By Tiarsha Harrison
Award Winning Producer, Multimedia Journalist and Radio TV Personality Joshua Thicklin always knew what he wanted to do in life. It helped that he had a great support system. “My upbringing was centered around a lot of love and acceptance of striving for what you really want. I am blessed to have people in my life who supported my dreams no matter how big or small they were. A lot of people don’t get that, and it was a major factor in me going in the direction I chose to go,” he says.
It became evident what Joshua wanted to do once he was introduced to the world of television. “I knew I wanted to get into television production since the seventh grade. I fell in love with producing later in college. During senior year, I worked on multiple productions that I was extremely passionate about.”
Once he had his eye on this prize, there was no turning back and Joshua dived in wholeheartedly. “Sports journalism always stood out. Growing up, my dad and I got a chance to sit down and bond. We would wake up and watch Sports Center with Stuart Scott. I love sports journalism and I was always intrigued by it and by local sports writers at The Palm Beach Post.”
His passion for sports journalism continued to grow, and Josh was ready to embrace many opportunities. “In college, I was able to test my journalism skills through the segment Knightly News, and I learned a lot from it. We had a dynamic team that was extremely ambitious. I am honored to be a part of the first group. They continue to get the news out there through this pandemic and are receiving attention from some very prominent people.”
As time went on, Joshua’s drive to achieve his dream kept intensifying. Opportunities were constantly presented to him, and he couldn’t help but feel completely blessed. Radio shows such as He Says, She Says with Josh and Jordan and Knights on Deck helped him to gain interest and knowledge in radio and internet broadcasting. “I had the pleasure of working with the brilliant Connor Englehart for Knights on Deck and I worked with a good friend of mine, Jordan Morgan on He Says She Says. I believe our great chemistry made room for some interesting debates on pop culture and trending topics. We played games with our audience and made it very engaging. We built the show and gained internship credit. Jordan is doing amazing things right now as a producer. She’s so talented.”
One of the biggest opportunities of all soon came by Josh’s way. “Currently, I work at CBS 12 News – WPEC. Fortunately, I came across some landmark national events that I feel made my flow and storytelling better. I enjoy making sure people are informed. The older I get; the more importance is placed on a “producer” role. I get a say on what stories are going to make it and the order in which they are aired. There is power in that. That is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I learned a lot through major events such as the one-year anniversary of Parkland, the death of Kobe Bryant and now the coronavirus. There is importance in getting the right information out, whether it’s during the coronavirus or hurricanes. People rely on information.”
This triple threat isn’t stopping anytime soon. He is going to continue climbing career mountains and winning many obstacles. “My goal is to work at a network level specifically in sports, such as Fox Sports or ESPN. That will probably be the next step. I would love to genuinely get the chance to watch how the game is put together and how people see it portrayed in sports production.”
It is essential to give thanks, acknowledgement, and recognition to those who have supported you, helped you and stayed in your life. “The person that motivates me, besides industry leaders, is my mother. I’ve seen her go through a lot of things, but she is still radiant with strength and confidence. I always wanted to take care of her. That motivates me to work harder and make all of my dreams into a reality. I think G-Star School of the Arts played a major role in what I do now. It prepared me for many things that people don’t learn until college. While in attendance there, I had the opportunity to work with Dwayne Taylor at the West Palm Beach Youth Empowerment Center. G-Star taught me the arts and Dwayne Taylor taught me how to be a professional. He is unbelievably valuable to me and I will forever be grateful. Everything he has ever taught me was right.”
It is not always easy getting to where you want to be in life, but having faith and wisdom helps the journey become much more manageable. Joshua has a message for those wanting to chase their dreams. “Dreams don’t work unless you work hard for them. At the end of the day, you must constantly work on your craft. If you keep waiting for the perfect opportunity, you will miss out. You may not always have a support system surrounding you, but believe in what you’re seeking. Most dreams do not come easy. Invest in mentors and connections. Networking is essential because it will take you places and put you in rooms you might not have regularly visited.”
When it comes to faith and spirituality, Joshua had this to say, “My faith is a cornerstone of my life. I have personally gone through many trials in my life that I know only the most high could have brought me through it. My parents ingrained the goodness of the most high into my life and I’ve been blessed in many ways. No matter what I do, I know I can’t go anywhere without Him. His blessings are on me wherever I go.”
