Credit: @jaytowns
Carmella D. Baldwin ’22 loved life as an undergraduate at Clark Atlanta University, where she majored in mass communications and media arts. While there, she took advantage of every opportunity to get involved with her collegiate community—including reigning as Miss Clark Atlanta University.
“That experience translates to a lot of what I still do today,” she says, “I really care for my community.”
Afterwards, she pursued a graduate degree in writing while taking acting and theater classes. After a year, however, Baldwin was ready to learn life through travel. Becoming a flight attendant seemed like the perfect way to see the world.
She flew for eight years—until the lull brought on by the pandemic. Once air travel picked up again, many flight attendants had left the industry, so Baldwin was working lots of overtime. As she tried to adjust, she started to realize she wasn’t yet where she wanted to be when it came to her life and career.
“I decided I needed a break,” she describes. “I wanted to take time and figure out how I could invest in myself. For me, that investment was applying to Northwestern. I only applied to one school. It was all or nothing. Completing my master’s at this institution represented so much more than a piece of paper.”
This time, she wanted to fully immerse herself in the grad school experience. From her perspective, the MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises (MSLCE) program helped her marry artistry and creativity with business and entrepreneurship. “I’m a vocalist. I’m a singer. I’m a performer,” she describes. “At the same time, I’m effective. I’m strategic. I’m a cultural producer. This program brings it all together.”
She says each class helped her build an arsenal of tools to focus on herself and her future. But the courses and material weren’t all she found valuable—she also cherishes the connections she made. She says her cohort is always working together to build and grow their ideas. One great example is what she was able to do this summer with fellow student and MSLCE graduate Jonathan Mayo of Making Art Your Opportunity. This past July, the duo combined forces to co-produce a variety show while taping a live podcast.
In the next year, she’s also launching Fro Pops, frozen novelty treats infused with fresh fruit and clean ingredients, along with MSLCE students Simone Ige, Perri Warren, Lauryn Satterwhite, and Crea Taylor. The idea started in class, but it grew into a full-fledged business that celebrates Black culture, inclusivity, and connectivity. The company is currently in the testing phase, and Baldwin says the popsicles are receiving rave reviews. “We utilize fruits, herbs, and other ingredients formerly used by our ancestors across the African diaspora, like hibiscus and elderberry. Hibiscus is healing plant. Used medicinally for centuries, it aids in combating high blood pressure and fluid retention, as well as serves as an immunity booster. We supply conscious consumption for the culture through our frozen treats. The pops aren’t just for a sugar high, but for building community, having fun, and sharing stories of people who look like us.”
In addition to launching this new venture, Baldwin is also focused on bringing another idea to life. After years thinking about and listening to podcasts, she decided to create her own podcast for her MSLCE applied project.
Coffee, Tea, & Mella B interviews MAYO and Something Sickening Variety Show on Self Care & Self Preservation
Coffee, Tea & Mella B. is a podcast that assists Black women—and those who identify with and support this community—to discover wellness resources, tips, and tricks that will help them succeed in life while focusing on the eight dimensions of wellbeing. The podcast is produced and engineered by MSCLE graduate Tobi Akanbi and Jabari Clemons from Northwestern’s MA in Sound Arts and Industries program.
“I booked a professor and Doctor of Psychology as a guest speaker on my podcast, and I’m just elated,” she says. “Everything this person has done in their work has been to uplift the community of women I want to serve. I aim to be part of conversations that show others how to navigate work or relationships when they’re stressed—and prioritize themselves. You can’t be anything to anyone unless you’re something to yourself first.”
The podcast is part of Baldwin’s bigger vision: a coaching collective and consulting agency called MellRoom Media. “I want to bring people together in spaces, whether they’re virtual or physical, to create art and celebrate our differences,” she describes. “To create a neighborhood. To create a community of people who think along the same lines and realize that their well-being is important. It will be a home where other creatives can exist, explore, and take care of themselves.”
This summer, she was also an intern producer with iHeartMedia’s Black Information Network. She worked on The BIN Daily Podcast and continues to write with their digital team. Launched in 2020, the Black Information Network is the first 24/7 all-news radio and digital network of stations that brings current events and special-interest stories to the African American community.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” she says. “I love telling stories of people who look like me, and I love bringing resources to people who may not be within reach of those resources. The skills I’ve built through this internship and at Northwestern will serve me well and have already played a huge role in helping me determine how I will continue to develop my business—and myself”
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