Earlier this week I was asked to be the co-host on 12 Kyle radio where we talked about dating in the 21st century. Things got pretty crazy and pretty damn funny. Peep out the recast HERE. Also make sure you check out the Media Section where it shows where I have been interviewed and feature around the net.

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In this edition of Who Is Going From Ashy to Classy? (check out the two part interview with comedian Jovan Bibbs). I sat down with media Maven Ariana Proehl. she is the producer and host of Know This. Know This is an online talk show taking you on a 16-city U.S. tour to uncover next generation voices doing work with passion & purpose, and making knowledge of self look SEXY. We are more than Housewives & Jersey Shore. Educate. Entertain. Empower. We talk about everything from media, self-empowerment, and even The Wire.

Darryl Frierson:Where are you from? What’s your background?

Ariana Proehl: Where I am from? I rep Santa Rosa, CA. It’s a white suburb in Sonoma County. I was born in LA and raised in Santa Rosa. I’m a California girl at heart.

DF: What’s your educational background?

AP: I went to UC-Berkeley where I majored in Ethnic Studies. I have always had an affinity for diversity education growing up in a white suburb. Not looking like my peers I got teased a lot. I got involved with diversity education early on because I wanted to make sure any kids didn’t have to experience the teasing and low self-esteem that I did. I just graduated with my Masters in Public Administration from NYU-Wagner School of Public Service.

DF: It said in your bio that at the age of 22 you were an Executive Director of a non-profit. What made you decide to go that route? And how was that experience?

AP: The self-esteem issues I had got me involved at an early age. You are supposed to leave the world a better place then you first experienced it. That’s the underlying theme of everything I do. So I got in involved in this group called Diversity Works. In college I worked in their social justice and diversity training classes. I did that throughout college and when I graduated the Executive Director then came to me and asked me if I wanted to run the organization. I was hesitant at the time but I said why not? So many people support me and it was the right thing to do. It was one of the most valuable experiences I have had. The only program was when I took over the organization it was in a poor state and I had to help revitalize it. But it ended up helping my self-esteem and leadership issues.

DF: Why did you decide to leave the non-profit arena?

AP: I would have to say it was kind of unstable for me. The non-profit mentally I feel is this martyrdom thing where you are supposed to work yourself to the bone. I don’t agree with that. I believe in self-care. Taking the best of enterprise and business meshing it with service is a win/win. Why do you have to be a slave to that system? Because of that the non-profit system was just not attractive to me. I just couldn’t see myself putting my dream that is so big into someone else’s vision or institution.

DF: Where did the concept for Know This TV come from?

AP: I was watching a clip of Teen Summit. There is like only one of them and Mary J. Blige is being interviewed on it. I was just being blown away by the real questions and dialogue on the show. I saw that and was like this is beautiful to have people have this kind of conversation. You look at formats now it’s all about what I have or what I am gonna get instead of meaningful conversations. Teen Summit had the music but also discussed issues such as HIV, Teen pregnancy, violence, education, etc. So, I’m looking at the comments on the clip on YouTube and someone writes “Why don’t we have shows like this anymore?” I knew then I had an idea especially with my background with video blogging already. January of this year I came up with the idea March of this year it kicked off.

DF: Where are you now?

AP: In LA now on the tour. We are hitting 19 cities

DF: What is the goal of the tour?

AP: The goal of the tour is to grow the audience of Know This from the ground up and test my theory that empowering media can be entertaining, and come away with an audience that is excited for more. Just want to be able to get it out to people via any vehicle they watch media on.

DF: Can you tell us some of the people you have interviewed so far?

AP: I have interviewed a whole range of folks. My focus is to get people 35 and under but the main part is to be about self- empowerment. I have talked to blogger Sistah Toldja, hip hop poet J.Ivey, fashion designers CoCo and Breezy, young tech entrepreneur Danielle Leslie, the singer Res, Rakia Reynolds, did a mini highlight of Detroit and all the special things going on there. Detroit has a lot of young folks helping rebuild the city. From the Chicago piece Naledge from Kidz in the Hall, Lynetta Stair a photographer, spoke to some kids at the Chicago Freedom School and Southwest Collaborative. It’s all over the map but it’s a common thread of wanting to be able to effect change on some level in what they do. They are making ish happen

DF: What have you learned the most about on this tour?

AP: I have learned these weird facts about all these cities. For instance I learned that Detroit has the most community gardens. Weird right? They are really doing it. Milwaukee from census data is listed as the most segregated city in the U.S. Seeing that first hand was kind of shocking. Seeing community organizations in destitute area looking like the 80s and then 4 miles away you have the yuppie area with Whole Foods and Trader Joes. It was crazy. How can any politician see this and go back to D.C. and just argue over BS. It’s really ego stuff. The main thread of everywhere I have been is energy. Everyone is about making a difference some way in their communities. I knew that people were ready for something different but it was seeing so many people from different places galvanized that made me know that people are done with the BS in our media. They just need a media or place to tap into. I hope this show lets people know you are not alone and build on each other.

