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Afros&Audio

@afrosandaudio

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Afros & Audio Podcast Festival: The 1st podcast conference for & by Black indie podcast creatives & audio professionals. Est. 2018

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Once I stumbled into Bed-Stuy Brooklyn for the very first @AfrosAndAudio Podcast Festival in 2019, I knew I’d found my tribe 💯 After speaking at a few of the conferences throughout the years since that meeting, it is a truly amazing and humbling opportunity to bring everything full circle and host the 2027 Afros & Audio Podcast Festival right here in the Motor City! We welcome the fellowship, education and camaraderie that only Afros & Audio provides with a D-Town swag of course! Mark your calendars! More info coming soon. #ProducerOfTheYear #Podscars #Podcastic #AfrosAndAudio by @afrosandaudio

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The Final Entry Deadline for @signalawards is this Friday, June 26th. This year, Signal is recognizing the risk-takers: creators pushing format, embracing experimentation, and raising the bar.

If that's you or someone you know, this is the moment. signalaward.com Talib Jasir, Founder/CEO of Afros & Audio and Down the Road Media, photographed in a black suit against a white background. The portrait is set against a green graphic background with abstract line illustrations. Text reads: "Signal Awards Judge." by @afrosandaudio

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🎙️ YOUTUBE LIVE CONVERSATION: The Awards Path for Audio Drama Creators

Saturday, June 13 • 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET

Join @talibjasir, founder of Afros & Audio and Down the Road Media, alongside @aarondavidharris, award-winning creator of Fists & Fireballs, for a conversation about the growing opportunities available to audio drama creators through major industry awards.

From independent productions to internationally recognized honors, audio fiction has developed a legitimate awards ecosystem that can elevate visibility, credibility, funding opportunities, and career growth.

We’ll explore what Aaron calls the “EGOT of Audio Drama” and break down the awards, organizations, and strategies that can help creators position their work for recognition.

Whether you’re producing your first fiction podcast or building your next award-winning project, this conversation will give you a clearer understanding of what’s possible and how to navigate the path.

📅 Saturday, June 13
⏰ 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET

Bring your questions and join us live. youtube.com/@afrosandaudio/streams by @afrosandaudio

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4 months ago

Heard! Afros & Audio Interview Series is going live on YouTube every week, with a different guest. Black indie creators. Audio professionals. Unfiltered conversations about the craft and the culture. Before we lock in a time, we want to know yours. What time EST works best for you to tap in live each week? Want to be a guest? Standby for the guest submission form to secure your spot. by @afrosandaudio

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5 months ago

Afros & Audio was registered in 2018 with scripted audio drama as its foundation. In 2019, we pivoted to the podcast festival model because the independent market for scripted audio wasn’t ready. That infrastructure now exists.

Down the Road Media is where we return to the original vision.

If you work in scripted audio, or you are ready to start, downtheroad.media is built for you. The Listening Hub is where you can discover and listen to scripted audio shows. The professional Directory connects creators, voice talent, writers, directors, producers, and sound designers. Studio Sessions structure collaboration. Production projects keep your work organized. The Awards Circuit maps the full recognition landscape, from web festivals through the major ceremonies. The Richard Durham Script Library opens Juneteenth 2026.

This is the infrastructure scripted audio has needed. Visit downtheroad.media to explore or join. by @afrosandaudio

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🔥🔥🔥 The purpose of this 22-minute webinar is to delve into the larger universe of audio fiction awards. How they work, how they are connected, and ultimately how these awards are won. So if you are an audio fiction creator, voice talent, sound designer, producer, director, or any of those things in between, this webinar is for you.

You know where to find the link!

Created by Aaron David Harris, winner of the 2025 Ambies | Best Fiction Podcast

#audiofiction #fictionpodcast #audiobooks #awards #podcast by @afrosandaudio

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6 months ago

Episode 27 of Heard! Afros & Audio features Nyasha Hatendi and his Audible Original audio drama Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi.

