Chatting with Sonya & Friends Creates Safe Place for Women of Color: Giving You the Business

August is National Black Business Month. It's a time to recognize black-owned businesses.
One local talk show host is doing that this month, she's in the business of creating conversations.
Her show is the feature of this weeks Giving You the Business report, sponsored by the Erie
Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.
Weekly conversations with friends. Sonya Byes and three other women share their life experiences and talk about various life topics on Chatting with Sonya and Friends.
"From hair to health and wellness to finances to our families," said Sonya.
Sonya started her conversations in 2015. Byes told Erie News Now it was just her, working with a freelance videographer, airing a show on CAM-TV, the Erie Public Access Media Channel.
"When the pandemic hit, I thought, 'hmmm'," said Sonya. "I wanted to create a safe place for women of color to get together to talk about these things."
She set out looking for the perfect conversation partners and found: Jada Best, Vanessa Belen, and Alicia Aldridge.
"Everyone is different," said Sonya. "Everyone brings a different perspective to the table."
The table is now inside one of the Lilly Broadcasting Studios. And while the background has changed since the launch of Chatting with Sonya and Friends, they continue to inform, educate, and entertain about local to worldwide happenings and other relatable issues.
Chatting with Sonya and Friends airs Sundays at 6:30 a.m. On WICU, and also on Erie News Now plus Tuesday night and Saturday morning.