It’s International Women’s Day, and Kirby knows how important that is!
“International Women’s Day is a celebration,” Kirby Gwen says. “It’s a celebration for women, all that we’ve accomplished – and all that we will accomplish. It’s everything for the girls!”
And while the day is designed as an annual celebration, it’s extra special this year for what it means to Kirby, where she now stands as the first-ever woman to hold down the DJ booth for Walmart and Sam’s Club Radio.
It’s a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly. But she understands that it gives her a chance to do something supremely special: uplift other women, not just today, but each time she dons the headphones.
“It’s a beautiful thing to be a woman. And there’s not one specific way to do that, but there are some threads that unite us,” Kirby says. “And when I think about my show and the opportunities I have, I want to connect uniquely to other women this week.”
When she thinks about what it means to be the first woman in the role, Kirby gets excited. She says it reminds her of all the women who’ve blazed the trail before her – who have proven inspirational not just in who they are, but in how they live.
One conversation with Kirby Gwen, and you can tell she’s joyfully following in their footsteps.
“The women who inspire me are the women who know themselves. Who know their worth and are unapologetic about who they are,” Kirby says. “They teach other women to know themselves, to really love their lives.”
As a woman with more than a decade of experience in radio, Kirby says she’s proud to see the tide changing around female representation. “I see so many more women leading in the industry now, like in morning shows,” Kirby explains. “When I got started, I couldn’t have named one woman who was leading her own morning show! But now we see women in these top slots, in these positions of power! And not only on the mic, but behind the scenes leading, ensuring representation in programming and sales, in every aspect of the industry.”
For Kirby, that representation means everything. And it’s perhaps the thing she’s most proud to carry with her now.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be the first female Walmart and Sam’s Club Radio DJ, and I want to ensure I am not the last! I want to make sure there’s always an opportunity to inspire another young woman who may want to pursue radio,” Kirby says. “That’s always been so important to me in my career – because I’ve been fortunate to see other women shine in the industry – and I want to show others that, yes, it’s possible.”
Want more good vibes and a daily dose of inspiration from Kirby? Don’t miss her LIVE shows in stores, clubs and streaming online, Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. Central, and check out some of her favorite highlights on the Walmart and Sam’s Club Radio podcasts here.
