Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Iyani Lenice Hughes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Iyani Lenice , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I have worked on is my advocate platform called Curly Girls On-Air. On this platform – via IG and Facebook – we encourage, support and inspire women – especially women of color – who wear or want to wear their natural curls, coils, kinks or loc’d hair On-Air.
CGOA was started in 2018, just as I was in my first TV market – getting through my first Live Shot, when a viewer called and nagged on how I wore my hair. They called me “the black girl with the wild hair”. And that was the moment where I could either let him discourage me and get in my head, or i could show him and others that this “black girl” has beautiful, thick and naturally curly hair and I was here to stay. WE are here to stay! On that day, the CGOA platform was born and since then, I have dedicated my time and effort to making sure other women don’t feel discouraged while wearing their natural hair on-air, and also encourage those who haven’t released their curls or coils just yet, but want to in the future.
I hope by posting these women and their stories and journeys wearing their kinky and curly hair on TV can continue to inspire black and brown girls to release the wigs and weaves if they so choose, and love their hair in its natural state – even on camera!
The TV and News industry is changing, but slowly. I pray by building this proud community, we show the next generation of journalist that their hair is beautiful and they should never feel the need to blend in to someone else’s “standard of TV beauty” 🧡
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Iyani Hughes – but I go by Iyani Lenice on most social platforms! I am a communication and 4-year student-athlete/grad of Kennesaw State University in Georgia. I am currently a media professional – working as a host, reporter and anchor in Atlanta, Georgia.
I got into the media industry in college – specifically during a study abroad in London, UK. There i honed in on my journalism skills and learned the ins and outs of Tv news and my on-camera presence. From there, I took a few freelance gigs around ATLANTA, until finally landing my first career job at WTVY News 4 in Dothan, Alabama. I worked my butt off, learned a lot and spent a year and some change as an Anchor and MMJ, before landing a digital news reporter and content producer job at CBS46 back in Atlanta, where I have spent the last 3 years! I am currently transitioning into a new media role – which I hope to start mid-September!
Additionally, I am a mom to a 1-year-old baby boy, girlfriend, dog mom and entrepreneur. I own 22NaturOils natural oils company with my sister, Maya, and I enjoy braiding and other protective style services for clients across the metro area with my braid company, iLeniceDesigns.
I am the creator and believer of CGOA – or Curly Girls On-Air, a platform to encourage and inspire women – especially women of color – to rock their natural curls, kinks and coils in the media industry.
People oftentimes ask me “how i wear so many hats” and honestly – it is not easy, but I am very much so Type A – so J write everything down, try to stay as organized as possible – with a toddler at home lol – and just grind my butt off. My brain is literally a always in go-mode ans I try to utilize my free time to be as productive as possible. While sometimes allowing rest and reset days.
I would tell anyone reading this that YOJ ARE SPECIAL. God created you for your purpose and build a path just for you! Don’t compare and don’t compost with anyone but yourself. You’ll be shocked at how much you grind and grown when you focus on God and goals and not other people!
Love you, always.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Growing up in a predominantly caucasian neighborhood in Alabama, wearing my natural curly – kinky hair was not the “in thing” to do. When I graduated high school and came to Atlanta for college, I quickly fell in love with how bold and fierce black women were with their natural hair. Around Sophomore year, I transitioned to 100% natural and never looked back. My curls were flourishing and my confidence was through the roof.. until my senior year of college when the questions began. My professor asked me – as I am practicing my news anchoring – what I plan to do with my hair when I got my first job – implying the way I was wearing it was not going to cut it. Initially, it was a confusing question because I felt my hair was perfect how it was, but I quickly realized big, natural hair was not typically accepted in the TV and news industry. I became discouraged, but still attempted to land my first TV job with my natural hair. 2 years and a lot of “your look doesn’t fit” replies later – I finally got that yes and my career began. a few weeks later – I got my first comment on my hair from a viewer – “the black girl with the big hair” and my confidence was immediately questioned. Was I going to make it with my hair this way? Would this hinder me from being successful? Should I reconsider? And on that day – I decided I would help people see that black and brown women are beautiful in their natural state – not just with wigs, weaves and everything in between. I started CGOA (Curly Girls On-Air) in 2018 and was determined to create a community that would celebrate women who wear their natural hair and the curls – kinks and coils that that comes with – on-air. And also to encourage those who want to transition, but have not just yet. We uplift, share testimonies and empower each other to be bold and beautiful in our hair and who we are – and not be afraid to change the standards and expectations set in years past.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
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Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/iyanilenicetv
Image Credits
Red suit – credit: Ryin Baskins