Onyx Woman Network, presents, Girls, We Need to Talk! A talk show created to address issues that have an impact on girls between the ages of 12-18 in making a successful transition in to womanhood.

Ola R. Jackson, publisher of Onyx Woman Magazine, a business magazine for women of color has been addressing the issues facing women of color through her magazine and conferences for over 13 years. A few years ago Ola developed a television show for women that focus on career advancement, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and wellness. She never thought her audience would ever move beyond that segment of the population.

Until last year when she witnessed a public incident between a young girl and a teen male that made her say to herself, “If that were my daughter, she and I would have to have a talk.” She took the title of the show from a phrase that her husband often used when he wanted to have a serious conversation with her, “Ola, We Need to Talk!”

Jackson says, “Adults spend so much time criticizing young people, and often speaking on their behalf, talking at them and assuming that we know what they need and what they want.” I wanted a show that delves into the intimate feeling of young people and what the people who work with them can share based on their experience working closely to address their issues.

The show focuses on financial literacy, education and health/wellness. Jackson says that she learned immediately that she was on the right track with the show when during a discussion on how girls are impacted by violence, she learned that
her guest had stated that she wanted to have 3 children just incase one of them gets shot. “I sat in my seat under the bright light beaming on me hoping that the segment would end because I didn’t want to get so emotional on the air. Yet it was a dialogue that needed to continue for more time than we could give it.” My guest comments showed me how much we adults and society in general are out of touch with the intimate feeling of young people. Young people should not have to bear the burden that adult put on them. Children should not be raising their younger siblings nor taking on adult responsibilities.”

The shows will begin airing on OWN website in August at: www.onyxwomannetwork.com. Other topics discussed on future shows are: education and scholarships, obesity and the results of a study about African-American girls. I want to encourage dialogue that will end in results. “We are at a crisis in our community and I am concerned that we are desensitizing ourselves to what should be considered a state of emergency”

I often ponder over what are the long-term psychological impact that all of this trauma that young people are forced to simply cope with; and how will it manifest itself in the future. The show is made possible through a grant from the Heinz Endowment and Moriarty Consulting an African-American owned home health care business.

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