Last week on The Day with Trae, guest host Deaunte Damper sat down with Eleuthera Lisch, the Director of the King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In this episode, Damper and Lisch discuss the current state of gun violence within the United States and what actions are being implemented to deter it.

The Vera Project is a safe space for creative youth now in its 23rd year. The nonprofit concert venue, screen print shop, recording studio, and art gallery is dedicated to fostering personal and community transformation through collaborative, youth-driven engagement in music and art.

Last week on The Day with Trae, guest host Deaunte Damper sat down with Jessie Howard, the Director of Community Engagement at the Therapy Fund Foundation, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on "eliminating barriers to Black healing" and providing mental health services and resources for the Black community, free of charge. Recently, the organization partnered with Pierce County Health Department to provide mental health services for youth who are being directly affected by the Fentanyl crisis. 

Last week on The Day with Trae, guest host Deaunte Damper sat down with Kisa Dupe, the recent recipient of the 2024 Miss Washington HBCU teen title. In this episode, Dupe tells Damper about her experience participating in the Miss HBCU Teen pageant, a program and competition focused on providing scholarships and resources to high school girls of color who intend to attend an HBCU. Dupe was recently accepted into Spelman College.

Converge Media is proud to have a long-standing relationship with the Black Heritage Society of Washington State. As the leading historians of our community and our stories in the Pacific Northwest, BHS seeks to preserve artifacts and stories of Black history and culture in the state.

The Griot Party Experience recognizes the legacy of Black Copper Brown and indigenous people in the Central District of Seattle and honors their contributions through hip-hop, spoken-word storytelling theater. On January 13th, the event, produced by Logic Amen, celebrated 50 years of hip-hop in Seattle and provided a platform for people to share their stories and reaffirm their humanity at Langston Hughes. The energy on stage was electric and made braving the cold weather worth it!

Looking for a hairstylist who can keep you looking sharp? Look no further than Ena'Vative Hair Studio! This Black Owned salon, owned by Seattle native Ena Robinson, recently opened in the Federal Way Commons mall and offers a variety of cosmetology services, including hair, nails, and makeup. But that's not all - they also offer a unique training-based structure through their program "Level Up Beauty Bootcamp" by Ena'Vative, which provides essential foundational haircare courses for both licensed and unlicensed students.

The morning of January 31st, 2024 saw the Seattle Storm trade away veteran Kia Nurse and the 4th overall pick in this years WNBA draft for a 2026 1st rounder from the Los Angeles Sparks. Why would Seattle do this?

Seattle-based artists Moses Sun, and barry johnson, recently wrapped up their two-month tandem residency at The Understory. The public exhibit space, situated at the base of the Amazon Spheres, invited Moses and Barry to hold studio hours as part of Amazon's latest efforts to uplift the local arts community. Vivid Matter Collective Co-founder and Queen of Converge Takiyah Ward caught up with the duo to discuss their experience at Understory, their collaborative process, and the reception of their art.

There is a saying at Converge Media that "The uplift is real" and nothing epitomizes this phrase more than the consistent uplift of Black-owned businesses across our region by TraeAnna Holiday and her show The Day with Trae on Converge Media and Besa Gordon and her show Back2Besa on KCPQ FOX13 Seattle. Episode after episode there is a consistent and intentional uplift of Black-owned businesses across our region, especially Black woman-owned businesses.

Going into the New Year, Besa Gordon's Back2Besa is proud to announce renowned Relationship and Love expert Debrena Jackson Gandy as a new show regular. With over 20 years of experience, Gandy is a nationally published best-selling author, keynote speaker, Master Life Coach, and transformational facilitator. As the founder of the Love Academy, she teaches and coaches a new relationships paradigm centered on attracting and sustaining JUICY love relationships and JUICY marriages.

Back2Besa host and nationally syndicated radio host Besa Gordon is set to once again host on the red carpet of the Seattle Sports Star Awards. The annual event brings together the best of the Seattle Sports Scene, and Gordon is quickly becoming a large part of that.

Reverend Harriett Walden, an influential figure in Seattle known for her activism and work with police accountability, has announced the launch of Virtues Healing Reflection Cards. Having partnered with the Seattle Human Service Department (HSD), Reverend Walden will distribute the cards throughout Seattle in an endeavor focused on community healing. 

Seattle, WA. (Jan. 29, 2024) – Ezell’s Famous Chicken, a fast casual fried chicken restaurant with 16 locations in Washington and one location in Oregon, is proud to celebrate its 40th anniversary this February. Started by one sister and two sets of brothers from East Texas, today founders Lewis Rudd, Darnell Rudd and their sister Faye Stephens are still active in day to day operations, joined by an extended family of about 300 employees. The family-owned and operated business, which serves up chicken, sides and more made fresh from scratch at each location, first opened its doors on February 3rd, 1984 in Seattle’s Central District after waiting six years for initial funding. Since opening it has gained a loyal fan base, made many famous friends, and has established a strong tradition of giving back to the community.

This winter in the Pacific Northwest has brought everything from wind and rain to freezing temperatures and even snow! But just because the weather isn't ideal doesn't mean you can't be warm and fashionable. After Seattle experienced historically low temperatures, Besa turned to her personal stylist, Akia Ronai, for some winter fashion advice.

A decade-long journey culminated in a momentous occasion on January 18th, as the Skyway community in West Hill celebrated the groundbreaking of the Skyway Resource Center. This milestone comes after an inclusive Community Center Visioning Process and years of local engagement in comprehensive planning.

Boon Boona Coffee, owned by Efrem Fesaha, celebrated five years of being in their Renton location on Sunday, January 14th. The event was not just a celebration of their success, but of the community and local businesses that have supported them along the way. During the event, Fesaha expressed his gratitude towards everyone who has contributed to their growth over the years, including five local breweries that have used their coffee in brews. Among the breweries were Holy Mountain, Fast Fashion, Four Generals, Métier, and Hellbent.

Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, chief health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, explained to TraeAnna Holiday, host of The Day with Trae what you can do to protect yourself from the current uptick in COVID-19 cases throughout King County. According to the King County COVID-19 trends, COVID-19 cases began rising in November and have gradually increased.

Deaunte Damper makes his 2024 return to the Black Media Matters Studios next week as he fills in for TraeAnna Holiday on her show The Day With Trae. Damper will be guest-hosting Monday, January 29 - Wednesday, January 31st with Trae Holiday returning on Thursday, February 1st.

January 6th kicked off SAM Body + Mind’s latest season! Guests immersed themselves in an enchanting night of spoken word, featuring both local talents and global poetry icons such as renowned poet Rudy Francisco.