Film & TV Acquisitions Executive Loretta Edwards Wilson: Crafting the Future of Black Narratives
Host Fanshen Cox welcomes co-host Jayden Dial, an experienced podcaster and filmmaker, to discuss her journey through Black Girls Film Camp and her Stanford University experience. The episode features special guest, Loretta Edwards Wilson, a seasoned acquisitions executive and founder of A Bold Move Media. They dive into Wilson's career path from pre-med to media, the intricacies of being an acquisitions executive, and the importance of representation in media. The conversation touches on financial aspects of acquisitions and production, highlighting the value of networking and the evolving landscape of media. The episode wraps up with personal reflections and career advice for aspiring media professionals.
00:00 Welcome to Season Six of Sista Brunch
00:22 Introducing Special Co Host Jayden Dial
00:59 Jayden's Black Girls Film Camp Experience
02:34 Jayden's Podcast Journey with This Teenage Life
03:37 Jayden's College Life at Stanford University
04:30 Introducing Loretta Edwards Wilson
06:41 Loretta's Journey into Acquisitions
14:14 Loretta's Career at BET and Beyond
23:05 Reflecting on Upbringing and Confidence
23:35 Supporting Sista Brunch Podcast
24:10 Discussing Financials in Production
24:57 Understanding Acquisitions and Programming
26:31 Exploring Revenue Streams and Incentives
30:58 Let's Talk Tech
31:51 The Role of a Programmer
35:15 Media Literacy and Black Girls Film Camp
37:17 Advice to Younger Self
38:59 Closing Remarks and Gratitude
Transcript:
SBS6_LorettaEdwardsWilson_Video
Fanshen Cox: [00:00:00] Welcome back to season six of Sista Brunch. We are bringing you the stories of black women and gender expansive people who are thriving, truly thriving in entertainment and media. I'm your host, Fanshen Cox. Now our regular season. who I know you love just like we do. Sean Pipkin West was not available to join us for this one.
As y'all know, she's busy, she's doing a lot, but we are so fortunate to have a special surprise, another co host for our episode from black. Girls Film Camp. So her Black Girls Film Camp film was not her first short. Like a lot of the girls, this was her third. And she is also a very serious, experienced podcaster.
So she'll be teaching us a lot on this episode, I'm sure of it. So let's go ahead and bring her on. Welcome to Sista Brunch, Jayden Dial.
Jayden Dial: Hi, thank you for having me.
Fanshen Cox: We're so glad to have you tell us a little [00:01:00] bit about your black girls film camp experience and also the film that you made.
Jayden Dial: Yeah, so I was part of the 2024 cohort.
It was an amazing experience. It was the first time I could Tell a story and not have to fully explain why I wanted to make it. So I'm so grateful for it and all the girls and mentors that I met through that program. And my film was called A Mother's Cure. It is a continuation of some of my other short films.
It's about a young black girl who's 18th birthday is coming up and she has It's to figure out her abilities, her magical abilities, before her special celebration with the help of her grandmother and her mother. So within my films, I always have magic, fantasy, because I love it, and also black history because I want to ground my stories in something that feels very attainable, that other people can relate to.
Fanshen Cox: I love that so much because it's both, I, I love history as well and that [00:02:00] we you know, people say, no, don't tell slave stories and, and I'm kind of like, but you know what? That's part of our history and we need to, and. We've never gotten to tell them it's always been told by somebody else. So what happens when we're the ones that actually talk about our history?
And then the fact that you're connecting that to sci fi and fantasy, I love because that means we going to be here in the future as well. Right? It's not just the past or the current. I love it. That is amazing. Now you're also an experienced podcaster. So do you want to talk a little bit about this teenage life?
Jayden Dial: , so I'm part of a collective I like to call it This Teenage Life. This has been a podcast that has gone on for many years. With the adult who runs it is Molly Josephs. She's an amazing woman a great mentor, which gets voices from literally all around the world. I was part of one of the like second cohorts of Americans, but we have everyone from India to [00:03:00] Portugal to Zimbabwe, it does not matter.
