WMFE would like to congratulate local Morning Edition host Talia Blake on being chosen as an ONYX Magazine 2024 Women On The Move honoree. For the ninth year, the award is honoring Black women from across the state of Florida who exemplify leadership, achievement, integrity, and vision. Talia, a University of Central Florida graduate, has hosted Morning Edition for WMFE/WMFV since 2018 after previously interning at WMFE and working at The Public’s Radio, a public radio station in Rhode Island.
“WMFE grew my love for public radio. I immediately felt a part of the family when I started at the station as an intern. Returning to WMFE after my time in Rhode Island was like coming back home,” Blake said.
Talia also hosts a weekly segment on the economy and how it impacts you and the people you love, and she’s probably best known for her morning words of inspiration-- something she started during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when lots of people were isolating.
“During the summer of 2020, between the murder of George Floyd and the pandemic, the news cycle got really heavy. One morning, I found myself fighting back tears on-air after hearing a story, and the next day I gave my first morning words of inspiration,” Blake said. “If I can make someone’s day a little bit brighter by starting them off on a good foot and putting a little extra light into the world, while also giving them the news and information they need, my mission is accomplished.”
When Talia isn’t on air, she keeps audiences up to date with the news via her Florida Minute segment on Instagram.
“When it comes to Talia, what you hear on our airwaves and see on social media is actually what you get,” said WMFE News Director LaToya Dennis. “Not only is Talia always authentically herself, but she is also full of ideas and a beacon of light and positivity. She is without a doubt a ‘Woman On The Move.’”