HUR Voices

Ja’Vonne Harley is producer and host of Traveling Culturati, and president of Advantage International, a destination management company. She has more than 10 years of experience in broadcasting and more than 30 years in event management, marketing, and destination management. Traveling Culturati, an hour-long radio show all about the culture of travel, airs four days a week on H.U.R. Voices (Ch. 141). Harley, who created the show’s format, develops the content, writes the script for the show’s video production, and produces its digital recordings. Produced in the studio, the show is often live from locations around the world, highlighting the destination and the travelers’ experience.

Jeff Fortson, who has more than 25 years of automotive corporate and retail experience, penned several comprehensive automotive car-buying guides for such media staples as Black Enterprise, Ebony, Essence, and AOL.com.

Award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and author Kevin Y. Brown delivers high-energy, authentic presentations to provide his audience members with tangible takeaways for creating the results and life they desire. Born to a young drug-addicted mother, Kevin entered the California Foster Care system at the age of one and remained there until emancipating at the age of 18. Despite his early encounters with adversity, he excelled academically and graduated from college debt-free with honors in both Fashion Design and Business Supply Chain Management. Formerly a host for MTV Networks and a marketer in New York City’s high-paced fashion industry, Kevin is now the CEO of cutting-edge empowerment company Legacy Thinking Labs, and founder of Debt-Free College Academy, which was inspired by his book 10 Ways Anyone Can Graduate From College DEBT-FREE.

Paul Wharton is a television personality, author, producer, beauty and lifestyle expert, and pop culture enthusiast. Paul can be seen weekly as the lifestyle and fashion contributor on Fox 5’s Good Day DC morning show as well as other nationally syndicated talk shows. Earlier in his career, Wharton was tapped as the original on-air model coach on the Emmy-winning MTV series MADE. After MADE, Wharton became the makeover guru on The Ricki Lake Show, and was featured as the energetic and insightful model coach on Vh-1’s The Agency. The following year, he went on to share his model-making expertise on TV Land’s She’s Got the Look. After years of working with models, he joined the cast of TV One’s Makeover Manor to share his fashion advice with ordinary people that overcame extraordinary circumstances, and stayed on with TV One as the co-host of their first live platform show, The DNC Live After Party.

Rico Anderson is a native of Washington, D.C. A child prodigy, he started playing drums at the age of three, and became proficient on piano, guitar, bass, and later turntables. A natural lover of the arts, Rico was accepted into the Suitland High School of Performing Arts Program as a drama major. While attending, he spent countless hours in the school’s music department befriending students and teachers while extracting as much knowledge and information about music as he could. It was also in high school Rico began making a name for himself locally as a hip-hop music producer and DJ. A chance meeting with legendary New Edition and Bell Biv Devoe member Michael Bivins introduced Rico to the entertainment industry. After high school, he signed with Bivins’ Biv 10 Production Company and moved to Los Angeles. While at Biv 10, Rico wrote and produced several hits for the label’s artists, including Boyz II Men, A.B.C. (Another Bad Creation), and M.C. Brains. He also produced fellow New Edition members Bell Biv Devoe and Johnny Gill. After three years, Rico became an independent producer. He signed with Rondor Music Publishing as one of their top R&B and hip-hop songwriters. At Biv 10, he went on to write and produce for music industry veterans such as Will Smith, Slick Rick, Remy Martin, and Yo Gotti.

Rushion McDonald is a two-time Emmy Award-winning executive producer, three-time NAACP Image Award winner, host of the Money Making Conversations radio show, creator of Baker Spotlight recipe library, ambassador for Perfect Bake Scale, and owner of 3815 Media production company. McDonald is recognized throughout the entertainment industry for his successes in producing top television shows, movies, and events.

Sharrarne Morton, owner of Morton Media, a small business in the Washington metropolitan area, has more than 15 years of experience as an on-air talent, script writer, program content developer, executive producer, and speaker. She was the on-air talent and segment producer for the Emerging Business Report television show. In addition to writing the script and working with the production team, Morton, as host, kept the show moving, entertaining, and informative for the small business owner. She has also executive-produced other shows including It Takes a Village and Popular Technology, along with a myriad of cable television commercials for Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable. Morton is a regular guest on ABC7/News Channel 8’s NewsTalk, offering commentary on local, national, and international news.