We're literally everywhere and we get to share about the topics that really matter to us. And sometimes those hard topics, whether that could be microaggressions to periods to something fun like crushes. It's a really great community and yeah, I've been part of it since freshman year of high school and now I'm a freshman in college.
So I'm really happy to be a part of it.
Fanshen Cox: I love it. And you're going to a pretty special college too. I mean, it's not, this is a very competitive place where you are. You want to tell us where you are?
Jayden Dial: Yeah, so I'm a first year at Stanford University. I, one thing that I I love to share is that I live in Ujima, which if you do some research, is the black house on campus.
There's a long history of getting this space specifically for black students. And I think it has really changed my, it just really helped my experience moving [00:04:00] into here. And you're just a part of some really amazing history because of all the amazing people who have lived here.
Fanshen Cox: I mean, including Ms. Issa Rae. Did she live there? I mean, she certainly went to Stanford. We know that, right?
Jayden Dial: I'm not totally sure, but if she did, that's awesome.
Fanshen Cox: I wonder if I was even there when she was there, but amazing, amazing. All right. So not only are you just awesome, we're so proud to have you, but we also have a great guest.
So Jayden, will you introduce our guest?
Jayden Dial: Yes. So today Our guest, she has gotten over 20 years of film and TV experience. She has worked with Disney, Sony Pictures, BET, MTV, and Comedy Central. And she is the founder of A Bold Move Media to uplift the stories of women of color. Let's welcome Acquisition's executive and company founder, Loretta Edwards Wilson.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Wow. Wow. Wow. I'm sorry. Thank you. [00:05:00] Thank you so much, Jayden. I am just amazed. I mean, you are a young, talented woman and just amazed. Really, truly honored. With that introduction, thank you so much. I just say, you know, I'm not worried about where we're going. Our young people are going to take care of it.
We have a Jayden's around. We are okay. Okay. Yes. Yes. That was great. That was great. Keep it.
Fanshen Cox: I was going to say, you know, we. We created Sista Brunch because we were being told there aren't, you know, Oh, you know, you're forcing us to hire people, but they don't exist. And I, and I sat around the table, you know, at an actual Sista Brunch, which is a potluck of, you know, women of color, you know, who get together and talk about their experiences.
And I'm like, look at all these men. But to now also know, so that was dispelled immediately, but also to now have all these young girls coming [00:06:00] up, like it's sustainable, right? It's not just that we're here. It's that the future is beautiful and bright, right? I love it. But as Jayden said too, there's a reason in particular, I mean, you and I just connected, we were connected by a mutual friend, but also you are our first guests in six seasons.
who has worked in acquisitions. So Jayden's got a question for you about that.
Jayden Dial: So Sista brunch has never had a guest who has worked in acquisitions. So we were wondering, can you tell us how did you get starting acquisitions and what is a day in a life that looks like for you every single day?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Okay, so I had no idea what acquisitions was before I got into it.
And I'll, I'll start with college. I was in college. I was, I was [00:07:00] actually pre med, believe it or not, psychology major, you know, I was taking, I wanted to be a psychiatrist I was in the middle of chemistry and I said, this is not for me, okay, but it's just, I gotta get out of here quick quickly and I kept up the psychology and I took a social psychology class and it was all about the You know, influence that media has on people, how we think of other people, how we think of ourselves.
And I said, I wanted to go into media and I did an internship. WNET is the PBS affiliate in New York. I'm originally from New York. Okay. And so in college I did this internship after I graduated, I was able to go to PBS in the programming department, right? I had no idea what that was. Okay. It started as a temp job and, you know, they said, Hey, you have some PBS, you know, [00:08:00] experience here.
It is. And, in programming, I got to watch a lot of movies look at shows that PBS wanted to bring to their different stations and evaluate. Right. And that led me to a jo, another job in programming at BET and was very excited about that. Yes. And there in programming. There was this area called acquisitions.
Okay. So to answer your question, you'd have to explain how I got there. So I didn't know what it was. I had the, the watching movies experience. I loved movies. And I could just, you know, watch. Movies all day, but acquisitions is acquiring anything that a network or now we have streaming platforms, anything that was not produced in house.
