Okay, she worked Verizon first, like 70 years. And then now she works at Comcast. And she’s doing some great work there. But from the start, I was doing public speaking very young. So it really started just growing up. My mom was very big on making sure all of us can communicate. We’re all boys, all boys. And public speaking was something we did at a young age. I did speech and debate when my grandmother was alive. We go to church in Marion, Arkansas to speak and do it poems and things of that nature, but very early on speaking, was the thing. And writing to reading or writing because I think that was everyone who grew up was like, if you knew how to write, read and write you, no matter what job you do, you need to know how to write and and know how to read. Write that was like the standard. I hate math. I’ve appreciated back more actually. I’ve actually been pretty okay with math now, which is funny. But I was, I was never a big fan of math. But clearly I got some IV, so I had to learn how to do it. But I just was a big person that loved writing and expressing myself. So once I learned how to do a lot of public speaking and really mastering that, expressing myself through writing was never that hard, because that was just what I grew up doing. So that was the first thing. But when I got to college, I did radio. And the show was called earnestly speaking, which is what inspired the show. And a friend of mine told me, I never get it. He said, If you write how you talk, you will be a hit, you should think about writing. I was like, writing writing, because I took a step back, because I remember that when I was in school, a lot of people were writing these very, like, they just had this certain type of writing style. And I was like, Well, this is different. But you know, I never really thought I could do it. Because everything I read around me was it’s very, very matter of fact, a certain type of way. And I was like, I want that by my style. So is my style. Not good enough this I wondered that for a while. But listen to my friend’s advice. Row a column? Well, well, actually, no, it was a summer of 20. Wow, summer of 2011. And years ago, and I started writing for a little blog, I created my own little blog site called blogger, when there was blogger, but my website and that Yeah. I feel oh too. Like this was atrocious. I was like, 19 No, I was eight. Oh, goodness, I was my team. I’m thinking yeah. And I had not just turned 20 yet. And I’m on there writing about just college life, my experiences. And I started to share it to people and people were like, Oh, this is really good. This is really, really good. I was like, what’s the my blog site, whatever. And then they were like, hey, you know, the Daily Pennsylvanian, which was our college newspaper, still our newspaper, one of the oldest independent news college newspapers in the country. They said, hey, you know, you should submit some of this and try to be a columnist. It’s like, oh, I don’t know if I can do that. Like Bing. I don’t know. I don’t know. I said, Okay, sure. I’ll submit this. See what happens. They approved it, I became a columnist at the Daily Pennsylvanian, and did that for most of my college years moving forward. But in that process began to really have a niche for it and never stop loving it, because I always found myself having something to say and I haven’t not had anything to say, since.
Kelly Meerbott 13:58:39
And I’m so glad because it’s just really as a gift. And I have to ask, so was that friend Jamarcus?
Ernest Owens 13:58:46
No, it was his name is Cornelius range. We did student governments together. Okay. Jim, Mark is actually was in so a cool story about my best friend’s remark. So we grew up together in Houston. He’s the only person I’ve really brought from Houston, from Philly to make the big conversion. And he, you know, what was it? Oh, per se about Gail. And I always use this reference. Remember? To never have just Yes. Um, so he we grew up in Houston together, he went to Jack gates, which is a rival big basketball school to have one of the best basketball teams ever. And I was able to sit high school in the southwest. And we connected to a cousin of his who went to El CIG, and that was in an era where no one was out. I was out in high school, but I was out to my family yet, but I was out to a certain extent. But like, there was this thing where there weren’t people that was out in high school, or it wasn’t too many of us that were out in black and queer. And even though my high school was, it was a big as hell high school. There were people that were like, just, you know, just out and so somebody would know someone or cousins always that friend that who was that woman who had other gay friends and she’s like, Hey, I have a friend. I have a cousin that she might be friends with, you know, right. And she said, You asked her that you might be friends. You know why? And I think she was thinking like, dating wise, but Right. So she connected us on the phone. And we just started talking and laughing and cracking and we talked on the phone, probably, you know, from maybe 10 o’clock it was 10 o’clock PM. So 5am just talking about life Wow. And just really just became really good friends and ever since then became I just my back my ride or die. And, and so I graduated from high school, he stayed in Houston, in my college years, he end up moving to Philadelphia because he was just tired of Houston and just just wanted something different. And he kept hearing all my stories. And so he moved to Philly. And that was awesome for me because when I was at Penn, I couldn’t, I couldn’t connect to a lot of people at Penn. I have some best friends. I definitely have great friends that are a part of my wedding. And I met my now fiance I know. Yeah, but at that time, I I was just I just I, you know, when he came at the right time for me, when I came to Philadelphia, I felt so out of place was doing good academically and socially. I, you know, I had, well, I had, like, you know, how people actually are you? Okay, like, I was fine, right? But emotionally internally, I just was not. I was like, I who? These people don’t understand my accent. They don’t understand my, you know, my vibe, I just need someone that I can really, really, really talk to that understand me. Yeah. And so he moved here. And he was also looking for opportunity. Opportunities. He is works at Penn Medicine, but he also does music, and we just connected. So he’s like my roadog. Like, we just did everything together. So the cool thing was that once I started doing a radio show, he was he was supportive that the instrumental music that you are here on my podcast, is he made that beat. And he’s made all of the musical tracks from the TV show, when I did, earnestly speaking, he made that score. So when I did all my experimental videos, he’s been doing that for the past, over 1010 years, actually. And we have consistently of supporting each other in our endeavors. And it’s always a sentimental, so he’s has followed my career, way before any of this happened, and has been, you know, just the best friend that I could. I’m very fortunate and happy to have oh, you know, just he’s the best.
