Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Romo.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my radio journey in 2008. I was in a really bad accident in April of 2008, where the paramedics actually said I should have died. That accident was a huge blessing in disguise, I landed a winning spot on what used to be Latino 96.3 for the Latino Take Over and I was only able to do it because I was in that accident and I wasn’t working. I always wanted to be in media but never felt like I “looked” the part. I’ve always been overweight and I allowed that to keep me from pursuing a career in the media world. That accident also caused me to fail my semester in college and left me looking for “easy” classes the upcoming semesters. In the summer of 2009, I decided to take an easy course, introduction to broadcasting. I have to admit it was the easiest course, but because I fell in love. I didn’t look back, I submerged myself into the field, I because the music director of the station, on-air talent, and production assistant. I was nominated for a Golden Mike with my college radio station, 90.1 KSAK (which sadly no longer exist).
I ended applying for an internship in Jan of 2010 to Power 106 and to my surprised I got it, I was the programing intern and working alongside Jeff G and Eman. I was living my dream at 21; Power 106 was my dream station. I stayed there until June of 2010 and even though things didn’t work out for me to get hired it was one of the best experiences of my life. I can’t lie though I was hurt, I felt betrayed and I left radio for two years. I continued to do radio at the college level and even started a podcast called Let’s Bare It All. It wasn’t until mid of 2012 a friend contacted me, who worked for 102.7 KIIS FM, and he was so adamant I needed to be back in radio, he helped me get an internship with JoJo on the Radio. I worked alongside JoJo and his team for almost six months and again things played out different from how I wanted them to be. I then landed a job with a Spanish station, Jose 97.5, which to me was not what I was looking for, I never saw myself in the regional Mexican market but yet there I was. I remember my first few months there I would walk into the studio and lower the music as much as I could and just blast hip hop music in the studio. It wasn’t until a friend set me straight and said “You’re disrespecting everything you’ve worked for. It doesn’t matter where you at use your platform and kill it. This genre is paying your bills, it’s not Power 106 or KIIS FM, its Jose 97.5 paying you” and that completely changed my way of thinking. I started being open to the idea of being on air for the stations and really wanting to move up. I slowly would help with production or a commercial here and there.
I took initiative and went up to my program director and asked if I could be the producer for the night show host. I explained his show could be taken to the next level and shared some of my ideas with him. He allowed me to incorporate some of the things I ran by him but he also let me jump on the mic with the host. I was on air in LA, in a small scale but in LA none the less. Sadly that station ceased to exist and became simulcast with Jose 97.5. I thought that was it for my on air presence until one of the other program directors asked me for a demo for the rock en Espanol station, Super Estrella, he saw the potential in me, he has always believed I have what it takes to be on air. He gave me my shot. I couldn’t believe the first time I opened the mic on my own and spoke to Los Angeles, granted it was overnight but I didn’t care. It was me – alone. I was trying so hard to continue to move up in the company when I got sick in 2015; I got sick to the point I had to take a full year leave of absence from my career and everything I loved. In that year I was off I gained massive amount of weight but I continued to fight to go back.
In June of 2016, I was back in the building. I had less hours, no on air shift, and felt so out of place. I felt happy yet defeated at the same time. Sadly just after two weeks of being back I got sick again and was out for almost a week. I went back to work with an IV in my arm and pumping meds in. After being gone for a year and finally coming back to what I love, I had to take another leave of absence in Oct of 2016, by this I was doing horribly with my health. I was weighing in about 500lbs. I was in and out of hospitals for about two years for extended periods of time. In Feb 2017, I decided to get weight loss surgery, the VGS to be exact. I wasn’t happy at first because I felt like I was cheating but I quickly realized that’s not true. I completely focused on changing my life and my way of thinking. On Aug 4th, 2017 I got my surgery and my life has been drastically different since. I have since lost 305lbs, I started my podcast again, and I’ve been traveling.
I haven’t made it back to radio yet but I know I will soon. My podcast is my baby, it’s my outlet. Let’s Bare it All is about expressing my opinions along with my co-host and guest host about love, sex, and relationships. I’ve always been extremely open about sex, which when I originally started the podcast it wasn’t being talked about. We’re real, uncut, unfiltered, but not vulgar, I express myself freely. I was recently able to talk about my experiences with sexual assault and how I dealt with it. I leave nothing off the table.
Today I stand tall and strong. I know that with everything I’ve been through I can truly overcome anything life throws at me.
Great, 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?
Not a chance. One of my biggest struggles in this business has been dealing with my appearance, I was told multiple times, I have the talent, the charisma, the personality to be on air but I didn’t have the “look” needed. Being a women is hard enough but having men in power tell you your looks aren’t good enough but you have everything else needed was hard, and it solidified that old fear I had when I was little of not being good enough to be in this business. Another struggle is finding genuine people in the business, I have to say I’ve been lucky to have found amazing people in the business but I’ve also been stabbed in the back by people I trusted. My health played a huge role in my career in the past few years. I know and with all my might believe nothing in life worth having comes easy.
Please tell us about Let’s Bare It All.
Well, I’m currently working on my podcast, Let’s Bare It All. I started this back in 2010 as a college student and left it for many years to work on multiple projects. I’m the creator and co-host of the podcast. I’m known prominently for being involved in media, specifically radio. I know how to be on air, production, producing, a little of many things, in this business you have to. I also have a side business with a friend that deals with nutrition and wellness.
I feel that what sets up apart as a person is how much I genuinely care about people and how honest I am. I am a horrible liar, I mean horrible and I love that.
What I feel that sets Let’s Bare It All apart its the authenticity of it I don’t try to be like anything else, my co-host and I always come from the heart and truly want people to be open about love, sex, and relationships. I always say the most important relationship that influences others is the one you have with yourself. I’m proud of what I’m building with this podcast, not just the realness of it but the unity behind it. We don’t bash men or women, we’re open to all sexual orientations but we’re also different races and cultures.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have a few favorite memories but I would have to go with seeing my dad dominate a mic and a crowd. My dad was always involved with CB radios and would have big conventions.
Contact Info:
- Website: Letsbareitall.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @UneeQ_ and @letsbareitall
- Twitter: @UneeQ_
- Other: lauraromo.com
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
