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The fight for gender equality does not always mean hiring equal numbers of men and women in the workplace. For many industries but especially in the media, it is also critical to shift the limiting perceptions that fuel an ongoing narrative about women as “mean girls” or unwilling to help each other rise to the top. With a considerable gap in the presence of women as decision makers, in front of and behind the scenes, representation matters. Men still hold a majority of leadership roles, occupying 73 per cent of top media management positions.
Advocacy and mentorship are important pillars in transforming perceptions and solidifying more seats at the table for women. One voice shaking up expectations is radio personality and entrepreneur, Angela Yee. As one-third of the popular The Breakfast Club, Power 105.1’s syndicated morning radio show based in New York, Yee not only holds her own as the only woman among her male co-hosts, but she is also making important moves behind the scenes to elevate and educate the next generation of young women.
A Duty to Foster Diversity
Since graduating from Wesleyan University, Yee has held her position as the only (or one of few women) among her peers – from interning for Wu-Tang Management to marketing for Eminem’s brand Shady Limited and then entering the radio market as an on-air personality for Sirius Satellite. Yet, Yee has always believed in the importance of building strong relationships with other women within the workplace. “Every time I was introduced to another woman that worked on one of the stations, the men would say 'Watch out, she’s coming for your spot,” she said, “Imagine if I would have believed them, and treated my media sisters as competition instead of embracing them as people who were on the road to success, like myself.”
Transitioning from marketing to radio personality came with doubts and questions of how Yee earned the coveted spot behind the mic. Navigating inaccurate gossip was difficult but pushed her to develop a tough skin and understand the importance of seeing other women as an ally rather than opposition. As she puts it, “ you're more powerful when you are working with other women , when you're helping other women out, when you're going to them for mentorship; we are all beneficial to each other.”
Advocacy First
While Yee did not have a mentor early on in her career, she recognizes the importance of leaning into the experiences and wisdom that other women have to share. In her current position at Power 105.1, she looks to her boss, Thea Mitchem, the Executive Vice President of Programming, as someone who understands the unique obstacles women in entertainment need to navigate. “I think she is able to understand a lot of the things that I go through and really I've just never had that before,” in describing Mitchem as the only woman boss that Yee has had throughout her seasoned career.
In turn, Yee pays it forward in her role as a mentor. Instead of the typical “pick my brain” lunch meet-ups, she puts mentees with potential to work by having them assist her with various projects. In turn, Yee has helped position numerous women for success. For example, there is Paris who moved to New York from Washington, DC and now handles Yee’s day-to-day business and bookings, Monica who manages Yee’s juice bar in Brooklyn, Juices For Life, and also a woman who used to be Yee’s intern at Power 105 who now works for Drake’s record label and brand, OVO. Her motivation is to provide a stepping-stone for women that will propel them forward, “If someone works with me, I try to take them to the next level. I never expect someone to work with me forever. I want to give you the experience needed so that when it is time to pursue what you want to in life you are ready. I never want you to stay stagnant in life. I want you to elevate.”
Reaching Back to Educate
Yee’s brand ethos seems to make a conscious movement to not only supporting other women but communities overall. Yee believes education is an essential component of empowerment. Opening up her juice bar in Brooklyn provided another great platform for her to amplify the voices of other prominent educators by speaking on health, business and financial literacy within the community. Teaming up with financial expert Stacey Tisdale and sponsored by State Farm, Yee hosts “Wealth Wednesday”, a monthly event series held at her juice bar. Her mission is to arm residents of the community and beyond with the information they need to make life’s most important decisions – paying off debt, launching a business, buying a home, etc. She has already witnessed the payoff of her efforts. “I remember after the opening of the juice bar,” she describes, “a kid came up to me and said ‘Angela, I just want to say thank you so much for opening the juice bar because I never would have thought I could open a business but you really showed me that that's possible, so it means a lot to us.’ That meant a lot to me.” So far, some prominent names have presented at “Wealth Wednesday” including a presentation from Google, Tanya Rapley from My Fab Finance and Commissioner Greg Bishop from Small Business Services in New York.
Between her most recent initiative, a book club called “Kickin' It From the Stoop”, that emphasizes the importance of literacy to her efforts to buy back the community through property investments in Detroit, Yee is building a legacy rooted in lifting others (especially those who are marginalized). “I've always had to make sure I pay my blessings forward. I do believe that when you are a good person, good things will happen to you.”