Kelly Meerbott 14:02:49
It’s clear you to have a very loving chemistry. And I
Ernest Owens 14:02:55
also was laughing in the background on the episodes. Yeah, even the background laughing. Not too far from each other. He lives. He still lives in Philadelphia, you know, of course, and we live in Weston. He’s not too far. And, yeah, I’m really happy to have a great friend of my life.
Kelly Meerbott 14:03:11
So would you mind mentioning his album because it was something I wanted to do. Listen to you before I prepped with you, because you and I, for music as well. So
Ernest Owens 14:03:22
it came out September of 2019. It’s called atonement. It’s, it’s like his first full like project that he really put all his energy into. It’s it’s great stories. Some of them are inspired by verses of my life. And some of them from other experiences. And I listened to it with a with a very careful ear and he is alive is inspired by our upbringing, his upbringing in Houston. And there’s not just the things and just it’s a great album. And he’s currently working on some new things now and the pandemic has definitely give him that trance. I’m like, You need to give us a pandemic album, like Taylor Swift has given us too. And I’m into her last two albums. I’m in all of those two albums. But he’s, you know, doing that, and he’s just advanced his career I am. He is creating his own business. I think all of my friends at this point have LLCs. And he’s like really taking his music stuff on not just a creative side, but entrepreneurial side. So I’m just really proud of work that he’s doing. And yeah,
Kelly Meerbott 14:04:29
it’s clear. I mean, it’s clear and I definitely want to connect my husband and your fiance, because my husband hat is a private chef and does Kate private dinners and are a great bartender. So there you go. Can I ask a question about Lolita? Because I feel like Lolita and Irene my mother should should have lunch together because you had said that your inquisitive nature came from your mother and minded to right from my room. Yeah. So let me tell a very quick story. One time my sister and I threw a party one time.
Ernest Owens 14:05:07
We I think I’ve had a situation similar. Go ahead.
Kelly Meerbott 14:05:11
Oh, we clean the house right? Span Right. Or at least though. We miss get this. An Advil that was on the guestroom bed, somehow near the pillows. And my mom was like, so you had a party, huh? And we were like, how do you know that from an Advil? Like what do you Dick Tracy? And so when you were talking about your mom sent to you the grocery store and was like it was 30 minutes there and back where were you? I was like, Oh, my God, Lolita. And I really need to get together because my mom used to do that. So you have to tell me a story when she busted you. And I’m assuming that it was that party,
Ernest Owens 14:05:51
and it was definitely something simpler. Wow. Well, first of all, we have many parties. And my brothers Yeah. So it was me and my brother because other ones were too young. I mean, clearly. It was just me and my brother Destin, and some friends and we lived in an apartment. And I don’t know where she was at. But we were latchkey kids that sometimes because my mom was traditional corporate and my stepdad work too. He had a he had his own business. And so we were very much self sufficient at times where we just was like, Look, they gotta go to work, don’t burn anything. And that was, you know what it was. And so we took advantage of that when we can and we threw a party. I think this was during Hurricane Rita, because it was at a time where I remember it was just like, like nothing going on. And I don’t know where they were at they they went to see friends or something. But it was just us in the house. And we do this party, we threw down. It was a party. And we did everything. We did everything. And they get home. And it was the walls. Someone was against the walls. And the denim I guess bleed into the wall or something of that nature. You know, I’m talking about Yeah. And that’s how she
Kelly Meerbott 14:07:25
I know my sister and I were like, why how did we miss Advil? How on how
Ernest Owens 14:07:31
and it was? It was it was weird because it was like everything else. We made it a point. Like it’s a crime scene, like move everything put everything back. We had self we had cell phones. So we took a picture of the entire like, was it a picture of the main living room? before? We did what we did? And
Kelly Meerbott 14:07:49
y’all were smart. We
Ernest Owens 14:07:50
weren’t okay, we had a cell phone. Yeah, the catches cell phone take a picture with everything back.
Kelly Meerbott 14:07:58
We’re not endorsing this though. Just party’s
Ernest Owens 14:08:03
20s now so to not you, you got stuff to help you tracking devices you can know when the car is coming. We used to do to have to look out out the window because you know self I mean, we had cell phone but you know you never really knew. Yeah. How about would know, though, how I used to know when my mom was coming home because I can hear the background driving because everyone in the Houston drive. If I heard her on the road, I’m like, okay, she’s on her way. We got to get everything together. Because you can hear the road you can hear in the background. Oh, she’s on her way on her way. You know?
Kelly Meerbott 14:08:35
Yeah. Yeah. So funny. We Okay, so now I’m gonna make myself old again. At that time, we didn’t have cell phones. So we’ll just leave it at that. And okay. So, you know, again, like you were talking another thing that resonated with me about you was that moment in your life when you kind of tightened up the inner circle on let some friends go because I had that happen a couple of years ago, and I was literally heartbroken. But it just yeah, you know, but what’s happened?
Ernest Owens 14:09:02
So Right? We’re talking about that with great. People so much talk about relationship breakups and dating but I’m talking about I think friend breakups have been the most interesting that just
Kelly Meerbott 14:09:13
heartbreaking, right? But you said you’re like now I’m left with these people that I really love and are great for me. And that’s literally what happened. And what I wanted to communicate both to you and to the audience is that if you have somebody in your boat that’s poking holes in it and sort of helping you row toss, toss them overboard, because there’s other people who will come in your life and help you and support you like your Jamarcus is and I forget Amanda, Amanda has your Amanda. So let’s give her a shout out happy 30th sister. Yeah, she’s in her
Ernest Owens 14:09:48
PhD program. She wants to be a clinical child psychologist. And she’s a UVA Oh, my friends are all super accomplished. They are you know, I just got the Masters so I could say I had an advanced degree with the rest.
