Thank you, Scottie Beam.

            I created this platform after years of feeling like I was forced to be silent. At 12 years old I was already being told that I was too much, that I should be quiet. If I had a dollar for every time I was told to “calm down” because my passion was confused for aggression, I could cover my entire $40,000 bill at Clark Atlanta University.

            This extremely scarring experience is reality for many black girls. It perpetuates the “Angry Black Women” caricature that paints us as loud, aggressive, ghetto, among many other things used to cripple us. At the time, I didn’t even know this was a common thought. I learned early on that it wasn’t my place to have an opinion. But then I discovered Scottie Beam.

Black Girl Podcast photo’d by Denzel Golatt.

            I stumbled upon Black Girl Podcast during a late night of binging The Grapevine TV, and instantly felt inspired. Gia, Alysha, Scottie, Bexx, and Sapphira were able to capture community through sharing their unique stories of black womanhood. There was something so powerful to me about seeing five successful black women in various lanes of digital media not afraid to be vulnerable and honest. All of the heartening ladies of BGP connected to me in various ways, but there was something about this one voice. I felt a sense of familiarity with one of the women. The uncontrollable sailor’s mouth, the baggy jeans and sneakers over heels, she was me. I instantly needed to learn more about her. Boy, was I enamored by what I found.

            Scottie Beam is a media personality, host, and Wilhelmina model. She began her career on Hot 97’s street team after dropping out of Clark Atlanta University in her junior year. But her love of hip-hop and sneaker culture would not let her fail. From setting up and breaking down tables at Summer Jam, to finessing fashion internships, Deanii Scott is the definition of hustle. In her 10 years at Hot 97, she was able to climb up the ladder as the digital producer for Ebro Darden and Angie Martinez.

            Scott left Hot 97 in 2017 after watching a Nina Simone documentary with nothing lined up but heart and drive to be something greater. She took a risk on herself and believed she would be okay. To me, this was the most inspiring thing I had ever heard. So I did the same.

            In 2019, months before my high-school graduation, I decided to switch my major from Biology to Communications in order to follow my dreams in Atlanta and pursue my passion in journalism. A passion that I silenced for years out of fear that I wasn’t good enough, and that no one would understand me. I can honestly say this was one of the best decisions I have made in my life thus far, and definitely the biggest risk I have ever taken. But I couldn’t have done it without Scottie Beam.

             Since then she has been featured on billboards in Time Square for multiple campaigns with Nike in New York and Los Angeles, landed her own show as the host of Rhythm + Flow: The Aftershow on Netflix, co-hosted season one of Revolt’s State of the Culture, and worked with various brands such as Footlocker and Simple Mobile. Along the way, she has also shared her journey of becoming a better version of herself with thousands of followers and listeners. The gems she has dropped about being intentional and fulfilling your purpose I carry with me every day. Some I hold as bible.

Scottie Beam for Hype Bae by Mark Clennon.

            Scottie Beam represents more than just a personality, host, or podcast producer. She represents what it means to take the power back – to believe in your own destiny. Through hard work and dedication, Scottie was able to create a lane for herself and her people. She is most known for her passion for black women, uplifting us in every space regardless of who is around. Her prime concern has always been negating the erasure of black women’s stories. She never shies away from protecting and supporting us. She is actively making sure the world understands passionate black girls matter. Our voices matter, and deserve to be heard. She has an energy that screams “unfuckwithable”, and conviction throughout her work that dares anyone to disrespect her.

            Words truly could never express the gratitude and admiration I have for this woman. She is the reason why I had the confidence to curate this very platform. She is the reason why I have the courage to be me, unapologetically, as loud as I want to be. She is the reason why I show up for myself. She is the reason why I do the work. She is the reason why I no longer hide the passion I have inside as something I need to change and instead stand firm in it as a rarity that sets me apart from others. She showed me that it was possible for a black girl with a wild mouth to make something out of it. She made me feel seen. That is a gift I will forever be in debt for.