The Sidebar by NYABJ

Tony and Grammy Award-winning R&B icon MELBA MOORE joins The Sidebar's SONJA D. GRACY to discuss her new memoir, "This Is It: Marvelous and Getting Better". From starring in two TV shows to earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Moore reflects on a multifaceted career defined by incredible triumphs, challenging hurdles, and profound resilience. Tune in to hear how this veteran entertainer t...

In honor of Caribbean American Heritage Month, The Sidebar's KIZZY COX interviews soca superstar and Kes the Band frontman KES on his two-decade journey in music and the evolution of soca from a niche carnival soundtrack to a genre with growing global reach. Kes discusses the band's signature genre-blending sound, the lessons he drew from reggae, dancehall and pop music, and milestone moments like...

On this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, DR. YOLANDA "YO-YO" WHITAKER joins host LISA DURDEN for a wide-ranging conversation celebrating Black Music Month and the enduring impact of hip-hop culture. A pioneering rapper, actress, entrepreneur, and educator, Yo-Yo reflects on her path from emerging artist to hip-hop icon, sharing lessons from a career that has spanned decades. She discusses her crea...

Men and women have been traveling into space since the Space Race began in the sixties under President John F. Kennedy. The recent Artemis II deep space operations mission that will catapult astronauts beyond low Earth orbit around the moon has fanned the flames of humankind’s thrill of encountering the cosmos. While we marvel at mankind’s ingenuity to embark on “final frontier” voyages, how often...

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, The Sidebar's LISA DURDEN had an informative discussion with therapist DR. LASHAWN PAUL (“The Social Work Diva”) and psychiatrist DR. TOLU OLUPONA about mental health in the Black community and addressing the racial and gender disparities in mental health care, access, and treatment. In this episode, Dr. Paul and Dr. Olupona discuss the importance of main...

In this episode of The Sidebar, hosted by SHAMEIKA RHYMES, the focus is on women's health, particularly menopause and its impact on women's lives. Guest DARLENE THOMAS, a health and wellness consultant (Maven Clinic, Respin), shares her expertise on menopause, discussing its stages, symptoms, and how it affects women both physically and emotionally. She emphasizes the importance of understanding m...

In this episode of The Sidebar, we revisit February’s Layoff Lounge panel, a timely and candid conversation centered on navigating the realities of today’s shifting media landscape. Moderated by NYABJ Vice President-Print FONDA SANDERS, , the panel brought together TORRENCE S. TRAYNHAM, Founder & CTO of D9 Resume Exchange and KAMIKA DILLARD, Tech Strategist and Founder of Fail Forward Coaching. To...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with GLORIA ANDERSON, a New Jersey-based Speech- Language Pathologist and Augmentative Communication Specialist whose work is transforming lives. As an ASHA-certified clinician with experience at specialized institutions like Kohler Academy, Gloria brings a unique perspective shaped by her multifaceted journey as an entrepreneur, mother, and dedicated speech...

The New York Association of Black Journalists’ First Take Class of 2026 has taken over the mic to produce an entire episode of The Sidebar. First Take is NYABJ’s annual multi-weekend workshop and mentorship program, providing NYC-area high schoolers with an interactive experience in the world of journalism. In this episode, our "First Takers" deliver fresh perspectives on the year’s top headlines...

In this episode of The Sidebar, DAWN KELLY sits down with host JEWEL BENTON for a compelling conversation about member-organizations like NABJ and its local chapters, entrepreneurship, careers, community, and more. The Nourish Spot co-founder reflects on how growing up during the civil rights movement shaped her path, shares insights from her wide-ranging work in public relations, and offers life...

In this episode of The Sidebar, media pioneer ALLISON DAVIS sits down with hosts JEWEL BENTON and LISA DURDEN for a compelling conversation about news, media, and community. She shares how she found herself at the center of multiple turning points in American journalism, her stint in the Black Panther Party, what it meant to be “unmanageable” as a young Black woman producer, the growing crisis of...

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, host MICHAEL RAY sits down for a energetic conversation with multi-faceted media maker (and fellow Sidebar contributor) LISA DURDEN. Her journey began at Seton Hall University and in the grassroots world of local access television, but her sharp wit and uncompromising perspective quickly propelled her to one level after another over the years. This intervie...