Kelly Meerbott 14:10:03
Listen like attracts like so you know, I believe greatness attracts greatness. And so um, okay, the other thing that really kind of jumped in my mind as you were talking about how much you love doing the podcast weekly because it gives you a chance to dissect things. Yeah. So when I and by the way, you You inspired that post that I put up after the insurrection and all of that and you helped me you know, further speak out. And I’ve actually been shut down on Facebook because of that. So it’s fine. I’m like my husband said to me, there’s part of you that’s really happy that Facebook shut you down. Right? I go. Yeah, but we’re not
Ernest Owens 14:10:44
gonna. That’s why That’s why. So you.
Kelly Meerbott 14:10:48
So my process usually like because I’m, you know, a survivor of trauma is to really feel it right feel what the emotions are that are going on the energy that sort of, and then I go into my mind and you talked about, you know, having a week to kind of dissect things. So I was just curious, what’s your process for like, processing these things? Like, what do you do is there like, for me, it’s screaming, crying, pulling my hair out, probably flipping the bird at the television, and then, okay, calm down. Like, let’s just feel this, you know, that’s just the process I go through. It’s what works for me right now. I’m just wondering if there’s anything that you do to kind of help yourself move through these things?
Ernest Owens 14:11:30
Yeah, I think as a journalist, I have an advantage because I’m already given I’ve gotten used to processing news and taking news in and a lot of things that I don’t have the interest of passion to write about, per se, and writing, somehow come about, in ways that I feel like works for the podcast. Yeah. And so that’s kind of, you know, what I do, I would just look at patterns and trends that I’m seeing on social media, I’m very much wired a lot. And so they’re just things that I just I’m like, Oh, my God, why are people tweeting this while we were talking about this? Or, you know, I see this. And I’m like, you know, there’s more to be said about this outside of this. And so a lot of those things that I witnessed, or I find myself interested in talking about, I say, You know what, this goes to the podcast. And then that’s kind of what I’ve gotten. And I really I wanted this because I write so many tweets every day, I do so many Facebook posts, that were deep dives, I still do. But someone would say something to me along lines of putting it in the book, which wouldn’t work for a book for what I would do. I’m working on a book, but not about that. But I’m interested in taking those ideas. And so I was like, where did I put it? So now my new thing is, put it into podcasts. Like fully go in and talk about it more, and use the post as teasers like, talk about it, make your statement express yourself because I can’t help myself to do that is opportunity for me to really express to my followers and to my listeners, what I meant and walk and do more there. Because a lot of times I’ve been realizing with the pandemic, a lot of my readers and followers online and just listen to the podcasts, they you know, you only have so many words you can write and I bet you only have so many matter of fact, you know, this you can do on tweets. But this podcast is a way for me to really break down those things. And it’s inspired by how people are reacting responding to news of the day. If I think people are looking at something away that I think they should look at it differently. For example, Vice President Kamala Harris’s
Kelly Meerbott 14:13:45
vote. I’m so glad you brought that up, because I wanted to talk to you about that. Yeah,
Ernest Owens 14:13:50
that was something where I was like, I see a lot of people making this point and I hear it, I hear it. Here’s something I this is what I think. And it’s no longer right to it. It’s just a perspective that I have about it. And I wanted to have it set so that some of these people were naysayers, hey, here’s some of us out. Because sometimes I think social media, we’re talking over, like over each other so much on these posts. And I’m very proud of myself that I can say that I have maintained a rather civil discourse and ability to but I have to put protection measures there. One of the things that people say is that you don’t allow people to comment on your Instagram posts. Not true. If people are followers of Mine, I follow them back, they can be able to comment. Yeah, but I had to bet and I think that there when you have a platform, I have nearly 10,000 Instagram followers, I have over 23,000 Twitter followers 10,000, Instagram, nearly 5 million followers, 1000 Facebook friends, I have to delete 1000 people, friends, you don’t make space but but also just we have that thing, people, you have to set parameters. Because you just don’t know what agenda people are coming with or how they dilute or deflect just switch to conversation. And you know, I’m a person who really am trying to create meaningful conversations and dialogue. And part of doing that is being in a position where I am facilitating that. Even if there’s not most of the time, I would say 80% of time I don’t comment under my posts unless someone talks to me directly on Facebook or even Twitter sometimes. I like to have people talking about some So and if there’s a disclaimer, something I need to put in just, you know, fact check something I do. So for example, the other day, there’s the conversation about the Dream Team. Oh, yeah, of course talking about well, did the city intend to do that? Maybe you’re giving them a hard time. And so I said, You know what, maybe I gotta pull up my little brother receipt here. Actually, this was a decision that was deliberate. This was removed. They knew it, they did it. We can the people’s, the community’s concern is valid. It’s not a mishap. It’s not a mistake. This was intentional. And there’s people that don’t understand that government agencies, they really think about the decisions they make, I think right about it. But when I put something out, it’s it’s a decision. Sometimes people don’t understand how much power government has and how much there’s a process. I mean, yeah, as someone who has worked in the city hall as a communications fellow for, for, you know, back when I was in college, press releases statements. They go through so many people before they come out. I was just gonna say that calendar omitted June teen. That was intentional. That was intentional. And there was a note and I thought people can read that again, like, they, they really did not do it. And there was some people that were still trying to do that. Well, maybe it wasn’t. So then I had to come up with my like, like, Can I share this? And they were like, Yeah, you can share this receipt from the source. And you saw on the email explicitly said that we’ve removed it, you know, we’re still trying to figure it out if we’re going to do it or not. So not only did they remove it, but they were like, we’re still trying to decide whether or not we should have Juneteenth on the calendar. So that maybe we were more angry. I mean, let me just do the job. I do trust journalists, listen to Black Journalists. I know, credible journalists, listen to us listen to what we say. And we get so much good news, specifically Black Journalists. I have many colleagues that know me that I are peers in this industry. You Michel sindoor, Aaron Haynes, so many of you know, Joyce Reed, Chris Witherspoon, some of the great black journalists across the industry, Wesley Laurie, you know, do some really great work Natasha, Alfred, April. Everyone, April Ryan, she’s great, like so many great people that do this work. And we’re oftentimes scrutinizing over question more than our white colleagues,
Kelly Meerbott 14:18:08
for sure.
