Anna DeShawn, who won four new awards

Black Podcasting Awards Celebrates Its 2025 Winners

Press Release · New York, United States · via Black Podcasting Awards ·

Black Podcasting Awards (BPAwards) reached a new milestone this weekend, bringing dozens of podcasters and fans together in Baltimore for its first-ever in-person ceremony, held during the Afros & Audio Podcast Festival. The standing-room crowd filled the historic Motor House’s Black Box Theater to honor the voices shaping Black podcasting from indie creators and breakout shows to leaders redefining the medium itself.

With 45 awards bestowed on 29 podcasts, 5 podcasters, and 1 network, the evening showcased the brilliance and breadth of Black podcasting.

Pictured above, Anna DeShawn (Queer News) earned four honors, including the prestigious Legend Award. Fellow indie podcaster Lisa Woolfork (Stitch Please) echoed DeShawn’s big night, sweeping all 3 of her categories.

Longtime creator Dominic Lawson (Black Is America) received three new awards, including the peer-voted Podcaster of the Year, bringing his career total to 42.

Music and culture favorite We Sound Crazy Podcast also scored three awards, including the coveted Podcast of the Year.

While over a dozen award acceptance speeches were shared in person, two other winners shared reflections on what the honors meant to them.

“Podcasting is more than a notion!” said Christin Smallwood, host of Untoxicify Your Relationship, which earned Best Religion & Spirituality Podcast. “Creating this body of work has been a labor of love — one that has stretched and strengthened me, and I pray empowers others seeking sustainable, grace-filled relationships.”

“After six years and four other shows, The Mediocre Black Woman — the fifth podcast I’ve hosted — was the first time I ever felt called to submit my work,” said Goddess Theadora, winner of Best Personal Journals Podcast. “To be seen and celebrated by the Black Podcasting Awards means so much. It’s a reminder of what’s possible when you lead with intuition, trust, and faith.”

Follow Black Podcasting Awards on social media @BlackPodAwards to stay updated. Apply for a chance to win at the 2026 Black Podcasting Awards starting May 26, 2026.

FULL LIST OF 2025 BLACK PODCASTING AWARD WINNERS

45 award wins in 43 award categories for 29 podcasts, 5 podcasters, and 1 podcast network

  • 2025 LEGEND AWARD: Anna DeShawn, Bernard P. Achampong, Wize Grazette
  • BEST PODCAST NETWORK: Owls Education Company
  • BEST PRODUCER: Quincy L. Lewis
  • Stitch Please
    Trailer Play trailerBEST ARTS PODCAST: Stitch Please
    Leisure
    From: Lisa Woolfork
    Hosted by: Captivate4.9 ★
    Stitch Please
    Trailer Play trailerBEST BLACK GIRL MAGIC PODCAST Stitch Please
    Leisure
    From: Lisa Woolfork
    Hosted by: Captivate4.9 ★
    Vaguely Nerdy
    Trailer Play trailerBEST BLERD PODCAST: Vaguely Nerdy
    Film
    From: Cheryl & Jae
    Hosted by: Buzzsprout4.9 ★
    How I Crushed It
    BEST BUSINESS PODCAST: How I Crushed It
    Business and Society & Culture
    From: howicrushedit
    Hosted by: Podbean
    We Sound Crazy Podcast
    BEST CULTURE PODCAST: We Sound Crazy Podcast
    Music
    From: We Sound Crazy
    Hosted by: Megaphone5.0 ★
    The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators
    BEST EDUCATION PODCAST: The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators
    Education
    From: Dr. Asia Lyons
     
