N.C. A&T Alumni Times

When Felicia Lawrence graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2012, she wasn’t 100 percent sure she wanted to become a journalist. She was an ambitious student and met all the requirements she needed to become a TV reporter. However, after graduation, she made a decision to become a model but it wasn’t a fit for her career. She is now ranked as a top TV personality and host for Chicago-based show, “The Jam.”

“For a short time period, I pursued modeling and acting as a career; I even waitress on the side to make ends meet,” said Lawrence. “However, I had to make a decision, either I was going to lose 10 pounds and move to New York City to continue modeling or do television as a reporter.”

In 2013, Lawrence secured a job as a news reporter at an ABC affiliate in Joplin, Missouri.

“When I was in Joplin, I was a one-band camerawoman, I carried my camera, shot my own footage, edited and produced segments in time for the news broadcast,” said Lawrence. “It was a lot of pressure to get things right every time and that’s what prepared me for my career.”

For four years, Lawrence worked as a news anchor and reporter in the Missouri and Charlotte, North Carolina markets.

“When I was in Charlotte, I received a call in 2017 from a Chicago news station looking for hosts for a new show without a name,” she said. “They knew for a fact they wanted me and as a native of Southside Chicago, I knew that I wanted to return to my hometown.”

Lawrence accepted this new challenge and became one of three hosts for “The Jam,” a weekday morning show on WCIU-TV (CW) that covers pop culture, politics, local and national headlines. The show launched in the summer of 2017.

“It is an honor to be back home in Chicago in a top-three news market. It feels really good to be able to connect with everyone I went to high school and church with as a teen,” she said. “This show gives me so much flexibility to talk about so many topics from Beyoncé to what’s going on in politics.”

Within Lawrence’s career, she has been able to interview several celebrities, sitting down with big names like Tyler Perry, Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Kid N' Play, Anthony Hamilton, CeeLo Green, and many others.

In 2019, Lawrence launched a new business venture as a real estate investor and is educating women about financial empowerment through her Instagram platform, ‘Cash Talking Women’ (@CashTalkingWomen).

“There is a lot of gentrification happening in Chicago and I made a decision to buy back the block. I currently own three commercial buildings and I am building financial freedom for myself,” said Lawrence.

“My platform, ‘Cash Talking Women’ is a way for me to share my journey in real estate and to teach other women to level up in their finances.”

In the future, she plans to pursue a national show and continue leaning more into real estate investing.

“Black women are the highest population to start a business and I want to be instrumental in changing women’s lives,” she said. “One of my personal favorite quotes is ‘Don’t choose to live so miniature, when we’ve all been chosen to live so mighty!’“

Lawrence received her bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications with a concentration in electronic media from North Carolina A&T. In addition, she is a huge supporter of HBCUs and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

“My A&T experience gave me a strong foundation to be who I am today and to live my life unapologetically. I am a proud Aggie and I believe the HBCU culture is unique and invaluable.”

To learn more about Felicia Lawrence and her work, visit her online at felicialawrence.com and follow her on social media at Facebook.com/FeliciaLawrenceTV, Twitter @FeliciaLawrence and Instagram @OfficialFelicia.