Ernest Owens 14:18:10
I’ve seen stories where myself and the white peers in the industry wrote the same piece, or we were reporting I do more comments or never do commentary. And I will make a point and people say is divisive. Is this Is that why gotta do it? Oh, my goodness, that’s very profound, very thoughtful. And the same way that sexism were for women where men can have an idea and women can be silenced and double downs on black women. Right? Yep. For being for their race for their identity. And I’ve dealt with that. And even from my sexual orientation I’ve, and my age, I experience ages and people talk about ageism, in the sense of people being older, but there is ageism, for people that are young, and leadership and powerful. You know, we’re going to talk about the presidency. But that those are some of the hurdles I have faced. And so yeah,
Kelly Meerbott 14:18:56
yeah. And while I haven’t experienced exactly that, I’ve definitely experienced sexism. And, you know, it’s, and I’ve seen it too, you know, and it’s just, to me, it’s disgusting. I mean, it really, like and it’s okay, it’s stupid, because you’ve got these great voices from across the world that could really contribute, you know, in a deep way, in a meaningful way. And we’re cutting ourselves off from that. It doesn’t make sense to me, just three. Okay, so how do you how do you deal with haters?
Ernest Owens 14:19:36
It’s evolved. Yeah, it’s evolved. How I how I’ve dealt has evolved. I mean, you know, sometimes it is a cease and desist letter. Sometimes blocked? Yeah. They’ll comment block, like, sometimes. You gotta go there. Yeah. And I think that it ranges on level of importance. And I think we all have to decide level of importance, right? I think people say haters don’t matter. Sometimes your haters elected official. Sometimes your hater is someone in your organization that you have to see every day you have to work with sometimes it’s someone you know, in your family or someone you know close, so everyone has to you know, I I want to say that that’s what I have to learn. Because you can’t just cut everyone off. Because, you know, you cut them off. You caring what they have to say about you? How you interact them is different. So I do believe there’s a level of it, there’s a level of importance, right? If you’re a hater is the mayor of Philadelphia, you have to interact with them differently. Yeah, if you’re a hater is someone who runs a nonprofit from an organization that, you know, you have to do work with that that’s that’s going to be a different type of way that you navigate that, if it’s just some troll that don’t know who you are, you don’t see them. You don’t mention them by if it’s an ex friend, or someone else that you whatever, hey, avoid him, don’t entertain them. Right. So it’s, there’s different levels. But what I will say is that in engaging with all of these haters on various levels, is that you have to remind yourself that any action anything they say about you, or any way that they do towards you, they are an outlier to all of the other things that you have. I have learned over time, not to let any of those individual opinions, deter, disrupt and disturb all of the work. That’s the 3d.
Kelly Meerbott 14:21:49
Say, the more time just for good emphasis
Ernest Owens 14:21:51
Disrupt, Deter, And Disturb. The 3d, I avoid that, and letting it be like, listen, people are going to say what they’re going to say. But I can’t let those things impact the work that I’m doing. So I’ve heard people try to deter you know, me from making a decision. And listen, okay, you got your opinion. But I’m not going to stop going where I need to go. Yeah, people want to disturb your space, your peace, you having a good day. And there’s people who just want to really center themselves in it. And distract to, you know, oh, my God, there’s so much distraction. Yes. And there’s people that that really want to just shift your focus and thing. And so those are the things that I won’t let happen. Yeah. And I am I’m very adamant on that. And I
Kelly Meerbott 14:22:50
love that. I mean, so I’m a I’m a little bit different with my haters. Like, I have one who’s, who gave me a death threat. And I was like, I laughed at it. But my husband’s former military is like, that’s not funny. I’m like, but they’re reading my stuff. And my first death threat I got in 2014, when I wrote a piece for the Philadelphia Business Journal saying, does Donald Trump needed peace? Does he need a dose of emotional intelligence? And that’s fine, like that kind of opened up the floodgates, but usually, unless, unless it’s a death threat, or there’s somebody who’s a client and paying my mortgage, then I’ll just kind of ignore them because it’s just, they’re irrelevant. And play when somebody my grandfather used to say, when you’re when you put your head above the crowd, you’re making easy targets. So, you know, to me, you’re somebody who’s rising up and you’re an easy target. And I’m the same, you know, well, not not at Ernest Owens level just yet. But talk to me about Dr. Isler, Stanford and the black doctors COVID 19 consortium, because I could tell that you had a really an affection and admiration for her work. I love what she’s doing. I took a little bit of a look into her work. But you know, I know you got vaccinated and to me that’s a really important thing to tell to talk to the audience about and, and Dr. Stanford’s work and, and the black doctors COVID 19 consortium because they’re doing amazing work out there in the community.
Ernest Owens 14:24:24
Yeah, Dr. Ala, Stanford, she does a lot of work on this, and she’s been in the community for a long time. But this this summer, she stepped up at a at a in a way that people just talked about it, including a city. This was she’s done. And these communities in West Philadelphia and we’re filling others, the city owes her OSER because she addressed ratio, health inequities and disparities that have often kept people that look like me in the sidelines for so long. And if she would have not done this work, it would have not been done. And she did it not just doing it right, but with dignity, with grace with care and concern, recognizing that you have to meet patients where they’re at making sure that she made these places safe, compliant, compatible, compassionate, and it’s some of the best health care experience I’ve ever had in my life.
