‘Central Ave’ Is Centralizing Women Of Color In Entertainment One Show At A Time
What happens when a four-time Olympic gold medalist champion and a veteran television host of BET's 106 & Park walk into a room? They get together, turn the cameras on and star as the co-hosts for Will Packer's Central Ave. Sanya Richards-Ross and Julissa Bermudez have made history as the first two women of color to host an entertainment magazine show - and this is only the beginning for these two ladies bringing us "the right show for right now," as said in their description.
xoNecole had the chance to speak with the ladies of Central Ave about their working chemistry with one another, how their backgrounds led them to where they are today and their hopes for the future of Central Ave in the realm of entertainment and media. Here's what Sanya and Julissa had to say.
On their individual career paths and how it led to co-hosting ‘Central Ave’:
Sanya Richards-Ross: It's so funny and Julissa has said this so often but it's the truth - you never know who's watching. I was on the track for the majority of my life. My dad would always tell me and make me really focus on my interviews as part of my job. When I transitioned out of sports, I kept saying that I'd love to commentate for track and field because that's my love, but I didn't want to get boxed into doing just sports. I was very prayerful about other opportunities coming. I literally couldn't believe when Will Packer and Monique Chenault asked my agent to ask me to audition for Central Ave because this is a dream job for me to contribute to pop culture. Talking about topics that I care about outside of sports feels like a real blessing so I have to say that it was a lot of hard work, a little bit of luck that Monique Chenault was a track fan, saw me on the track and appreciated my interviews, and allowed me to have this great opportunity.
Julissa Bermudez: Personally, it's just been leading up to this point in a sense. I've been sort of wishing for a show like Central Ave to come around and to be part of it is even more special. As a TV personality and host, you dream of a gig like this. That's why when I say, "I've been waiting for a gig like this to come around like this," I've never really had an opportunity. I've kind of co-hosted as a guest on different entertainment news shows, but to be the actual co-host of a show where I can lend my flavor, personality, who I am and represent where I'm from on a weekly basis is very special and different. The opportunity came when my agent called and said the same thing when Will Packer and Monique Chenault wanted me to audition. It snowballed from there.
"I've kind of co-hosted as a guest on different entertainment news shows, but to be the actual co-host of a show where I can lend my flavor, personality, who I am and represent where I'm from on a weekly basis is very special and different."
On the chemistry the two share on and off the set:
Julissa: Off set, we are FaceTiming each other, checking in with each other, encouraging each other as much as we can - a lot more relaxed obviously. On set, we try to have as much fun as possible and we've actually learned to figure out how we work. She can be very pumped up with music, ready for the day and as I would imagine getting ready to run a race. I could be a lot more moody, I can own that. There [are] some days where I'm the same way and other days I wake up super focused, I don't want to hear music and I'm in my own zone. That can be challenging when you have to work with someone, but I think we've managed to figure out our rhythm.
Sanya: I have to say that for me, especially coming into this space as a newbie, Julissa has completely taken me under her wing and I feel so supported and inspired every single day. We both understand that chemistry is something that grows and builds and I could say that every single day we get on set, we can feel it happening. I'm finishing her sentences, I can tell what she's gonna say and I can't wait to see where we go from here but the starting point has been really magical. I'm so excited to be working with someone who has so much experience, is willing to teach me and allows me to grow at the same time.
"We both understand that chemistry is something that grows and builds and I could say that every single day we get on set, we can feel it happening. I'm finishing her sentences, I can tell what she's gonna say and I can't wait to see where we go from here but the starting point has been really magical."
On being the first two women of color to host an entertainment magazine show:
Sanya: Many times when you're the first at something or you look and say, "It's 2020, how come this hasn't happened before?" It just reminds you of how important and significant this time is. Obviously, we couldn't orchestrate any of the things that are happening right now that really does make it feel like the right show for right now. I take this as a huge responsibility as a Black woman to represent us well, make the most of the opportunity and continue to open doors for other women of color. It's not until you hear this that you'll realize that opportunities are very limited, we're overqualified to have many of these opportunities and we don't get them. I feel so blessed and honored to have this opportunity. I pray Black girls and brown girls will look at their TVs and say, "That can be me one day," and then aspire to be even greater than we are.
"I take this as a huge responsibility as a Black woman to represent us well, make the most of the opportunity and continue to open doors for other women of color. It's not until you hear this that you'll realize that opportunities are very limited, we're overqualified to have many of these opportunities and we don't get them."
Julissa: The people have to watch! That's the only way it can happen and the only way that we're going to continue to have opportunities like this and for future generations, other women and anyone considered a minority. Numbers don't lie and at the end of the day we are an entertainment business with an emphasis on business. When shows like this are on the air and they're not supported, that business aspect of it kicks in big time. That's why it's so important to put out a show we can be proud of, where we can be seen, heard, and represented, and once you tune in, you stay locked in. At the end of the day, we can only do this as a collective.
For more information on Central Ave, check out their official website and Instagram page. Follow Julissa on her Instagram and follow Sanya on her Instagram.
*Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Featured Image Courtesy of Central Ave/Allied Moxy Marketing Group
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy