Broadway in South Africa

I just spoke to 600,000 people in South Africa from New York

Hi,

This is Lisa Nicole, Co-Founder and Communications Director for Broadway in South Africa.  For the past couple of months I have spent tireless hours creating press materials and networking with people (on the phone, via the net, in person in one-on-meetings and at large gatherings) to get people to know about US and the great work we are so proud to be doing.  Well, this morning I spoke to my largest group to date — 600,000 people throughout South Africa on the Afternoon Talk Show of SAFM, a national radio station broadcast through SABC, South African Broadcasting Corporation.  My interviewer’s name is Karado, and she was great.  She asked well thought out questions and was very engaging.  We had a great conversation that lasted for about 20 minutes with one commercial break.

Was I nervous, you wonder…at first absolutely, primarily in the moments leading up to me placing the call to the studio.  Then, after silently waiting through Karado’s reading of the news headlines of the day, she introduced me and Broadway in South Africa to South Africa.  I felt a wave of pride and resolve rush through me.  All of the work was paying off.  Our collective goals and dreams were getting a platform to stand on, and a spotlight to stand in.  And there I was, sitting on my couch, green tea in one hand, the phone in the other and my computer in front of me, armoured and ready to go…at 7:30 in the morning.  (It was 2:30 in the afternoon there.)  I put on my game face (not that anyone could see it) and said, “Hi.  Thank you so much for having me on your show.  How are you?”  And thus began the interview.

I am so humbled by how excited the many South Africans I’ve connected with in New York have supported us, told their friends, families and collegues that we are coming, and provided us with their contact information.  It was from all of that networking — one chat at a time — that lead to today.

By around 7:52 the interview had concluded and I was left with a feeling of accomplishment.  We of BSA were doing something really good, good for ourselves and good for the world, and I am a part of that.

Now, the work begins.  About 55 hours from now, we’ll be on a plane.  I better finish packing.

~Lisa Nicole Wilkerson, Co-Founder and Communications Director

Broadway in South Africa