Kelly Meerbott 14:25:34
Say more similar experience with the vaccines.
Ernest Owens 14:25:37
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, so I went to deliverance church in North Philadelphia. Okay, that’s where they were doing it, then they’re still doing vaccinations, but we weren’t interested. They’ve gotten the city to now create an entire website. Now that’s giving people more information. Because, you know, giving people websites to give people vaccinations to figure out how to do this should have been done, but okay. Um, she had a Google Doc, and the Google Doc is still out. I actually have it as a link in my bio on Instagram. Okay, tell people to get these vaccinations. I mean, many people qualify in phase one, B. I mean, these are people like for the work that I do. Outside of journalism, I do a lot of volunteer direct interactions with people in person and I’m at risk and that type of way. Essential is essential work. Jamarcus works at Penn Medicine. He got vaccinated to Penn. But I qualified, and I had other friends and people my fiance got vaccinated. My mom’s boyfriend did a lot of good friends of mine, did they have pre existing conditions, overweight, sleep apnea, diabetes, other health conditions that qualify them to be able to get vaccinated did other essential work? A lot of my friends was like, did you know that you can get this vaccination? And so they signed up, and they got back. And when I went there, it was a calmness. Everything about it was calmness. I mean, the lights were like this nice. I like light green. I don’t think that was intentional, but it’s just something about the room. So like I was in a renewal phase. And I go in there and it’s like, everyone’s different elders and people need to get vaccinated. And they’re all black. I think everyone there was black for the most part, you know, and everyone’s very, you know, nice. There’s social distancing is hand sanitizers. hand sanitizing. Everyone’s very chill. I go there, and I see her, give her a fist bump and take a selfie. And she’s telling me yeah, go right there. And there’s this woman who recognizes me for my articles, even I have a mask on, which is, I even get recognized him without the mask, but she’s telling me about the work that she’s doing and why she’s here. She tells him about the vaccine. And I’m just fooling she’s like, you know, do you trust us or you find like, hell yeah. And it’s these incredible black women who are just doing this work. I get vaccinated, they put me into church, just to make sure I don’t get dizzy, or having slightness or breath or anything. I’m fine. But they give us a timer individually. We it’s like almost like you’re at Chili’s, and you’re waiting for your food to come. Stuff like that. I go cheesy more. But
Kelly Meerbott 14:28:24
I know you don’t go to Chili’s because you’re friends with Michael Solomonov. And he wouldn’t let you go there.
Ernest Owens 14:28:30
They start with Okay, so I’ll say this much. I have going for events for friends that have mixers. Like those big things we have, like nothing else is open. Yeah. And my notes from there is the triple Dipper. Oh, I do all my goals. That’s all that’s all Jackie Ashley’s fun fact. I’m thankful for this triple Dipper, I can’t do anything else. So I always get the boneless wings, the mini burgers and those Southwestern egg rolls, but those, those are what I get. That’s what I get. And I get that much better. And sometimes if we’re greedy, we’ll get the artichoke dip with the chips. That’s it. That’s that’s all I get. Every time I go to Chile. That’s all I get. I will not get a steak. I will not play myself. I actually make a mistake tonight for dinner. But
Kelly Meerbott 14:29:19
I was blessed to be your keto like me which I love that. Yeah, I haven’t been doing it. How long have I been doing it? So it’ll be two years probably in the spring. And I do this thing where once a quarter I’ll take one week and I’ll just kind of go to hell with myself. Hey, me.
Ernest Owens 14:29:38
I’m doing a Valentine’s Day weekend. Yeah, so. So my anniversary? My my fiance’s birthday. Yeah, all my friends are Aquarius is which is interesting. And I’m a Libra. So maybe that means something. But they all our birthdays are on that time. So I’m going to do a week for that. And then we’re back on. And I might see these people on Easter, but maybe I’ll even I may do Easter because I’m very much into like eating good soul food for Easter. And then I’ll cheat for that. But then I’ll get back on and I won’t do anything until my graduation celebration from my masters with my younger brother. So that’s when I go back to Houston which I’ll be there for a week and I’m going down south and I’m not going to pretend that they know anything about Quito downtown. When I’m gonna play those games I know. Lots of BS, but I’m not even going to pretend that nothing’s gonna be in a bun. Grow cornbread, or, or beans or rice like so. I have this calendar of when I’m gonna paint my room like that, like, I love that you’re saying that Kelly about it because I feel like people feel like you have to be strict. And if you if you take a break, or do you’re weak or something, then you just might as well just keep going not doing anything like no, you can take that pause, and it gets your butt back on there. I think that’s how it works. It’s like, you’re gonna do a little bit of cardio, you’re not going to get to your three months worth of carbs in a week. You shouldn’t. And you crazy when I have taken those breaks, like my last break was during the holidays for that Christmas New Year spread. Same way. I it was even worse in there looking like. Yeah, that sounds bad. But like I said, it’s like, even though I have that freedom, you know? Yeah, like, I’m gonna eat real meal. So I have a mac and cheese and I enjoyed it with my hand. And I enjoyed those things. Like the things that I wanted were the things I really want it and it’s also made me realize in my head, everything does not have to be on a bed of pasta. Either. Way more veggies like I’m eating things on tail that I used to eat on noodles, and it’s changed my entire
Kelly Meerbott 14:31:42
life. Okay. I don’t know if I’m gonna change your life, but miracle noodles have changed my life. Okay,
Ernest Owens 14:31:50
where are you getting these miracle noodles. Okay.
