team

NATAL is a Black women-led storytelling project, produced by a nimble team of multimedia creatives and journalists.

MARTINA ABRAHAMS ILUNGA | EP + HOST

Martina Abrahams Ilunga is a creative entrepreneur, storyteller, writer and community builder building liberatory spaces to tell Black stories. In 2016, she created You Had Me at Black, an audio-memoir and live story hour passing the mic to Black Millennials. 100 stories, 1MM+ downloads, and 11 events later, the series reimagined the art of oral tradition and pioneered a fresh format for the podcast industry, establishing a standard that became the foundation of her storytelling studio by the same name. She is an executive producer and co-host of NATAL, an award-winning podcast docuseries about having a baby (or not) while Black. Her work has appeared on NPR, been selected by TribecaX, and showcased at NEW INC’s DEMO festival. Most recently, she co-founded Black Storytelling Week, a holiday dedicated to passing down Black family history. Currently listening to Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal, Martina lives in Brooklyn with her love.

JANELLE B. ANDERSON | LEAD PRODUCER

Janelle B. Anderson is an audio producer and writer. She recently produced The Wonder of Stevie, a 6-part series about Stevie Wonder’s music, hosted by Wesley Morris and created with the Obamas and Questlove — her proudest work yet (and yes, she’ll never stop talking about it). Her projects are all over the place, but in the best way: from the unexpected lessons of aging to the power of Anita Hill’s testimony, from celebrating Black Hollywood legends to unpacking Black female entrepreneurship, and exploring the realities of birthing while Black in America. Brooklyn-born and raised, she’s all about telling stories that make you reflect and wonder why we share them at all. Currently listening to MEGAN: ACT II, Janelle is a massive Liberty fan and dreams of getting Ellie the Elephant’s autograph.

GABRIELLE HORTON | EP + HOST

A native of Inglewood, California, Gabrielle Horton is a producer and writer with more than six years of experience crafting stories exploring Black womanhood through the lenses of pop culture, memory, reproductive health, and the praxis of care. Coupled with nearly a decade of political and community organizing, her work spans audio, writing, public programming and advocacy. Bearing a deep belief in the arts and arts spaces as essential vessels for remembering, reimagining, and restoring, she has worked with storytelling partners at Audible, Destination Crenshaw, Fenton, LACMA, LAist, Michigan Radio, NPR, Raedio, The Black List and more. She has previously served as an adjunct lecturer at USC Annenberg’s School of Communication and Journalism and the inaugural alumnae mentor for Spelman College’s The Blue Record Podcast. Currently listening to Elmiene’s EL-MEAN, Gabrielle loves churros and counts Living Single as perfect TV for all moods and times.

JORDYN MCCLENNEY | PRODUCTION INTERN

Jordyn McClenney is a passionate and dedicated sophomore at Spelman College from Richmond, Virginia. Majoring in Biology with aspirations to become a NICU nurse, she is an advocate for Black healthcare in America. Jordyn's dedication is shaped by her experiences at the Emory Winship Cancer Institute, where she provided support to patients and caregivers in the breast imaging and gynecology department. Her career aspirations include starting a holistic feminine healthcare business and opening a free women's clinic in struggling areas inspired by her family's health challenges and her own journey with vitiligo. Jordyn is deeply motivated by the need for inclusive, compassionate medical care and aims to bring positive change to underserved communities. Beyond her healthcare aspirations, Jordyn enjoys interning with NATAL, where advocacy and compassion meet for the welfare of Black health. A true Spelmanite, she is driven to honor the legacy of Spelman alumnae and make a lasting impact. Jordyn is currently listening to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.