So it includes a lot of research, believe it or not. Okay. Paying [00:09:00] attention to Nielsen ratings, what works, right. Negotiation. Okay, you're negotiating, you're technically buying content, so shows or movies from so I got to work with, you know, the Sony's studios even, even other networks bringing at the time at BT, our biggest acquisition was the game.
I don't know if you remember that show. Yes. Then the fans should remember. Yes. Maybe before your time, Jayden.
Fanshen Cox: All right. Yes. Why you got to call me out? I mean, how come I remember?
Jayden Dial: I know that one.
Fanshen Cox: Okay. Okay. Okay. Good. Good. I love it. Okay. Yes. Yes. So wait, where was the game originally?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: So at the time it was on it was on the CW.
Yes. Yes. It was on the CW. I'm trying to remember. Oh my goodness. So, yeah. So we, we researched and what we saw was there was a, a common demo. Okay. With the BT viewership and we acquired. [00:10:00] The, the, I think it was like, I'm trying to remember, it was so long ago, but it was a few seasons and we finished at BET more seasons, right?
So we started originally producing from the acquisition. So, you know, it was a big deal at the time, right? Bringing over this, you know, show and you know, I, I, I loved it. I, I say. Especially people who are making films, get to know your acquisitions folk that had no idea what it was, right? But if you have a film already created, get to know those people.
Those are the buyers of. Content. So yeah, it's good to know those folks.
Fanshen Cox: Thank you so much for joining us for another episode of Season 6 of the Sista Brunch podcast. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcast. It really [00:11:00] helps support us. Sista Brunch is brought to you by TruGelow Productions and was created by Anya Adams, Christabella Nsiabwadi, and me, Fanshen Cox.
I love it. So now I'm learning, right? So, because I wasn't sure if acquisitions was purely finding, let's say a film that's even in, in progress, right? Like maybe they're in production or maybe they're in post. Is that one way to, and then, and then you like a Sony pictures classics, as an example, would acquire it.
Is it for distribution or I guess that's the piece where I'm like, or, or it could go the way you said, which is it's already on another network. And then, you know, that it's your demographic. So it's a kind of any of those,
Loretta Edwards Wilson: right? So a little bit of all. So now you have the savvy acquisitions, which are called co productions.
Right. Okay. So a lot of [00:12:00] times there may have been the content creator who basically made the content or is halfway done or may need some finishing funds, right. And a distributor like Sony or even sometimes a network like VT will come in and finish it. And technically it wasn't. Produced in house, but it was acquired and, you know, there may be some branding on it as an original, right.
Side, a lot of times from, you know, the big studio houses you'll have. You'll have more, more content that's created from the beginning. Right. But then you have those films that are already produced those I like to say those that always work. Right. The, the, the players that, you know, have already been.
Produce already done in the can and distributors will pick it up, right? They like it or network. Netflix does it a lot too, right? Right, right. Or [00:13:00] pick things up that are already acquired. That, I'm sorry, acquire things that are already produced. So, there are different stages of it. I do say the trend now.
It's co productions, right? So, you know, getting in where Streamers or networks can brand and say, this is an original, even though it may not have been originally.
Fanshen Cox: Okay. So you were, you're at BET and then is that, is that where you stay? Did you? Yes.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: No, no, no. So, yeah, so I went from PBS to BET. I was there at BET for a long time, 16 years.
Can you believe it when I look up? I said, oh my goodness. So I started, you know I went to yeah. College when I was 10 and started Uhhuh , but yeah. But for 16 years, you know? Wow. It was a long time, but in the midst of [00:14:00] it BT was my, my media college. Right. I learned a lot there. Yes. Yes. And I had a chance to do development.
So where there was, it was, it was a nice short film competition, right, called Wrap It Up and producers were able to develop movies on HIV AIDS awareness. Right. And I managed the whole development process. So I was in with the script, helping them develop even, you know, working on aspects of production with them and they got the film done.
Right.
