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Wednesday, November 13

November 13, 2024

Working the 66th annual Midwest Emmy's


I had the greatest time working with some amazing people at the 66th Annual Midwest Emmy Awards! 

Technically I volunteered, but let me tell you it was WORK! I was there for two days helping organize, create and execute an amazing evening! From behind the scenes to upclose and personal with several Emmy winners I was in my element! 

I was on my feet for over 15 hrs; and I could have been other places, but I would not trade this experince! 





As I prepare to graduate at 40, I feel like I really have no time to waste. I am hitting the ground running and doing what I can to stand out to those that might be able to help me going forward! 
I am excited to say I stood out to Rebekah Cowing, who has worked for over "25 years in the local TV community" as qouted from the Emmy awards program. That night she took home the Governors Award and was acknowledged for all the amazing and hard work she has done over the last 2 decades. To me it was an honor to meet her and have her trust to execute the responsibilities she had given me. 








As the night went on I was surrounded by names and faces I recognized but none like the face and voice of Anthony Flemming III. I saw him as he was coming down the escalator and from his outfit I was wondering how do I know this person. So I greeted him and, and his voice right away I could sense I knew this person, but could quite place it. So being in the Hip-Hop space I asked if maybe thats why he was familiar. Then he took off his shades and said, "Have you ever seen Power?" That's when it hit me, as he finshed saying he played Tommy's brother on "Force".


I was so excited to meet him, because I am a big fan! I also love the role he plays because it is not the typical role you see in these shows. He not into drug dealing or killing, he's a newly found family man, as he was reunited with his son, his brother and mother. His characters story line has depth and a lot of emotional struggles, but he's just trying to do right by his new title of father, brother and son. 

This season will be it's final season and I can't wait to see what happens, as I over heard him talking about how amazing it's going to be. 

Before the night was done I had another chance to talk to him, and he expolained he does voice overs at WTTW, to which I exclaimed thats right by my school! I told him how I go to Northeastern Illinois University and host a radio show on WZRD.  I was over the moon to be able to make this connection and I'm excited to share he will be coming by to chat with me soon! 


Then it was back to work as I continued to greet and escort Emmy winners, when who do I see, Alfonso Gutiérrez from Telemundo. If you don't know I had the chance to meet him earlier this year when he came to speak at the C.M.T. Dept. about NBCU.  I can't explain how it felt to be recognized in a place and space like this! He, like everyone I met that night was kind an gracious, as he floated over in the after glow of winning. He encouraged me, as before, to find an internship and pursue my dreams of televsion.  
The first time I met him, he had shared some of his story and I related so much that I shared some of my story, almost bringing him to tears.  His motto is your struggle is your super power, and that you need to use it to speak to your audience. 

 
Although there were many great highlights of the evening by far the most important was working with fellow volunteers. These young ones are driven and looking for opportunities, which although I am not young I am driven and opportunistic, so meeting like minds is always a win. These students came from DePaul, Columbia, and Governor State and myself from Northeastern Illinois University. 


Listening to them talk about their projects and majors was inspiring and also made tme thinks I need to stay in touch with these folks cause they are going places! 


All to say by the end of the day I was exhusated, and had one heck of a day! 









Wednesday, October 23

October 23, 2024

Talking with @CaSera a Chicago Native about her amazing career and whats next!


Tune in Live Wednesday Oct. 23 1-3pm Central Time 

Wednesday October 23rd from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on WZRD Chicago 88.3 FM I will be talking to @djcashera while playing some of her favorite jams that have inspired her along her amazing career so far.

A Chicago native and raising ⭐ star @djcashera will be performing this Thursday at @closedsessions 15th Anniversary with legend @djmuggs_the_black_goat_

Not only will we talk about her work with your favorite brands, athletic teams and artists we will also be giving away 2 tickets to the show this Thursday @avondalemusichall !!

