S3E2: Amplifying Your Voice

In this episode, we welcome Sonya Ross, a bonafide expert in amplifying your voice. Sonya shares wisdom and insights about amplifying the voices of Black women from her 30+ years of experience as a political journalist. This experience included White House coverage and the September 11th terrorist attacks, amongst other historical moments.

Sonya shares about her current work at Black Women Unmuted, where she reports the under-told stories about Black women across the country. She shares lessons she’s learned about storytelling and provides insights into how other Black women leaders can tap into this important skill.

Additionally, Sonya pays homage to Black women leaders in the political arena and provides some practical first steps for those looking to amplify their voices for change in their spheres of influence.

Guest Bio

Sonya Ross is managing editor of Inside Climate News, a Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom devoted to climate change, and founder of Black Women Unmuted, a media start-up that reports under-told stories about Black women in the United States.

Sonya took on these twin endeavors after a 33-year career at The Associated Press. She became The AP’s first Black woman White House reporter in 1995 and, in 1999, the first Black woman elected to the board of the White House Correspondents Association. During the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Sonya was the print pool reporter aboard Air Force One with President George W. Bush as he was evacuated to safety, also a historic first in media.

In 2018, Sonya was inducted into the Society of Professional Journalists Hall of Fame. She was the founding chair of the political reporting task force for the National Association of Black Journalists and is currently deputy vice-chair of the board of the Journalism & Women’s Symposium. Sonya also serves on the boards of the Washington Press Club Foundation, the SPJ Foundation, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association Fund. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

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