Fanshen Cox: Yes.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: And we. And then we won an Emmy. We won an Emmy. And I said, hey, yes, I kind of like this production thing, you know, so just being where, you know, creating instead of buying already packaged films and I went to get my master's in film and producing right at [00:15:00] American. And that was great. It was You You know, I was able to network, meet a lot of other folk people that I'm working with today.
And I just realized, you know, I love the production piece. So I left BT, I'm in the DC area and I went to the DC film office where I worked on production incentives and yes, reinstated. Yes, DC's rebate program. And I really had. More intimate relationships with the producers, right? So working on their budgets, working making sure that they were using all of the the, the.
The production I'm trying to say it correctly, just any vendors that were spending,
Fanshen Cox: spending the money in DC, right, which is why you get the, the rebate is because you are also stimulating the economy of that, of [00:16:00] that region, right? Yes, yes, yes,
Loretta Edwards Wilson: exactly. So, yes. So but I loved it. I love the, the just working with the producers part, helping them.
My knowledge of budgets came from that experience. And then I got the call from TV one and they said, Hey. We need an acquisitions person. There are not that many acquisitions people out there, right? Especially not black acquisitions executives, right? So here's another, you know, network with, you know, black audience, right?
Primarily females. So it was, you know, it was just a shoe in. So I said, okay, all right, let me go back. So I did that for some time. And at the top of 2020, the pandemic hit. I was furloughed and after that things, you know, you look at things differently. Right. I started thankfully getting [00:17:00] calls from the producers that I worked with at the DC film office and it was
Fanshen Cox: relationships. Relationships. I mean, Jayden. Start them now too, because to make them real, it takes time. Right? So, sorry, go ahead. But that, that lesson is all yes.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yes, it really does. And I mean, relationships all over because what? They needed, they needed someone to help them with their production incentives, with their rebates, they needed consultation to get their product acquired.
I had all of this experience and I didn't know that I could really transfer this into a business.
And I did a soft launch then of a bold move media production company. I really wanted to have just help. Women of color in front of the camera, behind the camera just get those real stories [00:18:00] and be able to see ourselves and there's a lot of content out there, you know I think, you know, Shonda Rhimes kind of started the, the whole movement, right?
But I wanted, It to be more right. I wanted to, I think there's so much room, you know, for, and so much space in the, just. Women of color, real authentic stories, women that look like me, women that look like my family, friends, that's what I wanted, right? And so I did a soft launch, then you know, I'm working with producers and, you know, developing content.
And then I get the call back from TV One. And I said, okay. I said, okay. These were tests. These were tests. They were like, are you sure? Are you ready to do it? I tell you, I tell you, and it was a good test because I went back and I said, I know where I need to [00:19:00] be. So I took a leap of faith a year later and I went I left You know, that was, that was difficult.
You leave an executive job and everyone thought I was, you know, crazy. Right.
And I said, I'm doing this producing thing. And you know, two weeks later, relationships, I get a call from a friend and she said. There's a director who needs production help. This director happened to be one of the, the, the directors I worked with.
I acquired his first two films at BET, Christopher A. Nolan. And I started working with him. I'm telling you, two weeks later after I, I, I, I left TV One. And, We've done seven films together now and yeah, the rest is history.
Fanshen Cox: So I love it. Yes. There you go. There you go. It's so funny because [00:20:00] one of the questions we often ask is like, is it lonely for you?
You were at BET, you were at TV one, but I'm imagining you still might have been the only in certain circumstances, especially acquisitions period, right? But how has that been?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yes. Yes. Well, I say I was really thankful that and I was just telling a friend this story, my upbringing. So, BET at the time Bob Johnson and Sheila Johnson founded the company.
They had left and Deborah Lee was our CEO. So, I had a black woman, right, as the head of the company. I had I was around in, in boardrooms with other black women and sure they were, you know, black men, but it was nice really for me to see myself in these powerhouses of women. Right. And then even at the DC film office, the [00:21:00] office was run by a woman Angie Gates and, you know, we had the, you know, mayor Bowser that we were working with closely a woman.
