Germany Kent is an American print and

broadcast journalist Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are broadcast by electronic methods instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. It works on radio (via air, cable, and Internet), television (via air, cable, ...

, television personality, former beauty queen, actress, businesswoman, producer, philanthropist, and author. Her work has appeared in ''INC. Magazine'', ''Fast Company'', ''Forbes'', ''Bloomberg Business'', ''MSN South Africa'', ''Yahoo Canada'', ''Cosmopolitan (UK)'', and ''The Dallas Morning News''. Her media appearances include NPR, AOL.com, and ABC.

Early life

Born in

Greenville, Mississippi Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 34,400 at the 2010 census. It is located in the area of historic cotton plantations and culture known as the Mississippi Delta. H ...

, Kent (born Evelyn Palmer) is the daughter of Lula Palmer, a businesswoman and politician, and Charles Palmer, a retired school administrator and

disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

. She graduated from North Panola High School in

Sardis, Mississippi Sardis is a town in Panola County, Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 1,703. Sardis is one of two county seats for Panola County; the other is Batesville, on the south side of the Tallahatchie River. Geography Accordin ...

. In 2017, Kent became the first woman to be inducted into the North Panola Hall of Fame.

Education

After graduating from North Panola High School, Kent entered

Northwest Mississippi Community College Northwest Mississippi Community College is a public community college in Senatobia, Mississippi. It was founded in 1928. As of August 2008, Northwest's enrollment exceeds 7,100 students. There are approximately 3,000 students on the Senatobia ca ...

Senatobia Senatobia is a city in, and the county seat of, Tate County, Mississippi, United States, and is the 16th largest municipality in the Memphis Metropolitan Area. The population was 8,165 at the 2010 census. Senatobia is the home of Northwest Miss ...

where she majored in

Journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (pro ...

and

Public Relations Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. ...

. While at Northwest, Kent became the first African-American to be elected president of the Student Senate. She transferred to Mississippi State University in Starkville where she earned a Bachelor's Degree. While at Mississippi State, Kent was the first African-American woman to be elected to the Student Association, serving as the Attorney General.The Commercial Appeal: Germany Kent becoming a television star
/ref> She is an alumna of the University of Alabama, and the University of Southern California.

Journalism

Print

Kent has written on issues central to

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

branding and offering ways to use social media for

marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...

, social media ethics, business etiquette and social media etiquette. Kent's work has been published in

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

Yahoo News Yahoo! News is a news website that originated as an internet-based news aggregator by Yahoo!. The site was created by a Yahoo! software engineer named Brad Clawsie in August 1996. Articles originally came from news services such as the Associate ...

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

, Parade Magazine,

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

, AOL,

MSN MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95. The Microsoft Net ...

, Monster.com,

St. Louis Post-Dispatch The ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' is a major regional newspaper based in St. Louis, Missouri, serving the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is the largest daily newspaper in the metropolitan area by circulation, surpassing the ''Belleville News-De ...

Southern Living ''Southern Living'' is a lifestyle magazine aimed at readers in the Southern United States featuring recipes, house plans, garden plans, and information about Southern culture and travel. It is published by Birmingham, Alabama–based Southern Pr ...

, Parade, and various others.

Arts and entertainment

Kent served as a freelance reporter in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

and has covered hard news, politics, sports, entertainment, award ceremonies and red carpet events. She has worked as a radio personality in Los Angeles and anchor for public affairs television. She has covered entertainment for a community magazine as a reporter in Atlanta. In September 2013, Kent founded her own multi-platform media startup. She became one of the executive producers, for which she serves as a consultant, and guest on-air talent. She has been involved in television and radio as a media pundit. It was announced in October 2015 that Kent was joining the news team at the 50 Plus Report as a producer, reporter, and host. The outlet covered news features airing on KPTS-TV, the PBS affiliate station in Wichita, KS covering a variety of topics from technology to finance, business, health, fashion, beauty, travel, entertainment, and human interest stories. Kent anchored the nightly news for the FOX affiliate KARD 14 myarklamiss in Louisiana, and has served as a freelance reporter and host for various other media outlets. In 2013, Kent was a guest

correspondent A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locati ...

for Real TV Films when she worked the Celebrity World Challenge Golf Championship in

Calabasas, California Calabasas (from Spanish ''calabazas'' "gourds") is a city in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, between the foothills of the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna mountains.ProCon.org and

The March of Dimes March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to comb ...

. While based in

, Kent won the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Online Deadline Reporting (Independent) for the story "Tragedy in Thousand Oaks," coverage in the wake of the

Thousand Oaks shooting On November 7, 2018, a mass shooting occurred in Thousand Oaks, California, United States, at the Borderline Bar and Grill, a country-western bar frequented by college students. Thirteen people were killed, including the perpetrator, who died of ...

on the night of November 7, 2018. In June 2019, she was honored for distinguished service to the American people and the profession of journalism through outstanding accomplishments in the field for excellence in journalism by the Society of Professional Journalists at the

National Press Club Organizations A press club is an organization for journalists and others professionally engaged in the production and dissemination of news. A press club whose membership is defined by the press of a given country may be known as a National Press ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Acting

Kent has made numerous acting appearances as a cameo or playing an on-screen character. She has had a number of nationally broadcast television commercials, with spots for NIKE, Verizon, Carrier, and Coors Light, in addition to a variety of other advertisements for AT&T, Target, Pepsi, Budweiser, eHarmony, and others. Kent has also starred in numerous advertisements for Disney, including those for Disney Destinations, Disney Aulani Resort, and the Disneyland Resort in California. She has also provided voice-over work for the Disney brand. In 2012, Kent appeared as a winning contestant on

Let's Make a Deal ''Let's Make a Deal'' (also known as ''LMAD'') is an American television musical comedy variety-game show that originated in the United States in 1963 and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The program was created an ...