Set in Zimbabwe, the story follows an American family whose luxury safari unravels after sacred ground is disturbed and an ancient spirit awakens. Produced in Dolby Atmos, Sacrilege blends cultural horror, generational tension, and immersive sound design into a cinematic listening experience.

We talk about adapting folklore into modern thriller, why horror exposes emotional truth, and how audio drama allows global stories to exist without the constraints of film budgets. Nyasha shares what it took to develop an Audible Original and how cultural specificity strengthens storytelling rather than limiting it.

If you are building fiction, experimenting with immersive sound, or exploring how heritage informs narrative craft, this conversation expands the frame.

Full episode streaming now. by @afrosandaudio

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8 months ago

Most podcasts don’t stop because of talent some times the energy to be consistent simply runs out.

Episode 26 of Heard! Afros & Audio features @denzellturner and the evolution of @blackfridayspodcast from IG Live conversations during the Blackout Tuesday moment to a six-year platform documenting Black-owned businesses, Detroit entrepreneurship, and community wealth.

We talk about what monetizing consistency actually means with practical systems. Corporate marketing principles applied to entrepreneurs. Showing up long enough for your archive to become leverage.

Denzell shares how podcasting became the economic infrastructure for his community.

If you are building something long-term and wondering when it starts to pay off, this conversation is worth your time.

Full episode streaming now. by @afrosandaudio

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8 months ago

Burnout doesn’t always look dramatic.

Sometimes it looks like showing up. Delivering. Smiling. Producing. Leading. Until your body decides it’s had enough.

Episode 25 of Heard! Afros & Audio features Keisha “TK” Dutes @tastykeish and the story behind her narrative podcast The Secret Life of TK.

We talk about burnout in the media industry, the difference between being visible and being valued, and what it means to reclaim sovereignty as a Black woman creator. TK shares how she moved from producing other people’s stories to telling her own, and why she gave producers creative control to shape each episode into something immersive and alive.

This conversation moves through boundaries, collaboration, vulnerability, and the physical cost of professional silence. It is about creative practice as restoration, not just performance.

If you are building in media and quietly carrying more than you admit, this episode will meet you where you are.

Full episode streaming now.

#Podcasting #BlackWomenInMedia #BurnoutRecovery #AudioStorytelling #CreativeSovereignty #IndependentMedia #AfrosAndAudio by @afrosandaudio

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Before podcasting was mainstream with studio aesthetics and algorithm hacks, there was BlogTalk Radio.

Episode 24 of Heard! Afros & Audio features @iamleorachel and her journey from those early audio days to building @pgcmediaco and @pgcafterdark, a podcast network rooted in authenticity, culture, and long-term impact.

Leo started recording in 2011 when podcasting felt experimental. What began as a space to vent and connect evolved into Phat Girl Chronicles and a growing network centered on plus-size empowerment, Black storytelling, mental health conversations, and community care.

We talk about protecting culture while scaling, growing without losing your voice, and why knowing your “why” matters more than chasing metrics. We also unpack what it means to build something sustainable in a short-form world that rewards speed over depth.

Some creators chase visibility. Others build homes.

If you’re thinking about longevity, ownership, and community-first podcasting, this conversation will resonate.

Full episode streaming now. by @afrosandaudio

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8 months ago

What if you could build an entire cinematic universe without a camera?

Episode 23 of Heard! Afros & Audio features Ambie Award–winning creator @aarondavidharris, the mind behind the fiction podcast Tales of Fists & Fireballs.

We talk about audio drama as “anime for your ears,” worldbuilding through sound, and why fiction podcasting gives writers and filmmakers creative freedom without waiting for studio approval.

Aaron shares what it took to win an Ambie Award for Best Fiction Podcast, how he transitioned from screenwriting to immersive audio storytelling, and why independent creators can compete with major networks when the craft is strong.

This conversation moves through Black oral tradition, genre storytelling, narration versus dialogue debates, and how to turn big ideas into powerful sound design on an indie budget.

If you are a screenwriter, filmmaker, fiction podcaster, or creative who feels limited by resources, this episode expands what feels possible.

Full episode streaming now. by @afrosandaudio

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