Kelly Meerbott 14:31:53
You know what, maybe I’ll pack up some and send them to you because I’m, I love to try things. Yeah, yeah. So I’m Italian and like, I just wanted to say no, we don’t love Columbus just like let’s put that aside. We are not claiming Columbus. We will claim Ariana Grande though. Take care. I have her under my way. You’re gonna have ponytail. You’re so much better than that. So she
Ernest Owens 14:32:22
Isn’t she so you recognize this?
Kelly Meerbott 14:32:26
Seriously? I like okay, we don’t know each other that well. But I have a really like the the reason you resonated with me is because you and I have a bullshit meter that is like,
Ernest Owens 14:32:37
Okay. Always want to know other like other folks. Were just keeping it but no, she. She is so it’s so bad.
Kelly Meerbott 14:32:46
Shake her. Yeah. And I definitely want to make sure we have some time to talk about music because I did 11 years in corporate radio, and I met like Keri Hilson, and like all of that. And when you were talking about like you said something. You said give people some grace. That’s when I was like, I love this man. Like I just I just you have a way of putting things and I’m like, Oh my God. Yes. We just need to leave her alone. Like we know what she’s trying to do. She went up against Beyonce. That was a dumb career move. But let’s leave her alone. Now. Okay, she’s beating herself up enough. Like, obviously. Yeah,
Ernest Owens 14:33:24
she has. And that’s what I was. Yeah, I was like, Yeah,
Kelly Meerbott 14:33:28
well, and when I hear about things, low hanging fruit, it’s low hanging fruit. Yeah, it is. It is. But you also said something. You said I enjoy becoming more. And I was like, and then you’re like, let’s just leave it at that. So I want I don’t want to leave it at that. I want to know, What do you mean by that? Like you said, not it wasn’t the last podcast episode. It was the one before so three, the third episode, you said, I enjoy becoming more. And I was like, what does that mean?
Ernest Owens 14:33:59
Ah, is there more context behind that?
Kelly Meerbott 14:34:02
Um, you were talking about? Okay. And this is this is really this actually is a great segue into your presidency for? Yeah. So you were saying like, I you know, I did this, and I did this. And I did this. And I’m always like, in my mind, this is this is what I does. Yeah. I’m somebody who’s like, okay, how can I be better than yesterday? What do I need to learn? But one of the things that I was getting from you and your your work was like, I need to know about more white supremacy and the historical trauma that that happened on this land, like I want to know truly like not the whitewashed version. Like, I want to know what happened. Yeah. So I enrolled myself in the Arizona trauma Institute took a class and I’m like, Well, no wonder black people and indigenous people are shocked at us. I’d be Yeah, I’d be pissed, too. So I said that I’m like, Oh, I that resonates with me, because I want to become more. I want to be more I want to be Yeah.
Ernest Owens 14:35:05
So how that came about was that I do think that we get in positions and we get, we let them define us. Some people. Yeah. And there’s always this sense of and I’m here with older people. I’m definitely more so than I hear with my peers, but they’re too busy trying to get there. And if I also have gotten some things I’ve been fortunate to get things very early. My career, there’s been this, this, this, this desire to hold on to a title to hold on to positions to let this be our end, and there’s this fear of losing it. And they’re like, Well, what am I now and I see so many people do it because I have been in positions where I’ve had to fight against, for lack of a better term, the old heads, I’ve had to fight against the elite, I’ve had to fight against people who are quarters of power positions. And a lot of it is always this dynamic of holding on to it. Because their identity is in it. The likelihood is imminent. And so one thing that I’ve always done in my entire career, my life, I want to continue to do, and my experiment with is recognizing that who I am is the ingredient. Me what I personally possess. Yes, titles and these positions, don’t. So part of what I love is that I’ve created titles for myself. My title was award winning journalist and CEO of earnest, LLC. I don’t have the obsession anymore for titles. It’s cool to get on like I’m editor at large of Philadelphia Magazine, I’m you all these things. But I said, What is a permanent life standing Title I can have for many years that will just be there so I can get over that desire of identity. What are two things that are true that are going to be true this year, next year, year after that. And it’s that I’m still a journalist, I plan to be a journalist for some time. And whatever I do in media will be there. And I’m the CEO of my own company, done. Got that title. Yeah, got the title, obsession over the things, any promotions, things from that, if those things change, those things who identify me will stay the same, right. And I think that we should work on values, titles that define our values, more than titles that define position. Yeah, a good friend of mine, always used to say and still sets his day purpose over position. And that is something that I live for desert, Peter Kimbell, she’s an incredible woman who has done city policy works on campaigns. She has her own consulting group. She’s a woman who has come from experiences with adversity and as rise from adversity continue to pursue the work. And she says purpose, not position. And that’s something that, you know, she had a career in the city of Philadelphia, where she had a title and you know, she left it in there was a mess. But in spite of those things, she said, Listen, why am I fighting over these positions? Or caring about it? Who am I? What am I about it’s over that it’s above that. And so many people let these positions in these titles determine their value and set. Before I was the president of Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, I was an advocate for black journalism. And after I will still be that advocate, and I think we have to recognize that but that’s something that’s not I think, has been taught to the Gen Xers enough. I’ve definitely had to learn as a millennial because there’s been so much missed so many people holding power and opportunity and leadership for young people. Yeah, that we’ve had to come to terms with what does this look like? Because I’m not getting I’m not getting it fast enough. We look at politics we should have seen generational changes now there should be more millennials really turning out like we like we’re a little late there’s a lot of traffic this people has been holding on to positions for way too long. My generation needs the air you know yeah, like we not worth
Kelly Meerbott 14:39:21
- You know, I lost her but to see some
Ernest Owens 14:39:24
move like there’s some movement there’s traffic jam traffic, right GeneXus should be next now getting off position so the millennials can come in and start getting some of these these good positions. We’re just gonna swing it and so we’ve had to come up with our own ways to create our own opportunities and destiny somewhere and so that’s what I’ve had to do for myself and you know, funny enough when I started to get to that position, all of a sudden here come the real position Hey, come the We need You now here you go. And so my but in spite of the positions I’ve been fortunate to get I’m still at a place of realizing that that more whatever those things are, I’m still gonna be an app pursuit nothing’s gonna ever make me complacent. Right? I think we will get a position and say that’s it. For me the more is the continue to explore my purpose and how it evolves. That’s the more the evolution continues and I’m 29 I’m like It’s not over yet. I have more and that’s why pursue for like, people are ready to just say, Okay, you’re good. You’re fine. Stick with this. I’m like, No, I have so much more in Edit me that. I don’t know and I want to pursue and I’m going to keep pursuing went back.