Right. TV one, it was Kathy Hughes, you know, so there was this, you know, these great. And I realized how important, you know, that is, you know, that shaped me and but it was, sometimes I was in a bubble when I did have to work with the larger distributors. Right. And At the time BT was acquired by Viacom.
So then we were in a family with VH1 and MTV. And then that's when I said, Oh, wow, I'm the only one, right. The only, sometimes, you know, the only woman, only black person in the room. Right. So there were, you know, that was you know different dynamic, right? But I will say that I was happy that I had the upbringing, you know, through [00:22:00] my, my workplace.
And a lot of people don't have that. I'm very thankful to have that because that did give me the confidence to show up and not be fearful.
Fanshen Cox: And know that you belonged in every one of those
spaces. What a gift. What a gift. Yes. Yes.
Jayden Dial: Hi Sista Bunch family. This is Jayden Dial, alum of Black Girls Film Camp and podcaster of This Teenage Life.
And you're listening to Sista Bunch Podcasts. Sista Bunch is on Instagram at Sista Bunch Podcasts. You can support Sista Bunch by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And while you're at it, why not go and share the podcast with a friend who wants to know what it's like to start your own production company.
Like our guests? Loretta Edwards Wilson. Let's get back to the episode and learn more about it.
Fanshen Cox: So we have a segment, this, this season. We [00:23:00] started off actually in our first couple seasons doing this, and then we, we tapered off, but it is our listeners, one of our listeners favorite questions, which would is around financials.
So we would love to ask you as much as you're comfortable, it can be ballparks one in terms of salary. Right. Like what, what can an acquisitions executive expect? And also what can a founder of your own production company, what are we looking at financially? And then also when you're looking at acquisitions, what would, what, you know, what did it cost to buy the game or, you know, any examples that you're able to talk about?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yeah, sure. So Let's see. So I'll start with acquisitions. So acquisitions, it really depends on where you are. Of course, if you are in New York or LA those are the I guess the, the high market places.
So. And again, [00:24:00] depending on, you know, what, what skill level you are, but you know, these, these jobs can get into the, you know, six figures, right.
So you know, nice, nice paying jobs, right. And like I said, you know, there's a range, you know, based on, you know, skill level. As a producer, I. Always say I always try to push for 8 percent of the budget, right? So sometimes it depends. I do typically pay myself last, right? So you want to get the production done.
You don't want to sacrifice, you know, anything. But I always like to say, you know, no less than 8%. Okay. Right. Yeah. Yes. And
Fanshen Cox: I never thought about that as a percentage of the budget. I have to adjust to admit I never, that is Oh,
Loretta Edwards Wilson: yes,
Fanshen Cox: that's the way to do it. Yes,
Loretta Edwards Wilson: yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, [00:25:00] yes, yes, yes. And I, I want you to take some notes too.
Okay?
Fanshen Cox: Yes. Believe me not. Yes. What else? Yes, yes, yes. So what else?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: There's always the back end to a lot of people forget about this part, right? Because since, you know, I came from the acquisitions world, I understand selling to different markets and buying to different markets. So if you sell a movie to, I don't know, BET domestic, you can also sell it, sell, you know, somewhere internationally, right?
That's another stream of income. There's. Non exclusive rights, right? So all of your rights don't have to go to one place, right? So you can sell it to Avod, right? Get it somewhere else or, you know, another. So all of these are different streams of income and each time you sell it, you should get a percentage of the backend, right?
So [00:26:00] the, that's, you know, something a lot of people are, you know, they get excited about the upfront money and the budget is sometimes you can make more on the backend, right? And then you also have your incentives. Right. So depending on where you are, there can be tax credits, right, which tax credits are great for production companies.
Right. And then there were cash rebates, right? Like Illinois and DC do a lot of projects in Illinois because it's a cash rebate. Okay. So so those are the type of things that, you know, you want to think of if you're Going into that production route, but you know, those that's the real tea.
Okay Gift right here.
Yes. Yes. Okay, great Okay, so I will I do want to follow up on What about the acquisition of a [00:27:00] project? So, yes, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So it really, really it really depends. It depends on a lot of things. I remember always giving the answer to producers that had content. And I thought I was being, you know, lucid, but really It depends on the budget at the time.
