Celebrating Women’s History: Sommer Hill’s DMV Podcast Bootcamp Lifts New Voices

In the ever growing podcast industry, Sommer Hill is proving that success is not just about building a platform. It is also about creating opportunities for others. The DMV based creator, who hosts the It’s Sommertime Podcast and runs Sommertime Production, is using her experience in journalism and media to mentor the next wave of podcasters through a new podcast bootcamp.

Hill launched Sommertime in the summer of 2023 after years of working in traditional media spaces. The show focuses on in depth conversations with creatives, entrepreneurs, and athletes, unpacking the stories behind their work and the journeys that shaped them.

“Sommertime is an interview series where I talk to different creators, entrepreneurs, athletes about their creative journey and really unpack their journey so that other people can get inspired to create something for themselves,” Hill explained.

The concept was rooted in her own path through journalism. A graduate of Howard University, Hill said the historically Black university helped shape her approach to storytelling and professionalism.

“Howard was one of the best decisions I’ve made by far. It really sharpened me as a journalist because they don’t play about education at all,” she said. “We had a quote that was excellence without excuse. And that’s something I still utilize to this day.”

Hill said studying in Washington, D.C., also played a role in how she views media and community. Being surrounded by Black excellence at Howard and throughout the city helped push her to pursue bigger goals.

“Howard being in DC is just so symbolic because DC is the mecca. Howard is the mecca. So you’re surrounded by Black excellence always. It pushes you to strive for better because you want to create better opportunities for the people that come behind you.”

Before launching her own platform, Hill worked in several major newsrooms including BET, NBC, CBS, Fox and NPR. While gaining experience across the industry, she initially hoped those opportunities would lead to hosting her own show.

That moment never came in the way she expected.

“The goal was for me to have my own show. I thought maybe I’ll get to BET and have my own show or get to NPR and have my own show, but that wasn’t happening,” Hill said. “So I stopped waiting on other people to give me what I was looking for and decided to give it to myself.”

That decision ultimately led to the launch of Sommertime, which has grown into a respected podcast platform highlighting creative voices in the DMV and beyond. Now more than 80 episodes in, Hill says the podcast has become exactly what she envisioned.

“The goal was to share stories, connect with people and amplify Black culture,” she said. “Now three years later I feel like I’ve been able to do that, especially by putting a heavy emphasis on DMV creative culture.”

Hill also believes the DMV media scene is often overlooked despite its deep talent pool.

“The DMV is so underlooked when it comes to media. There are so many opportunities here, but because they’re all kind of siloed I’ve been able to create a name for myself,” she said. “There are so many creative people that I can work with. It’s really been an iron sharpens iron type of situation.”

Now Hill is using that experience to help other aspiring creators through the Sommertime Podcast Bootcamp, a five week training program that guides new podcasters from concept to production.

The program selects five podcast ideas and helps the creators refine their mission, brand their show, and produce real content.

“I’m 80 episodes in and three years in, so I started asking myself what’s next. What else can fuel my creativity while also helping build community,” Hill said. “I realized I needed to teach what I have learned.”

Hill previously served as a professor at Howard, teaching digital media literacy, and said the classroom experience helped inspire the bootcamp concept.Participants in the program receive hands on training in multiple areas of podcast production. They also gain access to professionals across the media industry.

“They’re getting one on one training, production crews teaching them camera and lighting, and experts talking about branding and social media marketing,” Hill explained. “They’re also filming two episodes, their pilot and another episode, and getting a branded photo shoot.”

Hill says the goal was not simply to teach people how to start a podcast, but to ensure their work had purpose.

“When I was reviewing applications, I was really intentional about selecting people who had a mission,” she said. “I know there are a lot of people who just want to sit behind the mic and talk, but I wanted people who actually had stories to tell and passion behind those stories.”

Many of the podcasts selected for the program center on topics such as politics, mental health, community advocacy and survivor stories.

Hill says that focus reflects a long tradition in Black media.

“When you think about the history of the Black press, it was originally created for Black people to share what was happening in our communities,” she said. “I think we still carry that torch. This is our opportunity to continue the legacy of those who came before us.”

As Women’s History Month highlights the achievements of women across industries, Hill says her advice to aspiring female creators is simple.

“Do what excites you and take the path of least resistance,” she said. “The important part is that you just get started. Once you continue, you’ll realize you’re an executor and it gives you the confidence to keep going.”

For Hill, building Sommertime was about more than launching a successful podcast. It was about creating space for stories, community and new voices in media.

Now, through her bootcamp and mentorship efforts, she is making sure that the next generation of creators has the tools and confidence to tell their own stories too.