Today we’d like to introduce you to Dometi Pongo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Well, how I started depends on how far back you want to go.
I really began as early as six years old when my eldest sister helped me write my first forms of poetry – showing me the power of my words. But career-wise, I started as an intern at WVON 1690 AM, a legendary urban talk station on Chicago Southside. I cut my teeth there.
Early on, I learned the value of being both confident and coachable. I knew it was possible for someone else to be more talented than me. But I wouldn’t let anyone outwork me.
I went from attending industry panels and forging relationships to being invited as a keynote speaker. I was on my way to becoming a thought leader in my own right fairly early in my career.
Eventually, I became news director at WVON while simultaneously working as program director at WindyCityUnderground.com, an internet radio station run by the Illinois Media School.
I’m now an anchor, reporter and fill-in host for WGN Radio and a voiceover talent for WGN TV. I also contribute to various local and national outlets as both an on-air talent and consulting producer behind the scenes.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
God, no! It’s been challenging as hell. The biggest challenge probably centered on identity. I knew exactly who I was/am; a socially conscious West African born on Chicago’s Southside, raised in Calumet City and reared in hip-hop culture.
The struggle stemmed from figuring out how to accurately communicate my worldview in ways that were both relatable and authentic. My goal has always been to make listeners feel like they know me well enough to trust me – but not well enough to call my objectivity as a reporter into question.
There’s an art to mastering mainstream, marketable authenticity. Toeing that line was uncomfortable initially. But, I got through it by following my instincts.
In fact, I was advised to change my name to ensure career longevity. My instincts told me that’d be a bad move.
Keeping my given name meant that listeners had to reconcile with my identity each time I closed a newscast. And that makes for good conversation… and good radio.
Eventually, my “struggle” became an asset.
Pongo Strategy Group – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Pongo Strategy Group helps organizations develop and execute strategies for multimedia content creation. We’ve worked with the Chicago Urban League, AARP Illinois, Viacom, Northeastern Illinois University and a number of non-profit organizations. The Culture, Race and Equity Series (culpodcast.com) powered by the Urban League encapsulates what we’re known for; giving voice to the voiceless while supporting the over-arching goals of our partner organizations.
We’re especially proud of the work we’ve done with non-profits. For national poetry month 2018, we partnered with affiliates at Champs Sports to host a free showcase at their 112 S. State Street location for over 60 teens involved in various After School Matters programs. We’ve supported media training camps and creative writing workshops for young people in various summer programs throughout the city and that feeds into what sets us apart. We have an authentic connection to the clients and communities we serve.
We also engage these communities through the Artist Lounge Chi open mic and live art exhibition co-hosted by Johnetta “Awthentik Poetry” Anderson.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
In 2018, I received the Excellence in Media Black Heritage Award from Northeastern Illinois University, the Catalyst of Hope Award from Village Leadership Academy, The Distinguished Alumni Award from the Illinois Media School and had my work nominated for a Peter Lisagor Award for outstanding journalism.
Even in light of these amazing acknowledgments, I’m perhaps most proud of the relationship I’ve fostered with the Chicago Sun-Times that allowed me to file special reports on behalf of WGN Radio. I’d never written for print before and this time around, I had to do it for a seminal event in America’s history for an iconic paper.
I was heading to Memphis to cover the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. On top of that, I still had to file news reports and a three-part news series for WGN Radio. I didn’t sleep much, I made mistakes along the way, but thanks to Sun-Times editor Kathy Chaney, WGN Radio Station Manager Todd Manley, Operations Director Steph Menendez and reporter Ryan Burrow, I got it done.
Extremely proud of surmounting those obstacles and even surprising myself with this work. I still have ten copies of each paper.
You may also read the articles here:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/chicagoans-in-memphis-honor-kings-legacy/
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/kings-children-recount-pain-of-losing-their-dad/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dometi.net
- Email: dometi@pongostrategygroup.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dometi_
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/dometi.net
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dometi_
Image Credit:
ABP Photos, Jason McCoy Photography, Haley Scott, Northeastern Illinois University, Mary Sandberg-Boyle, Kikomo.p Imagery, Terrence Crayton
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