It depends on how the programming team rates the, the, the film or show if they can use it a lot, right. If they can schedule it in the morning and feel like it would also, you know work in prime time, there may be a higher value for it. Right. So I always tell. Producers in their pitches to, to include, do research on who you're pitching to and help out the programming team with, Hey, this can be paired with.
Such and such a show that you already have, right? Or this would work in our prime [00:28:00] time. Yes.
Fanshen Cox: Put that in your pitch. Yes. Yes. I love that. That's beyond the comps, right? It's beyond saying this is like this. You're literally saying, here's when you can program this. This is the timing when this demographic that wants to see.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Brilliant. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Because on the other side, it does a lot of things. It one helps the programmer visualize where it can go. It's less work, right? And then it increases your value, right? Of the product. So it really does range. It ranges from, you know, network to. You know, streamer to what they have going on, you know, at the time I always say, do your research.
If there's a film that you like, or you feel like is a comp, right. Look, look it up on IMDb. Try to see if you can [00:29:00] find, you know, how much their budget was right. And that could, you know, really dictate, you know, how much you, how much I guess value how much that the streamer or, you know, network would give for it, right?
But it really does range. It really
Fanshen Cox: does. Great. Thank you. Thank you. All right Jayden you want to take our next question our next segment?
Jayden Dial: Yeah So this season's just a bunch Has a new segment called let's talk tech and we want to know about a word, a concept, or even a piece of equipment you might use in your job that people who don't have your job might not know.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Oh, this is such a good one. This is such a good one. So I'll say for the acquisition side, this would be what we kind of went over programming and [00:30:00] no one knows what a programmer is, right? Absolutely. Yes. Yes.
Fanshen Cox: So true. Break it down for us, please. Because I think festival programmer, I know what that is, right?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Right. Right. So your, your programmer is the person really, I say is the heartbeat of. A platform, right? The fun. Okay. So everything has to come through the programming team. The programming team again schedules the content, right? A lot of times is working with the marketing team to figure out, you know, ways to that the, the marketing team has everything that they need and ways to get the word out the best, right.
Based on. What they think the, the, the ratings could be,
right? The,
the programmer is the one who's dealing with the operations a lot of time doing the, [00:31:00] the tech to actually get it broadcasted. Right. So it has to deal with that team.
Fanshen Cox: So wait, when you say the tech part, what, what does that look like?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yes.
Oh my goodness. So, okay. So I'll say it, I'll start from the producer's side. Right. I just had to, did the film for what it's worth that was delivered to, ironically, BET plus. Okay. So that came from BET plus. Right. And I had to work with their tech team to make sure that the film was formatted. It was close captions and delivered in the correct format that they had and on, on their side, they were doing the QC, the quality control and letting their programming team know, Hey, okay, past quality control.
Okay. You guys can, you know, I'm going to upload it and have it. You know, it's ready for schedule. So these are the, the programming team is really [00:32:00] speaking with the, the, the financial team, right? Managing the budget. It's, it's speaking to every single piece of. Network or, you know, like I said, platform, it's talking to everyone right there.
So they really are the, the funnels. Like I said, get to know your programmers. Yes. Okay. You know, we haven't had a programmer on this podcast either. Okay. The programmers are the
Fanshen Cox: bestie that should be your bestie acquisitions first. That's your first bestie and then the programmer after that.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yes. Yes. Yes.
Fanshen Cox: Oh, Loretta. Really? And sometimes I'm embarrassed because I'm like, I've been in this industry for a minute and how do I haven't. Had someone which again is why we do this podcast, right? Someone who just is Open to just this is what it is, right? This is what this role [00:33:00] looks like Jayden
Jayden Dial: Like I'm thinking of all the different things I didn't even think of like going into and thinking like I could I would be really good at that and Until you said these words. I had no idea.
Fanshen Cox: Yeah.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yeah. Yeah. I wanted to be a psychiatrist I had no idea what a programmer was and yes Acquisitions had no idea so fell into it and loved it
Fanshen Cox: Amazing.
