Host Spotlight: Julia Jessie
Meet Converge Media’s longest-tenured host. Julia Jessie began her journey to becoming the host of Clap Back Culture over a decade ago, when she first met Converge Media Founder Omari Salisbury. They immediately established a bond and Jessie knew that when the time was right, she would make an impact with the company. That time came in 2020, when she was inspired by Converge’s coverage of the Seattle protests.
“During the pandemic, I was captivated by Converge's coverage during the protests. The level of in-depth journalism from the Converge team was something that I wanted to be a part of, and I worked with Omari to carve out an area to get involved,” Jessie said.
That area became Jessie’s very own show, Clap Back Culture. On the show, she takes complex issues and current events and breaks them down in ways that are crafted to be educational, relatable, and entertaining to the Black community. The show has since gone through many iterations, including co-hosts, formats and more, but Jessie is now settling in to her role as the sole host of Clap Back Culture.
She says that much of her growth stems from the talent around her at Converge, and that she’s inspired every day by those she works with.
“Converge Media is a place that harvests individuals' unique talents and provides a space for creatives to grow. I love being in the company of my colleagues -- they're all so talented and different that it sparks my creativity and makes me want to be a better journalist and podcaster,” Jessie said.
For her, it’s all about the audience. In her work as a marketer, she has discovered the importance of engaging the people she’s speaking to and knows that her show must do the same. She says that one of the unique things about Clap Back Culture is the way the audience engages with the show.
“Our audience actively participates during live shows, helping the hosts to dive deeper into topics and encouraging us to see issues from another lens. They are very involved and add value to the conversation,” Jessie said.
Jessie poses during a Queens of Converge photoshoot she did with fellow Queens Trae Holiday, Besa Gordon and Takiyah TDUB Ward (Photos Liv Lyons)
For Converge’s Clap Back Queen, the biggest takeaway she has for others is the importance of consistency. She said that throughout her career the drive to produce day in and day out has been a constant, and her show is no different.
“BE CONSISTENT! The hardest thing about the work that goes into Converge is being consistent. Many people will admire what you do and think they can do it; however, I have to curate a well-thought-out show for a live audience every week. This is a challenging task when you are balancing other responsibilities,” Jessie said. “I advise anyone interested in pursuing journalism or podcasting to plan to be consistent, carve out a plan, and have the discipline to stick to it. “
One of those responsibilities is being a new mom. Jessie recently welcomed her first child into the world, and the challenges of being a mom while still creating and working the way she wants to have provided her with a lot of new perspectives as she balances working in politics with her career as a host.
“As much as I am a superwoman, I have to be honest with how much more I can take on,” Jessie said. “However, I love the work I do with Converge. It is a fantastic outlet for me to be my authentic self. Hearing someone say they had a great experience listening to Clap Back Culture brings me great pride and joy.”
She also knows that taking her show to the next level includes engaging her audience on the East Coast, where she’s based.
“With that energy in mind, I see myself doing a better job of balancing my work and personal life and expanding my audience reach to engage more folks on the East Coast to participate in Clap Back,” Jessie said.
You can read more about Julia Jessie’s journey into motherhood here, and make sure to tune into Clap Back Culture every Thursday at 7 pm PST/10 pm EST.
