Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rian-Louis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rian-Louis, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

My friends have been suggesting that I create a podcast for years due to my ability to engage in conversations with people. However, I struggled to execute the idea properly. In early 2020, I was dealing with health issues and was laid off from my job and on top of that a pandemic was happeing. This allowed me to reflect and figure out what I wanted for my podcast. I didn’t want to just talk; I wanted the conversations to be engaging and meaningful. While browsing Twitter, I stumbled upon a group of amazing independent black queer artists, and it immediately clicked. I wanted to create a podcast that focused on black queer creatives and provided them with a platform to speak freely and promote their work.

The name “RIANOUTLOUD!” originated from my 88-year-old grandfather, Louis, who used to say “for crying out loud” randomly.

Rian-Louis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Rian-Louis. I am a podcaster, writer, and event host based in Pittsburgh, PA. Community is important to me, and I strive to create a safe and welcoming space for my audience. My podcast, RIANOUTLOUD!, is focused on providing a platform for black queer creatives. I am proud to say that I have recently finished the first draft of my book. Thanks to the success of my podcast, I have been able to expand my career opportunities and host events within the city of Pittsburgh. I am an Outreach Coordinator for Amachi Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that focuses on supporting youth affected by parental incarceration. Our program provides mentoring, family strengthening, and leadership development to both youth and their families. I am passionate about my work and enjoy the opportunity to connect with diverse individuals.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve had to unlearn the belief that it’s too late to pursue a passion. Even though I’m 33 years old, I finally feel like I’m living with purpose. It took me a while to get to this point, and I used to wish I had started earlier. However, I’ve stopped dwelling on that thought because everything happens for a reason. If I had pursued my passion earlier, it might not have been the same vision I have now. Therefore, the timing of my podcast, RIANOUTLOUD!, was perfect and it honestly saved my life.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My family, friends, and Twitter connections are my source of motivation. While managing RIANOUTLOUD!, I handle everything from promotion to editing, which can be overwhelming at times. However, receiving feedback from those in my inner circle inspires me and keeps me on my toes. I’m thankful for every single listen, and recently hitting 11,000 downloads on my podcast was a significant milestone for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rianoutloud
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmcneil1024/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ratedRIAN