Amazing. I have to say this is going back a little bit, but you mentioned when you were studying kind of the, and it was so great because you'd done psychology and now you're starting to think about what does media, how does it affect us? Right. How does it, and and, and Dr. Jameika Anderson. So Dr.
Jameika Anderson and And Ciara Davis are the founders of Black Girls Film Camp. Do you know what Dr. Jameika Anderson is a doctor in? What Dr. Anderson studies? Do you know?
Jayden Dial: I did at one point, but it's super, super [00:34:00] cool. I know that for sure.
Fanshen Cox: It's super cool and it's media literacy.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Oh, wow.
Fanshen Cox: And so it's exactly that piece of what does this mean to the people who are consuming it?
Right. And, and, and what are the ways that media is used to manipulate us to manipulate us into buying things into thinking we're not good enough into, you know, and, and . And so that's what I love that that's how, that was that initial spark for you too. And that's why she does Black girls film camp because she's like, well if we are the ones making these movies right, and making the content, we are not trying to send the messaging out there that the negative messages that that black girls get otherwise right about ourselves.
And you see how I call myself a black girl still. I'm not a black girl anymore. Oh, you already said, but yeah, I love it.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Yes. Yes. No, it's [00:35:00] powerful. I, I want, I challenge all of you to look at content and afterwards just evaluate how you feel about what you just watched. Well, you know, what message did you get?
Why? You know, so it's powerful as
Fanshen Cox: well. I love it. I love it. All right, which takes us to our our last segment But it's okay you will be back on so yes
Jayden Dial: So if you were to imagine sitting down to a Sista brunch with your younger self What are you both eating and what are you both drinking? And what are you going to tell her?
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Oh my goodness. First of all, I love this question. I love this segment. I just, I absolutely do. So, such a smart question. Well, I would say my younger self, she's eating macaroni [00:36:00] and cheese and drinking orange juice. Okay. My favorite drink. Right.
Fanshen Cox: I was like, I don't think I've ever heard orange juice and macaroni and cheese for the first time.
But it works for you. It works for you. Yes. Yes. Yes. Little
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Loretta. Okay. So Older Loretta, okay, maybe macaroni and cheese and wine now, right, so no orange juice, okay, yes, yes, yes, but we, it's still, it's still the mac and cheese,
Fanshen Cox: right,
Loretta Edwards Wilson: and what I would tell her is that Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.
Your dreams are placed in your heart for a reason. So don't be fearful of going after them. Duh, you can obtain them. They're definitely there to guide you to where you need to be. That's what I would say. [00:37:00]
Fanshen Cox: Love it. Love it. Loretta Edwards Wilson, thank you so much for being on Sista Brunch, for sharing this important role with us that not enough of us know about, not enough of us do, but, and also being a model for, yes, there are us out here doing this.
We're so grateful that you took the time and, and we're so excited about a bold move. We're so excited about everything that can come truly you, you're, you're knowledgeable about everything needed to be successful. You really are.
Loretta Edwards Wilson: Well, thank you. Thank you for having me. And I really am. Just in gratitude of platforms like this, Sista brunch is great, especially to see all these beautiful black women here.
Keep it up. I just really keep it up and especially you, Jayden. [00:38:00] Oh my goodness. I can't wait to see the great things you are about to do. So thank you. Thank you for having me.
Jayden Dial: Thank you. Season six of Sistah Bunch is produced by Tasha Rogers. Fanshin is recording the podcast from the unceded territory of the Tongva and the Chumash peoples in Los Angeles, California.
And I'm recording this episode from Stanford University, which sits on the ancestral lands of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe.
Fanshen Cox: Thank you so much for joining us for another episode of Season Six. Six of the Sista brunch podcast. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcast.
It really helps support us. Sista brunch is brought to you by Trujillo productions and was created by Anya Adams, Krista Bellen, Sia Bwadi, and me Fanchon Cox. Thank you so much, truly to the Sista brunch community [00:39:00] for listening and following, reviewing, subscribing, and we will talk to you next week.