October 23, 2024

Tyris Manney Beauty and Mental Health Awareness





    
What an amazing conversation I had live on air with Tyris Manney. A multi-talented man wearing many hats we discussed, his research as a McNair Scholar on Mass Incarceration, his skin care line Tyris Manney Beauty and his recently produced script as the winner of the 8th Annual Playwriting Contest for the Fall 2024 Nuevas Voces Festival. Sounds like a lot but really it was just the tip of the ice berg. 

I'm working on getting the interview posted, so come back, and learn more about this amazing Chicago naive making an impact in his community! 








Monday, January 2

January 02, 2023

What is a Domain, and Why should you have one.


Why do people live in homeless shelters online?


If given the choice, most people would prefer the comforts of their own space rather than staying in someone else’s. So why are so many people comfortable existing in someone else’s domain—like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms? These sites allow anyone to open an account and create a presence, but it’s still on someone else’s terms, within their "domain."

Not everyone chooses "homeless shelters" (free platforms); some people pay to rent digital space, like subscribing to platforms such as LinkedIn, WordPress, or GoDaddy. This is similar to paying HOA fees for a condo. However, just as homeownership is a goal for many, owning a domain—having your own website—should be something everyone can aspire to, not just business owners or tech-savvy individuals.

How and Why Was the Internet Created?


To understand what a domain is, we first need to know why and where it exists.

In the 1960s, government researchers wanted to share their information, but computers back then were enormous—sometimes weighing over 16,000 pounds. If researchers wanted access to information stored on a computer, they had to travel to it physically or send data on magnetic tapes via snail mail.

During the Cold War, with the space race in full swing and the Soviet Union’s success in launching the Sputnik satellite, the U.S. Defense Department was under pressure to develop a way for information to be accessed even after a nuclear attack. This led to the creation of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), alongside the U.S. Defense Department’s Data Defense Network.

These networks allowed information sharing, but they were limited to agencies with academic or government contracts. You needed both a computer and access to one of these exclusive networks. This unequal access sparked the creation of independent networks, each with its own protocols, creating a kind of "Tower of Babel."


Uniting Intranets: The Birth of the Internet


In the early days, the sharing system was managed by the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International). SRI assigned numerical addresses (IP addresses) to host files. As technology advanced and computers became smaller, companies like General Electric and Remington-Rand used their own internal networks for things like research and payroll.

By January 1, 1983, the Internet as we know it was born. All computers connected to it communicated using standardized protocols—Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). This coincided with the creation of the Domain Name System (DNS), which linked IP addresses to human-readable domain names.

If the Internet is like a post office, TCP is the protocol that determines how the "packages" (data) are sent. A domain name is like the street address, and the IP address is the house number that tells the network where the information is going.

Keeping the Internet Safe for Travelers


In 1991, the TCP standard evolved into HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), which is like a basic envelope for general information sharing online. By 1997, HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) was introduced for securely transmitting sensitive data using encryption—think of it as certified mail.

Don’t Get Lost on the Information Highway

A domain name gives a unique identity to an IP address. Think of it as a name like "The Smiths," with an associated numerical address, like a GPS location. Just as physical addresses have multiple parts (house number, street, city, etc.), domain names have different levels.

In 1985, there were only a few top-level domains (TLDs), like ".com" and ".edu." Today, there are over 1,500 TLDs, including ".guru," ".club," and ".life," allowing individuals to be specific about their websites' purpose.

Beneath TLDs are second-level domains (SLDs)—for example, "Google" or "Facebook." Further still are subdomains like "www" or custom ones like "shop" or "help," which specify sections of a site. Rather than owning a "house" online, think of owning a domain like buying a condo: you never truly own the land it's built on, and you have to follow guidelines and pay fees to live in that space.


What’s Your URL?


A domain is not the same as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). A URL is how you are given space on someone else’s domain, like www.facebook.com/yournamehere. This is akin to staying in a shared shelter. While these sites collect user data and algorithms, they often lack proper safety guidelines, which can make them risky places for users.


