麻豆传媒映画

Entrepreneur and Emmy-winning TV producer Cassandra Schaeg and San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe stood at the front of the KPBS Community Room, with 30 pairs of eyes staring back intently at them, 30 麻豆传媒映画 students clinging to their every word. 

The message from the two women was clear. 

鈥淚 know this seems more challenging than ever right now, and there are a lot of barriers in our way, yet still we are keeping our eyes on the prize,鈥� said Montgomery Steppe, the first Black woman elected to the Board of Supervisors. 

Montgomery Steppe and Schaeg, producer and host of the Emmy Award-winning KPBS series 鈥淔resh Glass,鈥� spoke to 麻豆传媒映画 students from the Harold K. Brown Knowledge, Education and Empowerment Program in the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity. The event was one of several hosted by the Gus & Emma Thompson Black Resource Center and its affiliates during Black History Month.

Schaeg, who co-founded the SIP Wine & Beer tasting room in Escondido, co-created the 鈥淔resh Glass鈥� docuseries, which, according to the show鈥檚 website, highlights "women and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) trailblazers" in the food and beverage industry, whom Schaeg interviews while having one of their favorite drinks or cocktails. 

The show won the 2023 Emmy Award for best magazine show from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter. It will be syndicated nationally on PBS stations this year.

Schaeg told the students one of the reasons she created the show was to highlight representation in her industry, which could inspire other people of color and women to pursue their dreams of entrepreneurship. 

鈥淗ow many of you have watched stories of Black women entrepreneurs?鈥� Schaeg asked the students, with only a handful raising their hands in affirmation. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the reason why 鈥楩resh Glass鈥� was created.鈥�

The students watched a screening of the show鈥檚 Season 2 finale, which featured Blackbird House founder and CEO Bridgid Coulter Cheadle, hip-hop legend D-Nice, Hawaii Mike Salman of Fly Private Social, and Jomaree Pinkard, co-founder of Hella Cocktail Co.

Montgomery Steppe spoke to students about her journey to the Board of Supervisors and the adversity she overcame along the way, sharing experiences and advice which she said she hoped would make it easier for the next generation of aspiring politicians. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to be the first, but it鈥檚 also sad to be the first,鈥� Montgomery Steppe said. 鈥淚 do what I do so that, for you all, it won鈥檛 be a struggle.鈥�

Moderator Rachael Stewart, the HB KEEP director and Faculty Scholar in the , encouraged the students to soak in the knowledge and wisdom Schaeg and Montgomery Steppe imparted and to interact with them following the presentation and a tour of the KPBS studio.

鈥淭his is what the program is all about,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淗aving that representation pouring into all of you so that you can get an understanding and see yourself in others who have made it.鈥�

Lauryn Banks, a third-year kinesiology major, said one of her biggest takeaways was a line uttered by one of the guests in a 鈥淔resh Glass鈥� episode about 鈥渇inding your North Star.鈥�

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 so important to find your purpose, your mission and what drives you,鈥� Banks said. 鈥淥ne of my longtime goals and my purpose that ties into my major was that I wanted to help people in my community, where there鈥檚 historically been a disconnect between us and the medical field; and I want to help bridge that gap.鈥�

Seeing women of color in such impactful positions was inspirational, said Eryn Carmon, a third-year public relations major. 

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you realize how big it is that they鈥檙e here until you hear 鈥楨mmy winner鈥� or 鈥榝irst Black woman supervisor.鈥� And then it鈥檚 like 鈥榳ow, they are really here pouring into us their unique experiences,鈥欌�� Carmon said. 鈥淚f you weren鈥檛 here or a part of HB KEEP, you wouldn鈥檛 have had this experience, which is preparing us for our future after college. I think it鈥檚 such a gratifying experience.鈥�

HB KEEP guides and inspires students to understand and overcome biases in transitioning from student to professional; it shares the importance of cultural diversity and is an inclusive opportunity for all students.