Do you think a career in journalism starts and ends at the news desk? Think again. In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we explore exciting career paths in media and journalism that exist well beyond the traditional newsroom setting. From our panel in December 2025, then-NYABJ President BONITA SOSTRE hosted a trio of established professionals to uncover the reality of working in alternative me...

In a year marked by profound instability across media and advertising - including mass layoffs, shrinking newsrooms, and disproportionate job losses among Black professionals - this episode offers a grounding, timely conversation for Black mediamakers and creatives seeking insights, affirmation, and real tools for what comes next. Producer CAROLYN ADAMS sits down with WALTER T. GEER III, Chief Cre...

The Sidebar concludes its fourth dynamic season with interviews featuring the outgoing leadership of the New York Association of Black Journalists. The Sidebar’s JEWEL BENTON sits down individually with the current/outgoing President BONITA SOSTRE, and Vice President, BILL ALLEN, who each served two terms, to discuss their paths to leading the award-winning chapter. They share personal reflections...

After a seven-year wait, a cornerstone of Black art and culture has returned home. In this episode, The Sidebar's WILL PATTERSON takes us inside the highly anticipated re-opening of The Studio Museum in Harlem. Originally established in 1968 in a rented loft as the first museum dedicated to African-American art, the institution has grown into a powerhouse featuring hundreds of pieces in its perman...

Becoming the first Black anything in environments rife with racism is far from easy, but trailblazing journalist and actress JAYNE KENNEDY has done it not just once but three separate times. Kennedy made history as the first Black Miss Ohio in 1970, the first Black woman to anchor NFL Today in the 1970s and the first woman of any race to host Greatest Sports Legends in the 1980s. Not to mention he...

This engaging conversation is led by public relations guru of more than five decades, ANGELO ELLERBEE, who works with legends like Dionne Warwick and Melba Moore, and developed the likes of Lionel Richie, Shabba Ranks, Mary J Blige, DMX, and even Michael Jackson, to name a few. Speaking with The Sidebar/NYABJ’s own JEWEL BENTON, Ellerbee discusses his impactful book "Before I Let You Go", emphasiz...

In this episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, host LISA DURDEN sits down with VIVIAN COX-FRASER, President & CEO of the Urban League of Essex County, to discuss the impact of grant cuts on educational programs. Mrs. Cox-Fraser highlights the vital work the Urban League provides in the community and shares insights on how funding challenges affect their initiatives. She offers practical advice on overco...

In this education-focused episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ to kick off the school year, producer and host MICHAEL W. RAY sits down with DR. SELMA BARTHOLOMEW, a Grenada-born, Harlem-raised educator and New York City mayoral candidate. Dr. Bartholomew’s journey is both inspiring and multifaceted; starting out by earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Lehman College, pursuing two...

Before leaving for a brief summer break, The Sidebar would like to present a conversation as part of an unforgettable evening of networking and insight in collaboration with Amazon at the Brooklyn Chophouse in Times Square. Moderated by CBS News New York Meteorologist and NYABJ member TONY SADIKU, panelists explored how vision, purpose, and resilience shape modern leadership. The panel was made up...

Scroll through social media and you'll soon be bombarded with perfectly curated snapshots of people seemingly living lives much better than yours—better home, career, partner, looks, more talent, you name it! Even after you’ve logged out, you’re left with the feeling that you don’t measure up—a belief that hip-hop artist and meditation expert BORN I (OFOSU JONES-QUARTEY) is countering with his sim...

In this packed episode of The Sidebar by NYABJ, we begin with our own JEWEL BENTON's conversation with legendary music icon DIONNE WARWICK. The six-time Grammy winner, known for multiple hit singles over her nearly seventy-year career as a singer, actress, and television host, Warwick reflects on the path she’s walked and the wisdom she’s gained along the way. Then we turn to April’s Business Jour...

In this second part of our pair of episodes marking Black Music Month, The Sidebar by NYABJ decided to extend it for a few more days to feature the multi-talented TL CROSS. In a deep conversation with our own MICHAEL W. RAY, Cross shares his views on Black music over the years as musician, singer, songwriter, and producer with platinum credentials. He also expands upon his background as a lecturer...

June is Black Music Month and as a special treat, "The Sidebar by NYABJ" is releasing not one, but two extended episodes featuring those who have made their impact on Black music. To start, The Sidebar's SONJA D. GRACY has an intensive interview with music management veteran MATHEW KNOWLES (1:02). While many know him as the father of acclaimed singers Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Solange Knowles and...