Radio-One of Raleigh’s, Foxy 107.1/104.3, The light 103.9FM, and WQOK 97.5, celebrated its thirteenth (13) Annual Women’s Empowerment 2007, Expo extravaganza, with a sold out arena. This year’s show proved to be bigger and better than ever before.

This year’s event included performances by national recording artists of several walks of life including: Jeff Majors, Eddie Levert, Martha Munizzi, Hezekiah Walker, Elisabeth Withers, the Williams Brothers, Joe, DJ Unk, and Robin Thicke.

The 2K7 expo, hosted the Tim Johnson Production’s Fashion Show and over 100 vendors both locally and nationally. Vendors ranged from many different careers and fields from all across the country.

The expo gave interesting concepts and strategies surrounding everyday issues like Health, Wellness & Lifestyle, Financial Strategies, Beauty, Business & Career, Teen and Relationship Seminars, Autograph signing sessions, and performances by various local acts.

Catherine Hughes, Founder and Chairperson of the Board and Secretary of Radio One, Inc., was in attendance for the weekend of festivities. Hughes represented, Radio One and all of its entities extremely well. Hughes gave a dynamic introduction of the keynote, Natalie Cole, and by also informing the audience of both the power and importance of the media regardless of the medium.

Natalie Cole gave a breathtaking address that women of all ages could identify with, especially 16 year old ‘SISTA,’ Tyra Winfrey, of Fayetteville. ‘SISTA,’ is the acronym for Successful, Individuals, Striving Toward Achievement. ‘SISTA’s’ is a female pre-disparity initiative designed to educate young women, about several issues affecting their lives and success like early pregnancy and the benefits of positive self-esteem.

Cole informed the audience that empowerment starts with learning to love one’s self. You’ve got to find the strength to love yourself, and you have to surround yourself with people who will love on you,” said Cole.

Natalie Cole stated, “This is a room full of beautiful women, I want to encourage you to find that beauty and the only way you can find that beauty is to start to strip away the layers that have kept you in bondage all this time.”

Mike Jones, NTR Director and WQOK Promotions Director stated, “Women’s Empowerment 2007 was an enormous success I think. The arena was sold-out, we had great vendors, excellent seminars, an appealing fashion show and an audience that was amazing that’s all we could we ask for. Importantly, not only was there success on stage but there was even more success backstage.

Putting together a multi-faced event of this magnitude is not easy but, we and our extended member of the Radio One family worked together as a real family to produce one of the largest events in the area. This was a great event and behind every great event is a team of great people, who pull the whole thing off.

The backstage production team functioned with precision from dusk to dawn. Tracy Mosley and Bn’z own Detrick Clark, helped to delegate the backstage production team. The backstage production team greed the event was a lot of work but after seeing its success, and the reaction of the audience it was all worth it in the end.”