Kelly Meerbott 14:40:36
To me. That’s the kind of the way I took it. But I didn’t want to make that assumption. Oh, absolutely argue. But it’s it felt like a very expansive statement, like, you know, and I’m a Gen XR. And I remember when we were rebranding my company and all of that my, my team was like, You got to be a leadership coach mer. And I was like, I don’t want a title. Can we just make a business cards without a title? And they were like, no, because corporate needs to you to. And I was like, but I don’t want to be pigeonholed in that. Like, because I’m so much more than that. And we ended up landing on the title anyway, even though I was not in favor of it. But, you know, I hear you, I think you’re so much more like, you know, your service work. I think these are all kind of pillars of everything that makes you up you and what you do, but not who you are. Which is why I think Ken human for me is so important, because I’m like, okay, title is president. And I’m just using this because you’re here of Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. Okay, that’s one thing he does, but really, who is he? You know, and to me, you’re, you’re a conduit for change, you know, in a conduit for dialogue that needs to be had, whether it’s by the white community, the black community, the poor, and you are a voice that we need, and I see you as a voice of a generation, I really do. And I think you’re just such a treasure, and we’re so lucky to have you here in Philly. I’m just so grateful. But you know, I could talk to you for hours, really, I could and I hopefully, when this kind of clears up, we’ll be able to meet in person and we’ll be able to get her fiance and my husband together and maybe create something awesome with them. But usually I like to close with a couple rapid fire questions. Are you okay with one? Sure. Okay. So do you have a daily mantra that you live by?
Ernest Owens 14:42:34
Yes. Okay. And did I forget the daily mantra? So? Oh, yes. Except which expect what you accept? Expect what you accept? Okay. All right. Me, okay. All the time. Yeah. Because a lot of times we don’t look at the things in our lives, except what you expect. It could go either way. You could reverse it. But the things in my life that I’ve accepted, why am I surprised?
Kelly Meerbott 14:43:14
Beautiful, I love expect
Ernest Owens 14:43:15
greatness. Expect accepted. If you accept BS expected. Bs expected you accept hate, expected to continue and I think that’s a Mantra Mantra for the country. Yeah. accepted a lot of things. So why are they surprise?
Kelly Meerbott 14:43:35
You know, like, and let me just say this. There’s a lot of Kelly Ann’s that are giving me a bad name in the in the government. So I just do want to say there are some good Kelly’s out there. Hopefully I’m included in that. Kellyanne when Lafleur was saying oh, I just wanted to protect the election. I expect this I was like, bad you didn’t say anything. You just kept stoking the fires. What do you expect? Sorry, I could go on for an hour about that. But I won’t favorite comfort food
Ernest Owens 14:44:07
it changes Okay, right? Yeah, I will say the one right now because I’m on keto brisket.
Kelly Meerbott 14:44:16
Ooh, yes. Okay. Um, you and I earn our our love languages music. Okay, so tell me about the first time that you heard that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on and
Ernest Owens 14:44:37
I want to say that on air I’m
Kelly Meerbott 14:44:45
always getting yourself
Ernest Owens 14:44:45
in your way Britney Spears fan. So slave for you when it came out with the video and the the snake performance that used to just be my thing. Okay, I
Kelly Meerbott 14:44:56
love that. I love and what songs are on your playlist right now?
Ernest Owens 14:45:03
Oh my goodness. Let’s not put in this future nostalgia by doing Lippa. That album that hold the album is just so phenomenal. Um, definitely the last two Taylor Swift albums, folklore and evermore rotation rotation rotation.
Kelly Meerbott 14:45:26
I did not pay you for a Swifty but I’m kind of I know
Ernest Owens 14:45:29
I’m a I’m a I’m a third waves with the second second wave. I’m a second wave Swifty. Yeah, Swifty No. It’s so it’s crazy. My tables with interest evolved so I started off being a fan. So nights at night was what brought me in because she was popped in. And then I liked reputation a lot people didn’t like reputation. I like loved reputation that spoke to me. I don’t know what it was, but that was a move and it fit where I was at the time and it still is still good. It’s still he didn’t age back. But then I went back and heard read and was like, read is good. And but I’m not motivated to listen to the other albums like I’m just I can’t I can’t go back there. But red is good. And so I still didn’t I brought red back. I was like she can go back to this guitar plan and this storytelling stuff again, she’s got loads to pop me lever was cool. So when the folk word came, I was like, this is that album. These two albums is what I wanted. This has given me red energy, but timelier and she’s more mature her lyrics. Yeah. So I’ve been playing that I do listen to a little bit of chromatic a little sprinkle there of some of her radica some of
Kelly Meerbott 14:46:42
it I can’t get into it.
