Podcasting Needs More Diverse Voices

When I started my podcast last year, the world was in the middle of a pandemic and the U.S. in the middle of a social justice movement. It was a difficult time but it inspired me to 1) start my podcast and 2) be intentional about who I gave the mic to. ​

From the beginning, I looked to connect with people from different backgrounds that have been consistently underrepresented in the travel industry. I wanted to listen to their personal experiences and amplify their voices with the hopes of creating a more inclusive travel space.

What I Iove about podcasts is the ability to create community and build intimate connections with audiences. People invite us into their lives, they listen to us in their homes, in the car, while they go about their day for at least thirty minutes, sometimes an hour. It’s what makes podcasts such a powerful medium. That’s why it’s important to consider the opportunity podcasting offers to highlight diverse voices and perspectives. 

Historically, the voices of marginalized communities, especially women of color, have been ignored, undervalued, and underestimated. While most podcast hosts are white and, according to a recent survey, 63% of podcast listeners are white, podcasting is only growing and has the potential to reach and speak to more diverse audiences. Not only is it time for BIPOC and women of color to grab that mic and own our stories, it’s time for non-BIPOC to help celebrate all voices too.

Traditional media has centered white voices from its existence. Podcasting is a platform that offers a way outside that narrow viewpoint. It offers the creative freedom for marginalized voices to conceptualize and produce a show where we get to decide the content, who we pass the mic to, and how we want to deliver it.

When we, as women and women of color, own our space and our stories and when white allies are intentional about inviting us into those spaces, it can: 

1) BREAK DOWN BARRIERS

Exposure to people who are different from us or have different lived experiences helps normalize the other person’s experience and helps us to see where we’re similar, breaking down barriers to empathy and understanding.

2) DISPROVE STEREOTYPES

The more perspectives we’re exposed to, the more nuanced our understanding of people is. We can see people for who they are instead of generalizing them.

3) GIVE OTHERS SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO

It’s important that we see ourselves represented so we’re not limiting ourselves. Role models and examples that we can look up to show us what’s possible.

4) WE OWN THE NARRATIVE

Owning your story means owning your power. A story told through the first person is more accurate than a story told through the third person. When you prevent someone using their own storytelling power, you take away their ability to connect meaningfully with others.

We all have an opportunity when we’re creating to align our businesses, podcasts, etc. with helping the world to become a more equitable and inclusive place.

As a Mexican-American woman, when starting my show, I had to work through social and cultural conditioning that told me I shouldn’t take up space and own my voice. Now, I use my platform to share different perspectives and experiences that have been missing from the travel space to normalizes diverse voices and create a more inclusive and accessible travel industry.

If you’re a woman or woman of color, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, it’s time for you to grab the mic and share your message with the world. You never know who you’ll inspire, teach, or impact.

If you’re a podcaster, it’s worth thinking about how you can center marginalized voices on your podcast. How can you create an inclusive space that raises up diverse voices? All it takes is a intentional action.

If you’re a woman or woman of color, I’m here to help you amplify your voice through podcasting! Reach out to me, I’d love to support you.

#podcasting #diversity #equity #inclusion #BIPOC #womenofcolor