2020 Optimal Living Magazine Christian Women in Business Issue

OLM: What or who inspired you to start
your business?
DS: The inspiration for launching kweliTV
was created out of desperation. I remember
flipping through dozens of channels and
shows not seeing anything I wanted to
watch or could relate to—the black women
were fighting on reality TV, the “black
networks” were playing the same tired
reruns, some laced with stereotypes. I like
history and if you turn on the HISTORY
Channel on a month other than February
you would think that black people played
no role in history, which is not true. After
doing my documentary and screening at a
film festival, I learn firsthand the challenges
that black filmmakers face when trying to
get distribution. When I didn’t see the type
of platform I was looking for—one day it just
hit me, start my own.
OLM: Is there something that keeps you
grounded and focused to press forward
in making your business a success? At the
end of the day, how do you define success?
DS: Success means that we have a
profitable media business model that
correctly tells the stories of the African
diaspora while creating steady income off
of impactful stories. I don’t believe we have
to compromise our mission or the type
of content that we stream for the sake of
profit. If we change the way little black girls
and boys see themselves in the media, we
have succeeded. If we begin a dialogue on
economic inequality that results in political
action, we have succeeded. If we are able to
create content that causes families to save
more, eat healthier and live their best lives,
we have succeeded.
OLM: How long have you been in business?
DS: I’ve been working on the idea for
almost 5 years.
OLM: How do you give back to your
community or the people that you serve?
Why is it so important for you to give back
to the people you serve?
DS: It’s human nature to wish you were
in a better position in life or had more
resources. When I give, it reminds me of the
people who don’t even have what I may
at times take for granted. Since starting
kweliTV, I haven’t had the resources to give
like I used to given my income and it used
to really get me down. But it’s not about
how much you give. It’s the fact that I’m
able to do something, even if it’s small. I
believe that we’re all put on this earth to
serve our community with the gifts God
gave us. It may not be as routine as giving
to the homeless. It could be listening
to a coworker in need or without being
asked, watching a friend’s baby to give a
busy mom a few hours to sleep or pamper
herself. It could be calling that elderly
family member who lives alone. Those
small acts go a long way and I’m redefining
in my mind what it means to serve.
OLM: What scripture best describes you,
your life?
DS: Romans 8:31 - What then shall we say
to these things? If God is for us, who can be
against us?
This work is hard.. I feel like I’m barely
making it sometimes. People leave you,
they don’t return your call, they chastise
you—it’s mentally and psychologically
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