I had the opportunity to be in the room and photograph about half of the recordings for DearReading podcast’s Season 2 episodes. DearRDG podcast’s first season kicked off in 2017 with an entire different cast, except for creator, Marquise Richards. The podcast to me seemed like an amazing idea, given that I didn’t know of any other podcasts in the City of Reading at that time. I believed Reading was in need of more digital content creators. The first season didn’t really go that well, as they weren’t consistent and the audio was pretty shitty.
However, they kicked things into overdrive 2018 with just two hosts Marquise and Bri Tyson. They got on a consistent schedule, as they put out episodes every Monday at 8am. They brought on two more hosts Marie Skyes and D. Will. The dopest part was that they were interviewing anyone from a wide range of fields like: Dr. Khalid Mumin, Superintendent of Reading School District (wild), Radarra McLendon, Moms Demand Action, Poets, Musicians, photographers, local entrepreneurs, and citizens of the city as well. They covered pop culture topics to heartfelt news occurring in Reading. They even partnered with a recording studio, Pagoda City Studio, to take their production to the next level.
I would login to social media everyday and I would see people talk about DearRDG and mention how it made their days or how they looked forward to start their Monday mornings because of the show. It was a pleasure to work with all the hosts this past year and I know they are going to kill it in 2019. They showed a ton of people in Reading what you can accomplish if you’re passionate and consistent!
I had them each write a recap on DearReading and what it meant to them to be a part of the podcast. Read them below and take a look at some of my favorite images from different episodes as well. Season 3 kicks off January 13th, 2019!
“The best thing about this season of DearRDG has been the growth of each individual. Each host has brought such a new dynamic, but they are growing into their own creativity. I’m happy to keep this energy moving and continue growing.”
“When I think of Reading, PA I think of DearRDG. The city needs hope and you can find that here. The podcast has helped me fall in love with my city.”
“DearRDG has been nothing but an amazing experience for me. I’ve learned many things about myself, as well as the wonderful people we’ve interviewed, had in the audience, and my co hosts. I’m just proud to be apart of this journey and I’m extremely excited for what we have in store.”
“My experience with DearRdg has been liberating. It gave me a place to have my voice and be me authentically. Not to mention it’s a great platform for people around the city to get to know other people. We all bring something to the table and it shows.”
“I’m deeply inspired by the DearRDG team. I love the bold energy they bring to every episode. These conversations are incredibly important for our city, and Pagoda City Studio is proud to offer a professional environment for those conversations to take place.”
“My experience with DearRDG has been incredible. I’ve been able to grow as a marketer, organizer, and producer of the show. These skills have allowed me to build a better network and organize my own YouTube channel and multimedia business, DELABODEGA.”
Hosted by Marquise Richards, Marie Sykes, Brianna Tyson, & Dayquan Williams, Dear Reading is a podcast that highlights how Reading has shaped us while also discussing pop cultures & news. Listen to DearReading podcast on Soundcloud , Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other audio platforms.
All images were captured with a Sony a6500 mirrorless camera, a Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS lens, and a Sigma 16mm 1.4 Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN lens.
ALL IMAGES © 2018 MATEO TORO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.