DF: With the tour do you see yourself doing this often?

AP: Yeah, I am feeling at home on the road now. It is catching the eye of some people who see the vision of what I am building. I hope to do a whole speaking tour soon as well because I didn’t get a chance to do it on this tour since I just went did this without a lot of advanced planning. A larger production tour and maybe even a live audience.

DF: How did you hire or find your production staff?

AP: Craigslist

DF:Really????

AP: HAHAHA!!! Yeah it really was because it happened so quickly. This was a reflection on a park bench in July. I graduated what am I gonna do. I didn’t want to get a job. I have this show but what am I gonna do with it. I know I love talking to people. You know what I am gonna go on tour. I just get visions like that. I figure let’s make it happen. I put together the tour before any money was behind it I knew I just had to do it. There are people who take risks but to get people to see your vision especially friends is a different thing. I just put the call out and I always believe that everything happens for a reason, so here we are on tour.

DF: Wow! That’s very interesting Craigslist. You just put a general thing out like “Ay you down come on through?

AP: Yep that’s basically it. HAHAHA! When you put things out there the universe will conspire to help that positive energy foster in some way. Yeah it may not happen super smoothly or the way you envisioned it to be but it will still happens.

DF: Gonna switch gears here a bit. I see you are a big The Wire fan just like I am. I can tell real Wire Fans by their explanation of what they think one of the main messages was. What do you think it was?

AP: For me it’s the reality that everything is a constant cycle. The piece that broke my heart the most besides Omar being killed like he did. The part that was the most heartbreaking was finally seeing Bubbles getting clean you see Dukey who had so much promise shooting up. Then you see the parallel between Omar and Michael both being stick-up kids with morals.

AP: Who’s your favorite Character?

DF: I would say Omar because of ethics. I also have to say Avon was my boy too.

AP: I liked Avon but I hated Marlo because he was so ruthless. That’s why I loved Omar because even within his crime he had ethics.

DF: If you had to choose to between hanging out with the Real Housewives of ATL or the Rachetball Wives(Basketball Wives) for the weekend in Las Vegas?’

AP: I have to choose? I can’t just jump out a window?

DF: Nahhhh you gotta choose a crew to roll with.

AP: I am going to say RHWOA because I have seen at least one episode. The other girls I only know from the images of them portrayed in media.

DF: Where do you see media going in the future?

AP: We are not going anywhere as long as we continue to perpetuate this mindset of that has gone on since all those classic wholesome sitcoms were canceled that showed the diversity of black people. We just see the same image of black women over and over of us being materialistic, cat fighting, over the top, and neck rolling. There are no people in leadership now in those avenues pushing for change. But you do see people such as myself, Issa Rae who is the producer of The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. Issa Rae is offering something new with her show. A lot of people are taking hold more and that’s why you will see it more on the online format until others see we have some great things or it becomes a movement in itself. I think people are starting to get tired of what they are getting on TV. I see a positive future in the long-term especially in terms of what I am doing

DF: Who are some of the people you check for in terms of media?

AP: Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, Clutch Magazine, The Loop21, New York Times, Vulture, Young Black and Fabulous, ColorLines.com, salon.com, alternet.org

DF: Where is this show going to be in 10 years? Where are you going to be in 10 years?

AP: My show will have been very successful; it will be on my network. I have my own network empire thing I have created.

DF: So you gonna be on the Oprah hustle huh?

Ap: Yeah except it’s gonna be grounded in empowerment and social justice. I also want to provide a different model of philanthropy. I will have written three or four books by then

DF: How did you get your funding for your tour?

AP: HAHAHA! My credit card. I’m impatience and self-starter so yeah

DF: Oh, No it’s no problem with that. Robert Townsend did Hollywood Shuffle all through maxing out his credit cards. He spent 60,000 on the movie in the early 80s and it ended up grossing a couple of million. If you have to use your own money don’t worry you can make it happen.

AP: Oh wow! I needed to hear that. Makes me not feel as bad for what I am doing.

DF: Any Final words?

AP:None of what I do or anyone does without the support from people it doesn’t mean anything. We have to support and put the money where our mouth is we want change to happen, We can’t complain about change if we don’t support people making changes. We need make sure we are supporting each other.

Check out a episode of KNow This TV below with Naledge of Kidz in the Hall and Check out more Of Know This TV

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