Ernest Owens 14:46:45
Like I like 911 I like the ones you do Ariana Grande ran on me That’s cute. Couple phones I can’t I can’t get into as much the weekend blinding lights love binded lights by the weekend in that group up Chloe and Haley you know our which my fiance really in season two ungodly hour that album by them, which I did. So I’ve been playing it’s a nice moody show out record. Um, so yeah, yeah.
Kelly Meerbott 14:47:14
I love that thing.
Ernest Owens 14:47:15
How many years between doing Lipin Taylor Swift I believe one of those two will win. I would love to answer to win a third album of the year because I felt like this is our better album than the one she won before like maintaining nine. Kendrick should have won that year. Fearless. Beyonce should have won. But we’ll give what you know this year. I think she deserves it. But doing it for my taking and do it gets it. I wouldn’t be mad. Was Kacey Musgraves go? Yeah, love it. Love it. Love it. So
Kelly Meerbott 14:47:49
good.
Ernest Owens 14:47:50
Well, good. So good. Two days ago, and now she’s divorced. But still, those songs are so sweet.
Kelly Meerbott 14:47:57
Yeah, and I loved when you were talking about the maturity of these artists when they get into their womanhood. I’m like, Yes, that’s exactly it. It’s this. Like, yeah,
Ernest Owens 14:48:07
definitely grown up. I love mature Taylor me to me. Love maturity. I love the songs. The songs are, I mean, I’m like near her not too far from age. So I feel like we’ve we’ve both met, she’s meeting us where we’re at. I like certain people like Drake, who was still acting like 10 years ago. So that was just okay, Angel.
Kelly Meerbott 14:48:29
Last question. I’m most grateful for in this moment right now.
Ernest Owens 14:48:42
Right, good question. I want to be able to kept my media empire as robust and energized. In this pandemic, all the things that come with that, yeah, that I was able to still have the ability to inspire people and make an impact, and do all of that, in spite of not being able to make as many speaking engagements do as much. And I incorporate my family and my friends in that, because they were a part of keeping that alive and keeping that afloat. If it hadn’t been for one of my good friends who encouraged me to apply for these grants, which I just like, oh my god getting these grants, I actually got a lot of good grants, I was very fortunate. That quipment that equipment, those cool things I brag about and a sneak peek episode would have never happened. So just the support and just being able to make this impact and continue to spread my message and connect to people like you and others who have continued to follow it, the amount of support and interest in my work. So the past year and pandemic has skyrocketed more than I had before. And so the fact that I was able to connect with so many people and tell stories that resonate in this time is something that is completely incomparable. It keeps me motivated to keep doing this work. Keeps me uplifted, it brings me joy. And it makes me even more grateful and happy to do this even more because sometimes people get into these roles and get in this industry and they like it like oh my god another TV appearance another this. I get excited every time I see my byline. I still get excited and goosebumps when a link is ready. go live. When I share my COVID story yesterday, I was so like, oh, just excited like a kid at Christmas. And that magic has not left me. And that’s what keeps me going.
Kelly Meerbott 14:50:46
Well, it’s clear. I mean, like, that’s what I feel off of your work. So for those of you that want to hire and pay earnest, how do we get? How do we get in touch with you? What’s the best way to get in touch with you for this?
Ernest Owens 14:50:59
I mean, listen, I everywhere, right? DMS emails. My email is earnest at large@gmail.com. So that’s earnest e r n e s t ar t@gmail.com. But you didn’t Google me. I mean, I’m all over the internet. Like I have a great website. That’s the one thing shots on my phone, my best friends, my family, my mom. And all it really said to me from early on, shout to a woman named Sarah Glover who has an incredible mission with the National Association of Black Journalists President first person to ever have two terms in that row. And she’s also a two term Kbj president. So she’s a big mentor to me. She mentored me in 2012 when I was at NBC, she was the SU social media editor. Now she’s that for all NBC owned NBC Universal there. So she’s like this big social media manager for them. Queen of social media really taught me some big tricks to social media very early, when I was in college, like when people were like this social media stuff. She was like, this is not stuff. You want to get it right. And so my handles mister at Mr. Ernest Owens, was inspired by her telling me to clean up my handles, because I was just on the internet. She got me told me you need to have universal handles, Instagram, Twitter. So I owned my handles, I owned my website domain, when I was like literally in college, before people create their own websites, and people thought that was pretentious. I have my own web domain. So early on, I made these investments in myself, earnest money, Empire, that name. I’ve had that name when I was a junior in college. So all of the things I have now, were things that I took ownership on, got, before all of this happened before I was verified before this. Because again, I learned that I you know, to expect the greatness of my life, I had to accept that greatness in my life. And I accepted a lot of the advice and the wisdom and people telling me to do these things. And that’s why I was able to expect it.
Kelly Meerbott 14:53:05
I love that. So we can you can find him at Ernestowens.com Or Mr. Ernest Owens. All over the internet. Subscribe to his podcast earnestly speaking it’s incredible.
Ernest Owens 14:53:16
All of the podcast places Yeah, it’s
Kelly Meerbott 14:53:20
everywhere. Ernest is everywhere. And if you don’t know, um, know him because he is the voice of a generation. And Ernest, thank you so much for your time. I know how valuable it is thank you for being vulnerable and real. And to our listeners. It’s our intention that this podcast inspires you to go out and have authentic conversations to deepen the connections in your life. Thank you so much, and make it a great day.
14:54:02
You’ve been listening to hidden human, the stories behind the business leader. If you’ve enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Kelly and the services she provides. Visit you loud and clear.com Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll be back soon with a new episode.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/toggle][/toggles][/vc_column][/vc_row]