Christmas Edition. That same year she appeared in a guest starring role as a crack addict on the

USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madison ...

television series

Graceland Graceland is a mansion on a estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, which was once owned by rock and roll icon Elvis Presley. His daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited Graceland after his death in 1977. Graceland is located at 3764 Elv ...

. In 2013, Kent starred in a Reality-TV series for the Food Network, alongside celebrity chef

Robert Irvine Robert Paul Irvine (; born 24 September 1965) is an English celebrity chef and talk show host who has appeared on and hosted a variety of Food Network programs including '' Dinner: Impossible'', ''Worst Cooks in America'', '' Restaurant: Imposs ...

. Kent has appeared on ''The Doctors'', ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was revived in 2022. It ...

'', and ''

The Real Housewives of Atlanta ''The Real Housewives of Atlanta'' (abbreviated ''RHOA'') is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on October 7, 2008. Developed as the third installment of ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has aired fourteen seaso ...

''.

Music video appearances

In 2012, Kent made an appearance alongside singer-songwriter

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

in her video "Why." In 2011, Kent made an appearance alongside musical group

Take 6 Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as Dove ...

for their video "One," which also featured pop icon Stevie Wonder.

Pageants

Kent represented

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

in the 1991

Hal Jackson Harold Baron Jackson (3 November 1915 – 23 May 2012) was an American disc jockey and radio personality who broke a number of color barriers in American radio broadcasting. Biography Early years Jackson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, ...

Talented Teens International pageant held in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. She won the "Miss Personality Award" from over 120 contestants representing countries from all around the world. In an infamous pageant moment, Kent was kissed onstage by

Shawn Stockman Shawn Patrick Stockman (born September 26, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as a member of the vocal group Boyz II Men. In addition to Boyz II Men, Stockman was a member of the group Black Men United ...

, of Boyz II Men, during her crowning. In 1992, her stage performance garnered her a place among the Top 10 at the Miss Teen Mississippi Pageant. She also won her state's Speech Award at the pageant that same year. In 1993, Kent placed in the Top 5 at the Miss Teen Mississippi Pageant, and won the Speech Award for the second consecutive year while also walking away with the "Miss Congeniality Award." While at Mississippi State, Kent won the Miss Alpha Phi Alpha Pageant and was featured in their 12-month calendar as Miss July 1997.

Author

In March 2015, Kent penned a book on hope and motivation, ''The Hope Handbook''. The book was originally created as a book of tweets from inspirations that Kent had posted on social media site Twitter. Kent claimed to have received hundreds of messages from followers recognizing her motivational

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

messages and explaining how her messages of hope had inspired them. As a response to their messages, a collection of some of the tweets were assembled, and the book came to fruition. Following the success of ''The Hope Handbook'', Kent released a collection of Hope books, titled ''The Hope Handbook'' Series. In May 2015 Kent released ''You Are What You Tweet''. In March 2017, ''You Are What You Tweet'' received national recognition as one of four books selected by actor

Romany Malco Romany relates or may refer to: *The Romani people or Romany people, also known as Gypsies *Romani language or Romany language, the language of the Romani people *"Romany", the pseudonym of a broadcaster and writer of Romani descent, George Bramwel ...

to help

President Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

with social media etiquette. As part of Malco's campaign, the book was sent to the White House. In June 2017, Kent teamed up with author and publisher Rhonda Branch Yearby to produce the book ''Women Of Faith: Their Untold Stories Revealed: Teen Edition: Bully & Cyber Bullying Prevention''.

Published works

* ''You Are What You Tweet: Harness The Power of Twitter to Create a Happier, Healthier Life'' * ''The Hope Handbook: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Couples: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Moms: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Dads: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Christians: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Singles: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Survivors: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Mentors and Coaches: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''The Hope Handbook for Leaders: The Search for Personal Growth'' * ''Women of Faith Their Untold Stories Revealed: Teen Edition: Bully & Cyber Bullying Prevention''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kent, Germany American women television producers Living people 21st-century American journalists American television reporters and correspondents 21st-century American women writers African-American television hosts African-American television producers African-American women journalists 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American businesspeople American entertainment industry businesspeople 21st-century American writers Activists from Mississippi Actresses from Mississippi African-American activists African-American actresses African-American Christians African-American journalists African-American women writers African-American writers American beauty pageant winners American book publishers (people) American business writers Women business writers American Christian writers American film actresses American humanitarians American infotainers American marketing people American motivational speakers American women film producers Women motivational writers American online publication editors American philanthropists American self-help writers American television actresses American voice actresses American women television journalists American YouTubers Female models from Mississippi Journalists from California Marketing women University of Southern California alumni National Book Award winners American opinion journalists University of Alabama alumni Participants in American reality television series People from Greenville, Mississippi Journalists from Mississippi Mississippi State University alumni Writers from Mississippi American motivational writers American online journalists Mass media people from California Social media influencers 21st-century American businesswomen 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American people 1975 births American female YouTubers