    Build to Enough
    Trailer Play trailerBEST ENTREPRENEUR PODCAST: Build to Enough
    Business and Business
    From: Little Fish Accounting
    Hosted by: Transistor4.9 ★
    Black Is America
    Trailer Play trailerBEST EPISODE OF THE YEAR: Black Is America
    History and Education
    From: OWLS, LLC
    Hosted by: Libsyn5.0 ★
    Early Risers
    BEST FAMILY AND PARENTING PODCAST: Early Risers
    Kids & Family
    From: Minnesota Public Radio
    Hosted by: American Public Media4.9 ★
    Vaguely Nerdy
    Trailer Play trailerBEST FILM AND TELEVISION PODCAST : Vaguely Nerdy
    Film
    From: Cheryl & Jae
    Hosted by: Buzzsprout4.9 ★
    How Y’all Healing?™️
    BEST GUEST APPEARANCE: Dr. Ed Garnes on How Y’all Healing?™
    Health & Fitness
    From: Spry Lee Scott
    Hosted by: Buzzsprout
    It's About DAMN Time
    Trailer Play trailerBEST HEALTH AND WELLNESS PODCAST: It’s About DAMN Time
    Education
    From: Jarratt DAMN, DaWholeDamnShow
    Hosted by: Captivate5.0 ★
    Our Ancestors Were Messy
    Trailer Play trailerBEST HISTORY PODCAST: Our Ancestors Were Messy
    Arts
    From: Nichole Hill
    Hosted by: Simplecast4.8 ★
    U Stuck Wit Me!
    Trailer Play trailerBEST HOSTING DUO: U Stuck Wit Me!
    Culture
    From: Ustuckwitme Podcast
    Hosted by: Spotify for Creators
    We Sound Crazy Podcast
    BEST HOSTING TEAM: We Sound Crazy Podcast
    Music
    From: We Sound Crazy
    Hosted by: Megaphone5.0 ★
    Un(con)Trolled
    Trailer Play trailerBEST INDIE PODCAST: Un(con)Trolled
    Fiction
    From: Kimberly Renee
    Hosted by: RedCircle4.9 ★
    Rigour & Flow with Aiwan and Tamanda
    Trailer Play trailerBEST INTERNATIONAL PODCAST: Rigour & Flow with Aiwan and Tamanda
    Society & Culture
    From: Rigour & Flow with Aiwan and Tamanda
    Hosted by: Acast
    Queer News
    BEST LGBTQ PODCAST: Queer News
    News and Society & Culture
    From: E3 Radio
     4.6 ★
    LA Made: The Other Moonshot
    Trailer Play trailerBEST LIMITED SERIES PODCAST: LA Made: The Other Moonshot
    History
    From: LAist Studios
    Hosted by: Omny Studio4.2 ★
    ...But Make It Books
    BEST LITERARY PODCAST: …But Make It Books
    Arts
    From: ...But Make It Books
    Hosted by: Captivate
    Stitch Please
    Trailer Play trailerBEST LONGTIME PODCAST: Stitch Please
    Leisure
    From: Lisa Woolfork
    Hosted by: Captivate4.9 ★
    R&B N' Chill
    BEST MUSIC PODCAST: R&B N’ Chill
    Music
    From: Tyronza D. Hicks & Epic Echo Productions
    Hosted by: RSS.com4.8 ★
    Thrive with Joy
    Trailer Play trailerBEST NEW PODCAST: Thrive with Joy
    Society & Culture
    From: Christin Smallwood
    Hosted by: Spotify for Creators
    Queer News
    BEST NEWS & POLITICS PODCAST: Queer News
    News and Society & Culture
    From: E3 Radio
     4.6 ★
    The Letters and Layers Podcast
    BEST PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PODCAST: The Letters and Layers Podcast
    Health & Fitness
    From: Amaka Gratia
    Hosted by: RSS.com5.0 ★
    The Mediocre Black Woman
    Trailer Play trailerBEST PERSONAL JOURNALS PODCAST: The Mediocre Black Woman
    Society & Culture and Society & Culture
    From: The Mediocre Black Woman
    Hosted by: Substack
    ...But Make It Books
    BEST PODCAST COVER ART: …But Make It Books
    Arts
    From: ...But Make It Books
    Hosted by: Captivate
    Love, The Amazing Clarks
    Trailer Play trailerBEST RELATIONSHIP PODCAST: Love, The Amazing Clarks
    Society & Culture
    From: The Amazing Clarks
    Hosted by: Captivate
    Untoxicify Your Relationship
    BEST RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY PODCAST: Untoxicify Your Relationship
    Society & Culture
    From: Melissa Webb
    Hosted by: Buzzsprout
    B The Way Forward
    Trailer Play trailerBEST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PODCAST: B The Way Forward
    Technology
    From: AnitaB.org & Frequency Machine
    Hosted by: Megaphone4.9 ★
    Alpha 8
    Trailer Play trailerBEST SCRIPTED FICTION PODCAST: Alpha 8
    Fiction
    From: Bizzie Media Group
    Hosted by: Megaphone4.8 ★
    Love, The Amazing Clarks
    Trailer Play trailerBEST SEX PODCAST: Love, The Amazing Clarks
    Society & Culture
    From: The Amazing Clarks
    Hosted by: Captivate
    Queer News
    BEST SOLO HOST: Queer News
    News and Society & Culture
    From: E3 Radio
     4.6 ★
    Our Ancestors Were Messy
    Trailer Play trailerBEST SOUND DESIGN: Our Ancestors Were Messy
    Arts
    From: Nichole Hill
    Hosted by: Simplecast4.8 ★
    Club 520 Podcast
    BEST SPORTS PODCAST: Club 520 Podcast
    Sports
    From: iHeartPodcasts, The Volume, and Shay Shay Media
    Hosted by: Omny Studio4.8 ★
    Cold and Untold
    Trailer Play trailerBEST TRUE CRIME PODCAST: Cold and Untold
    True Crime
    From: Fire Eyes Media LLC
    Hosted by: Spreaker
    Dear Content Creator
    Trailer Play trailerBEST VIDEO PODCAST: Dear Content Creator
    Education
    From: Margarette Leandre
    Hosted by: Megaphone
    What's Poppin' Penny?
    BEST YOUTH PODCAST: What’s Poppin’ Penny?
    Stories
    From: :Written and Produced by Toni Kennedy-Preschool Family Productions
    Hosted by: Buzzsprout4.8 ★
    We Sound Crazy Podcast
    PODCAST OF THE YEAR: We Sound Crazy Podcast
    Music
    From: We Sound Crazy
    Hosted by: Megaphone5.0 ★
    Black Is America
    Trailer Play trailerPODCASTER OF THE YEAR (VIP VOTE): Dominic Lawson (Black Is America)
    History and Education
    From: OWLS, LLC
    Hosted by: Libsyn5.0 ★

OPML icon The above list of podcasts is available as an OPML file for your podcast player


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About Black Podcasting Awards

Black Podcasting Awards (BPAwards) celebrates, spotlights, and bolsters Black podcasts for more wins and successes. It achieves this primarily by producing an annual awards program and ceremony. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

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