Today we’d like to introduce you to Akeele Hughes.
Hi Akeele, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Four years ago, God placed it on my heart to start a podcast, I was so scared and not ready for this platform. I tried to start a podcast with another person because I did not think that I was qualified enough to carry a podcast by myself. However, I quickly learned that when God calls you to do something, it is solely for you; your purpose cannot be shared. After the shared podcast fell through I put the thought in the back of my head.
In 2019 I was in my junior year of college at the University of Central Florida, my marriage was on the rocks; I fell into depression and I remembered what God told me about starting my own podcast. At that moment, I broke through my flesh and fears; A Moment with A was birthed. I am now 35 episodes in with 4,600 listens and I am proud every day that God saw fit for me to have this platform.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a Podcaster is not easy, especially when you are building a platform around God. When I was first starting out, all I had was stories that I wanted to tell, an Android phone, and a small microphone to record. The quality was so bad, lol but the content was very good! Three months after I launched A Moment with A, I separated from my husband, which caused my creativity yo to be crushed because my emotions were all over the place. My first season was very short due to the changes that were happening in my life but I always knew that I would come back when I was ready. I don’t release content when my heart is not in the right place because I don’t feel connected to God, which makes me feel like my content is not authentic. Staying true to myself is another struggle that I have faced through my years of Podcasting. It is very easy to get lost in the hype of social media and doing things for clout, I never wanted that for myself or for my listeners.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
A Moment with A is the podcast that is dedicated to elevating the dialogue on the topics that affect the lives of millennials. I created my platform to be a safe place for people to share their stories and to bridge gaps. AMWA is so special to me and it has grown into this amazing platform that is starting to be recognized in the Orlando community. I am proud of the stories that have been told on my podcast such as “Daddy’s Little Girls” which focused on Father Complex and how we have navigated through our relationships with our fathers or my infamous “I Do, I Did, I Don’t” series which is a four-part project where I tell my story about being married and divorced in my twenties. AMWA allows for so many stories to be told and connects people to show that we are not alone in our trauma and pain. AMWA is not like other podcasts because I am the host. Although there are thousands of podcasts out there, no one can do it the way that I can do it.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking is very important as a content creator, I always encourage others to connect with like-minded individuals however I also tell people to be cautious with linking up with other individuals who do not share the same foundation and principles that you have.
Contact Info:
- Email: amomentwitha@gmail.com
- Website: amomentwitha.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amomentwitha/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMomentWithA
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Akeele