Sheila Okonji-Ashinze has established herself as an international businesswoman well respected for her contributions within the entertainment industry worldwide. Whilst at the University of Westminster in London, Sheila joined the first ever MOBO Awards, now the largest premier showcase for urban music watched by millions of people worldwide. She went on to graduate from the university with a BA in marketing and public relations. In 2000, Sheila founded ZONS P.R Limited UK, a company focusing on PR, marketing, media advertising, and events management.

Sheryl Underwood is a celebrated comedian and talk show host that can keep you entertained every single day. Getting into mainstream comedy was just the beginning of her career path in the ’80s. Her standup comedy acts led to small acting roles, and she became more famous when she began hosting the BET Comic View. This opened up opportunities for her to contribute to the Tom Joyner Morning Show, The Steve Harvey Morning Show, and some other radio shows. Two of the movies she is well known for are Beauty Shop and Bulworth. She has grown over the years to become one of the best entertainers and talk show hosts of all time. Underwood is both a comedian and actress that is worth emulating. She has done well as a host of The Talk on CBS since 2011, and earned her awards, including the 2017 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.

Charles “Shorty Corleone” Garris grew up in Southeast D.C.’s Washington Highlands neighborhood—“up on top of the hill.” His first recording contract came at the early age of 14, with Warner Brothers Records. Since then, Shorty has released three albums as a solo artist and 20 live album recordings as the front man of the legendary D.C. go-go band Rare Essence. He’s also recorded more than 300 singles with various artists, and produced the recent Twas the Chaos Before Christmas movie soundtrack. His latest venture is his own restaurant, DCity Wings & Shorty’s, at the heart of where it all began, Southeast Washington, D.C.

Sinclair Skinner an engineer, activist, and global human rights champion, now hosts I Love Black People on HUR Voices. For more than three decades, Mr. Skinner has strategically organized and led movements for the disenfranchised. As an engineer working in Fortune 500 companies, he developed his ability to innovate the aerospace, aviation, and medical device industries. He also worked as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. While in Washington, D.C., Skinner became an elected official. He is also co-founder of ILoveBlackPeople.com and BillMari, the largest Pan-African Blockchain wallet provider. BillMari utilizes technology to open doors for financial inclusion and economic empowerment. It is considered one of the early successful blockchain companies in Africa and is the first to partner with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to lower remittance fees across the Diaspora. In 2012, Skinner formed the African American Super PAC, 1911 United Political Action Committee, and became the first to accept bitcoins for contributions. ILoveBlackPeople.com has combined Skinner’s interest in technology and his passionate advocacy of the Black community to protect Black people from racism and xenophobia. His expertise in advocacy and business has paved the way for many up-and-coming Black leaders, activists, and business owners in pursuit of reaching their goals and spurring formative change.

Wes Hall is the epitome of multi-hyphenate talent: TV/radio personality, sports analyst/commentator, actor, voice-over talent, host/emcee, music producer. Hall’s captivating style and magnetic personality combined with his passion for music, sports, and entertainment is exactly why he can be heard on multiple platforms voicing a variety of national ads for ViceTV and NBC Sports, and seen on NBC Sports Washington. He is a proud SAG member who writes columns and hosts interview features.

There are many motivational speakers, and then there is the one, the only, the incomparable Dr. Willie Jolley. He has been described simultaneously as a world-class, award-winning speaker and singer, best-selling author, and media personality. Jolley has achieved remarkable heights in the speaking industry, having come from humble beginnings as a fired singer who was replaced by a karaoke machine! He went on to be named “One of the Outstanding Five Speakers in the World” by the 175,000 members of Toastmasters International, was inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame, and achieved the distinction of Certified Speaker Professional by the National Speakers Association. He’s the recipient of the Ron Brown Distinguished Leadership Award, and was named “One of the Top 5 Leadership Speakers” by Speaking.com, as well as Business Leader of The Year by The African American Chamber of Commerce.