She said that when she speaks to children about her career they are surprised to see a meteorologist that looks like them, she tells them they don’t have to change who they are to be successful. Hamilton said at other new stations it was encouraged that she wore her hair straightened, but she fought against it because she was proud to wear her natural hair on camera or have options to switch it up. Hamilton said prior to the TWC she worked in local news and being on camera as a Black woman in that space came with challenges - especially when it came to her hair. She said working for a Black-owned company has been a breath of fresh air because it celebrates diversity. Hamilton grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and started at the network in 2020. “I actually started watching TWC at that time … I grew up watching Vivian Brown.” “Hurricane Katrina was the storm that made me interested in weather, I was in the 8th grade and I just wanted to know everything about hurricanes from that point on,” said Britney Hamilton, a producer at the network. “It’s the time to say, ‘look what Black people have done,’ celebrate it and learn something new.” Britney Hamilton “It is the time of the year when people can focus in on Black contributions to the world, throughout the year that may go under the rug,” said Wallace. He adds that Black History Month is the time to tap into the achievements of Black people all over the world. “And then maybe they will think ‘hey maybe I can do that.’” “It helps to see representation, especially for kids because it gives them that battery,” said Wallace. He says he grew up watching Al Rocker on TV but couldn’t help but notice not many of the other anchors looked like him, especially in meteorology. “This is the one job I have ever had, I’ve had no other job.” “For me, it’s a dream come true … it’s the pinnacle of weather for a meteorologist,” said the on-camera talent. As a child, the now meteorologist began watching the network voraciously and says as an adult he still pinches himself because working at TWC is his dream job. Born in London, England but raised in Washington, D.C., Wallace said at about 12 years old a winter storm hit his town and inspired him to learn more about the weather. “I hope we can get more representation, seeing two African Americans needs to be more normalized.” He persists that representation matters because “if you can see, you can be it.”Īlex Wallace began his journey with TWC in 2006. He said he looks forward to the day when two Black anchors can sit together on camera and no one blinks an eye, just as white people do. The Arkansas native has a Bachelor of Science in meteorology from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism from the University of Arkansas. “Especially for Black people because it’s our history or as a country because it’s our true history.” “We gloss over it because it’s a date on the calendar but it shouldn’t be limited to a month,” said Wooten. “I’m great friends with her now,” he said.Īs far as what Black History Month means to him, Wooten says the celebratory month-long event doesn’t get its proper recognition. He credits Janice Huff of WNBC as the first Black meteorologist he met. He described the town he grew up in as conservative and rural, so it made sense that all the meteorologists he knew were white. The on-camera meteorologist joined the network in 2018. “I didn’t even know a Black meteorologist until I was 24,” said Tevin Wooten of Camden, Arkansas.
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