Q&A with Journalist Alicia Quarles

Alicia Quarles is a longtime journalist, serving as a correspondent for “Good Morning America 3,” DailyMail TV and E! News, and previously working as Global Entertainment and Lifestyles Editor for The Associated Press. But last year she found herself making the headlines after having a mental health breakdown that she livestreamed on Instagram. The anxiety attack was brought on by unexpected pregnancy news. She shared her story and journey to motherhood of twins recently with People magazine and will talk about her experience Dec. 6 as the keynote for Cablefax’s Most Powerful Women Luncheon. We caught up with Alicia to chat about her life today and the changes she’s seeing in the media space.  

Entertainment and media talk more about mental health these days, but we don’t often see someone share what they’ve been through with your candor. Why did you feel it was important to speak out about your journey?

As a journalist, I ask people whom I interview to be honest and transparent, so how could I not be? When my mental health suffered in such a public way, my initial reaction was to feel embarrassed, but I shouldn’t have. The amount of love and support I received from people in our industry was overwhelming in the best possible way. So many people told me their stories about mental health, and what they had and in some cases are going through. I gained strength from each person who reached out. I know my mental health didn’t suffer in vain, and it is my responsibility to use my platform to speak up and help others.

It is clear looking at your career, you’re a hustler. You’re working long hours with intense deadlines. There’s a lot of pressure and now you have added motherhood to the mix. How have you changed your approach to work?

I am a hustler indeed. I know so many can relate to that because dedication and hard work is how you make it to the top. I now approach my work smarter, not harder. During my pregnancy and maternity leave, I had time to think about my career, reflect and slow down for the first time in two decades. What came out of that is me knowing I love being a journalist. I also realized I don’t have to say yes to everything. When my mental health suffered, I was working three jobs and didn’t realize I was pregnant with twins. This time around, I am focused on being dedicated to my job, but also making sure there is a work-life balance. I volunteer a little less. I attend fewer events, but I still love being a journalist.

There is debate over whether work-life balance is a fallacy or actually achievable. Do you think there are sacrifices that must be made to reach a certain level of success?

At a certain point, work-life balance is achievable, albeit, your life will still be busy. I have it now. I am a prime example though of someone who did not have that balance for a long time. I mean, I didn’t get pregnant until I was 41 years old because I was working so much. Years were passing me by and while I was high achieving professionally, my personal life was stalled. Now, I have my babies and am looking forward to seeing what else is to come with my journalism career, but I would be dishonest if I said I am not worried that having babies will in some ways stall my career. I just know I have to make sure I am taking care of myself. Self-care makes me a better journalist, mother and person overall.

What could companies do to better support employee mental health?

I think employees who are suffering from mental health situations need to feel as supported as someone who has diseases that are, “socially acceptable.” When someone has cancer or diabetes, people don’t look at them in shame or whisper behind their backs. They are able to openly speak about it at work without fear of retaliation. It’s getting better, but I wish the same could be said to an even further extent about mental health. I can’t stress this enough: there is no shame.

There are a lot of concerns out there about social media’s influence, particularly on young people. I’m curious how you feel about such platforms and if you’ve changed how you use them.

Social media adds so much pressure to young people’s lives. It has certainly amplified that feeling to compete with young people to keep up with certain access or monetary things. On the flip side, there is a positive wave happening with the youth where they are using social media to speak about mental health, politics and social injustice. Social media could have been at a tipping point for the negative, but I think it’s course reversing to be a positive tool. After my People magazine interviews and appearing on the Tamron Hall Show, I received an outpouring of love and support on social media. I use it to try to educate and uplift others.

You’ve been a journalist for a long time and have often covered entertainment. With streaming services gaining ground, cord-cutting happening, theater attendance sliding, the Hollywood strike, how is the beat different these days?

I have had to be nimbler and willing to grow with the changes not only to survive, but to thrive. While broadcast is my primary medium, I am truly an all-formats journalist thanks to all of the changes in the industry. I can write, produce, edit, be on-air, on any medium. With AI, you have to be on your best game, because journalism is being attacked. To cover this beat well, you have to have sources in so many places, whereas before, you could focus on perfecting your craft in one medium, as well and not diversifying your sources. Also, change is always happening, so you better be ahead of it, or ready to roll with it. If you fight it, you will be left behind.