Portland’s Tra’Renee Talks ‘Situations & Conversations’ and Partnership With Converge Media

“These little closed-door conversations that people are having, we need to blow the lid off those and have them in the mainstream,” - Tra’Renee, host of “Situations & Conversations” (Photo courtesy of Tra’Renee)

By Mead Gill

Iconic Emmy Award-winning host and producer Tra’Renee kickstarted the fifth season of her television show, “Situations & Conversations,” last month on Portland’s CW, and continues to embrace conversation over real-world situations with sincerity and spirit at the forefront. 

At its core, “Situations & Conversations” sheds light on conversations plucked straight from the heart of the community, creating a platform for advocates, experts, and those directly impacted by current events that often fly under the radar.

“These little closed-door conversations that people are having, we need to blow the lid off those and have them in the mainstream,” Tra’Renee said, committed to covering both serious and light-hearted topics with her signature passion and personality. The first two episodes of the new season feature satirical web series creator Hasaan Thomas and the founder of Word Is Bond Lakayana Drury, diving head first into the Black experience in Portland and what it takes to create meaningful change. 

Tra’Renee talks with Hasaan Thomas, creator of “Hasaan Hates Portland” on the premiere episode of “Situations & Conversations” last month. (Photo courtesy of Tra’Renee)

Driven by her lifelong interests in entertainment and community, Tra’Renee launched her career in Los Angeles as a full time child welfare worker, precariously balancing her social work by day with a budding radio career at 92.3 The Beat by night. But after a health mishap caused by overworking landed her in the hospital, Tra’Renee was forced to choose between entertainment and social work to keep sustainable.

“My lifestyle was like double Dutch,” she said. “I was just in there doing everything, and then my body was like, ‘Uh, miss lady, I'm gonna need you to slow down.’” Shortly after the incident, she accepted a radio gig in San Francisco, choosing to circle back to social work when the time was right. 

Tra’Renee’s abundant career in media and entertainment eventually brought her to Portland where she reentered social work to connect with community voices while working in radio part-time. With a strong foothold in both industries, she immediately identified a disconnect between the community and what the media chose to cover. 

“Everything was so white. The programming, the media, everything,” she said. “And now that I'd been in the community for quite a bit, I knew there were some more things we should be highlighting." In response to this observation, “Situations & Conversations” was born, firist as a public affairs radio program before evolving into the beloved television show airing on multiple networks.

In addition to “Situations & Conversations,” Tra’Renee’s community building is showcased on her iHeart radio show “What’s Poppin’ w/Tra’Renee” on JAM’N 107.5. Using hip-hop as a strong foundation for community building, “What’s Poppin’” informs the community about events and resources in Portland, expanding Tra’Renee’s audience and impact to the next level.

Tra’Renee credited her appeal as a host and entertainer to her relentless commitment to both of her passions. “I'm very honest and raw with my approach,” she said, explaining that her innate ability to listen and engage in meaningful conversations as entertainment is undoubtedly connected to her skills as a social worker and therapist. “You really want to talk to somebody or listen to somebody who actually really cares about what they're talking about.”

Converge’s new partnership with Tra’Renee helps support her talent and platform through marketing, promotion, and the production of TV segments. The collaboration will also involve Tra'Renee incorporating evergreen segments from Converge into her show, and she will also contribute to Converge's new Almost The Weekend! by providing a "What's Poppin’ in Portland" segment.

As a host, personality, a staple of the Portland community, Tra’Renee strives to fall in line with what she calls the five E’s: to empower, to elevate, to educate, to enlighten, and to entertain. These values, along with her commitment to transparency and community-building, make for a natural partnership with Converge, she said. 

“To be able to collaborate with anybody, you have to be in line and the energies have to match up,” she said. “And I can already tell [Converge and I] are birds of a feather.” 

Catch Tra’Renee on “Situations & Conversations” every Sunday at noon on KRCW and streaming on the KOIN+ app. 

Listen to “What’s Poppin’ w/Tra’Renee” on JAM’N 107.5 weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.