Anna DeShawn | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1983-08-30)August 30, 1983 (age 41) |
| Education | |
| Occupation(s) | Podcaster, producer, writer |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of The Qube |
| Awards | Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame |
Anna DeShawn (born August 30, 1983) is an American media personality, podcaster, andLGBT advocate. She is best known for founding E3 Radio, a radio station dedicated to playingqueer music and reporting on queer news. She is also the founder and CEO of The Qube, a podcast production company that focuses onBIPOC andQTPOC podcasts.
DeShawn was born inChicago, Illinois. Her mother was a business manager and her father was an educator and a dean.[1][2] She describes growing up in a "religious household" that had "no connection to queerness".[3] In high school, DeShawn served asstudent body president and was active inNational Honor Society, volleyball, basketball, track, softball, band, and choir.[4]
DeShawn went to college for radio and television production, citingRobin Roberts as inspiration: "I wanted to be the next Robin Roberts because she was the only Black woman on ESPN doing sports".[1] In 2005, DeShawn earned herBachelor of Arts fromDrake University. In 2007, she earned herMaster of Science in communications fromIthaca College.[5]
One of DeShawn's first experiences in radio was working as an intern for theTom Joyner Morning Show while studying at Drake. DeShawn describes this experience of being able to "talk to thousands of people and make an impact while wearing sweatpants" as a turning point for her where she "fell in love with radio".[2]
DeShawn started E3 Radio in 2009, which focuses on queer music and reporting on queer news. She citesElla Baker andFannie Lou Hamer as inspiration, Black women she did not learn about in grade school: "I can doPSAs about these women and syndicate them to college radio stations, and then we can have a college radio network. That's how [E3 Radio] started".[1] She chose the station name, E3, based on the station's goals: Educate, Enlighten, and Entertain.[6]
In 2014, DeShawn started the "Purple Tie Affair: Concert & Silent Auction" to assist small non-profits making a "big impact".[7]
In 2020, DeShawn founded The Qube, a podcast production company which focuses onBIPOC andQTPOC podcasts.[7] DeShawn hosts the series "Black HIV in the South: How Did We Get Here?" which focuses on the experiences of the Black community in the early days of theHIV/AIDS epidemic in the American South.[8]
DeShawn is a board member of Affinity Community Services, a Chicago-based LGBTQ social justice organization focusing on Black women.[4]