From Online Homelessness to Owning Your Domain


Owning a domain is a lot like homeownership—it can be hard to achieve. Finding the right digital "land" and setting up a domain that suits your needs can be challenging. But unlike physical space, there’s no shortage of digital land. The barriers are often knowledge and accessibility, not availability.

With your own domain, you create your own space in the vast world of the Internet. It’s a place where your information, content, and ideas truly belong to you.

Wednesday, August 10

August 10, 2022

#Algorithms change, policy's change, people change, but your #Domain can remain the same. - Sharing reasons why having your own #website is the present and the Future...

There are a lot of amazing Content Creators. 


It's not hard to see that the pandemic has brought out the creators, makers, and business minds. A scroll through Esty, FB/IG, Youtube, TikToK, will easily show that, since these content creators are all pushed in our algorithms. 

Some people have been able to profit from the lottery that is the algorithm. 
Some people have a massed a huge following and WE👏 ARE 👏HERE👏FOR 👏 IT👏
Small businesses, supporting unique people, places or things, through social media is, and, has been great. 
However, when you go to the links in the bios of these amazing creators, people, or businesses, you will often find linklists to other social media platforms. 
Or they have setup sites where they share their name and content with the site provider, for example. www.wix.yourname.com 

Here are the usual answers I receive when I ask,

"Why don't they have a website?" 

Them:
  • 👍I don't need one 
    • It's just me
    • I'm just starting
    • I'm not selling anything
Me:
  • You don't have to be a business to have a website
    • Social Media Platforms change with Trends, Myspace, FB/IG,TIKTOK, but your domain remains yours.
  • Branding your NAME is important when starting anything
    • Having a website/email and social media with all the same name is key for branding
  • Your content is valuable 
    • You don't need to sell or offer a service to have a website, social media is social blogging. A domain or website gives you a home instead of renting space on other peoples platforms.
Them:
  • 💸Money
    • Weekly/Monthly/ Annual fees for services is too much for my small business
Me:
  • A Domains can be as low as $12/yr incl. email
    • Integrate it with google services
      • adsense
      • analytics
      • firebase + more
  • Free Hosting WITHOUT SHARING YOUR NAME
    • Blogger
    • Googlesites
    • Canva
Them:
  • 💻Knowledge and🕚Time
    • Don't know how to run a Website
    • It will take too much time to learn something new
Me:
  • If you have social media, you can run your website.
    • Especially if you were an HTML myspacer.... #Itme
  • Social Media owns your accounts and information. 
    • Your account can be terminated 
    • Ideas/Intellectual property is stolen easier
    • Social media makes money from YOU and YOUR content
      • privatize and monetize that
Them:
  • 👪People are on social media
    • I need to be where the people are
Me: The Composer must turn their backs to the crowd in order to lead the Orchestra  
  • PEOPLE GO WHERE YOU SEND THEM! 
    • If you build it they will come 😎
    • You have what your audience is looking for, you are the plug🔌and a website is the direct link.
    • MONETIZE your website and your audience becomes $🤑
  • Social Media should be like a commercial, or billboard, to direct traffic to your website.
    • The meat of your content should be not be accessible outside of your website
    • Share from your site to outside media platforms other than FB/IG
It can feel overwhelming to search for something that you once found on a scroll. 
You want to go back and read or see what you happened to scroll by, but can't find it. 
Algorithms change, policy's change, people change.

Do you know how many social platform logins I have created trying to keep up with people?
Too many to count.
If you have something that the people want, you should have a place where the people can find you.

That place doesn't have to be fancy, look at FB/IG they are clean, simple to the point. Make a space that feels like you and your audience will be happy there. 



*Side note for people worried about SEO or Search Engine Optimization  it's just like # hashtags but without the hashtags. From the domain destination ex. .club . life .furniture; to what you are writing in the descriptions and posting on your site. It will happen organically as web crawlers find you over time.