Today we’d like to introduce you to Girl…call Me With Tanya Johnson And Jessica Parker
Hi Girl…Call Me with Tanya Johnson and Jessica Parker, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We started Girl… Call Me with Tanya and Jessica because it was something we naturally said to each other when life happened, and we just needed someone to share it with. It was our way of creating a safe space, and that safety led to deeper conversations that we felt comfortable having with each other, especially during the summer of 2020 when there was so much going on.
At that time, there were things we didn’t feel comfortable discussing with colleagues, but we could always say, “Girl, call me,” and that five-minute check-in would turn into an hour-long conversation about life. We both had our own circles of friends, but we realized that the conversations we were having with each other were something other Black women could benefit from too.
People in our lives started saying, “Y’all should really record these talks because Black women don’t have enough of these conversations out loud.” And that’s how the idea for the podcast came to life. Girl…Call Me with Tanya and Jessica became a space for those real, raw conversations that we felt needed to be shared.
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?
.When we first decided to start Girl…Call Me with Tanya and Jessica, it felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown. Neither of us had worked in the podcasting space before, and while we had plenty of ideas, we lacked the technical knowledge and audience-building expertise. Jessica hasn’t spent much time on social media since 2020, and Tanya didn’t know the difference between an Instagram Story and a Reel. It was both exciting and terrifying to commit to something so unfamiliar.
We’re two women with strong opinions and a passion for connection, but beyond that, we weren’t sure how to translate our conversations into something others would want to hear. There were so many questions: How do we record? What equipment do we need? Who is our audience? Would anyone even listen? Despite all the uncertainty, we knew one thing for sure—there weren’t enough conversations in this space that reflected our experiences as Black women and the unique challenges women like us face.
The biggest risk was deciding to share our personal stories, to be vulnerable about everything from our career struggles to the deeply personal topics of self-care, health, and joy. We feared judgment or, even worse—silence. What if no one cared? What if we failed? But we also knew that trying was the only way to find out.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We’re a podcast that provides a mix of fun, practical and vulnerable content. We have a great time together but we take our passion, to uplift black women, seriously and so we find a way to not only to provide content that will speak to us, but also shed light on our lives to others so they can be better friends, colleagues, partners and allies.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to us is black women feeling seen. It’s having the vulnerability to have a conversation you wouldn’t otherwise had at work or in a friendship. It’s making a doctor’s appointment. It’s having a community for black women to feel safe.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Girlcallme.com
- Instagram: podcast.girlcallme
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@podcastgirlcallme?si=DdAtzW3ryxfZUkim
Image Credits
Jceal Parker
