Founder, Chairperson of the Board & Secretary, URBAN ONE INC
Cathy Hughes Dedicates Key To Washington, D.C. To Urban One Employees
Urban One founder Cathy Hughes reflects on receiving the key to Washington, D.C. and credits employees for helping amplify ...
About Catherine Hughes
Cathy Hughes, founder and chairwoman of Urban One, was presented with the Key to the City of Washington, D.C., by Mayor Muriel Bowser in July 2026. Hughes described the honor as "surreal" and noted that Bowser had only given out six keys total, with Hughes being the only woman recipient. She stated that she did not have a "master plan" for her career, but was instead "trying to be obedient to a vision that God had given me." Hughes credited her employees for the achievement, saying the key "belongs to all of us," and announced plans for a staff party to allow employees to take photos with the key. In interviews following the honor, Hughes discussed the role of Black-owned media and economic power. She said it is "up to those of us in black media to embrace the community and make certain that they are represented" and that "the correct view of who we are and what we really want is shown." She also described what she called a "GOP war on black America," stating that "it's very difficult for black media, for nonprofits and others to survive in this era with the level of attacks on our people."
Transcript (54 segments)
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Chap and Shay Parker0:00
Of course, it's the Quicksilver Morning show right here on the Q. Myself, Chap, and Shay Parker. This is Reality Radio with my mama, Mama H.
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Catherine Hughes0:08
Hi, Miss H. Good morning.
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Chap and Shay Parker0:13
Good morning to you all.
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Catherine Hughes0:15
Good morning.
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Chap and Shay Parker0:15
Hey, this is our founder, our boss. I call her Mama H, but you might know as the doctor, Kathy Hughes is here.
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Catherine Hughes0:24
I love you so very much.
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Chap and Shay Parker0:26
I love you, Shay Parker. How are you everybody doing?
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Catherine Hughes0:30
Good morning. We're doing good. And you know, we had to have you on the show because you have received such a big honor receiving the key to DC.
Who, you tell us? But you know what? It's not my key. That key belongs to each and every one of us at Urban One. Radio One as the foundation, but our other brothers and sisters in the other divisions of the company.
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Chap and Shay Parker1:02
But I mean, one of the number one commanding generals in my army is right there, Mr. Quicksilver.
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Catherine Hughes1:09
Listen, Quicks, if he hears two people are having a meeting on the corner in either DC or Baltimore, he's going to be there to cover.
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Chap and Shay Parker1:19
Okay? You better know it. It was an honor standing next to you as you received that key. Just know, of course, I know at my age, this is beyond just the big boss. This is like my family. And just to know what you mean to not just DC, but to the culture and what you mean to people's careers like myself and millions of others, to be there watching you get your flowers while you can still smell them was so commendable. Kathy Hughes, I love you, Mama.
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Catherine Hughes1:46
You know what? Lonnie B told me what you said.
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Chap and Shay Parker1:53
I just want to say to you, you are 1000% correct. Okay? You are my favorite.
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Catherine Hughes1:58
Thank you so much. Now, what does that mean?
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Chap and Shay Parker2:03
Wait a minute.
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Catherine Hughes2:03
Pork Chop said, 'Damn.'
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Chap and Shay Parker2:05
Hey, but at least she admitted it. Okay, you've heard it here first.
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Catherine Hughes2:09
No, I hurt my little fat feelings. Pork Chop, how's your health? I always pray for your health. How you doing?
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Pork Chop2:17
I'm doing okay, Mama. Just keep praying for me. You know, God got...
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Catherine Hughes2:20
Yeah, but maybe we need to change your name to Organic or something.
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Pork Chop2:26
You know what? Hey, Kathy.
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Catherine Hughes2:27
And he hates everything organic.
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Pork Chop2:30
I know.
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Catherine Hughes2:30
He wants all the preservatives.
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Chap and Shay Parker2:32
But seriously, if you're just tuning in, we're talking to Kathy Hughes, of course, who just got the key to the city of Washington DC. For those who don't know, what exactly does that mean?
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Catherine Hughes2:41
It means it's the highest honor a city can give you. It means that you have made a major contribution to that city. The interesting thing is Mayor Muriel Bowser was on the city council for two terms and then mayor for three terms. She only gave out six keys total. And I'm the only woman.
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Chap and Shay Parker2:58
Come on now. Preach.
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Catherine Hughes3:02
Yeah. And so I am just really, really touched and thankful that a sister who was born and grew up in DC, who has been a public servant for over half of her adult life, would deem me worthy to get her last key of her administration.
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Chap and Shay Parker3:21
Miss Hughes, from the day that you started Urban One or even from the moment that you realized, wow, I really have something that is going to change culture and change the world, to receiving this honor, the key to the city. What is one thing that you have learned that you feel like has really carried you through all of these years?
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Catherine Hughes3:43
To be very honest with you, I never had a master plan. All I was trying to do was be obedient, trying to be obedient to a vision that God had given me that came with the obligation to take the mute button off of Black people in DC. And then Baltimore was my second market. DC was the first. And then we went national. And then one day the good Lord said, 'You need to add some pictures because Black folks like to look as well as hear as well as listen.' And so then we did TV One and then technology changed and we expanded into I One digital. And then Tom Joyner decided he wanted to sell his company and Tom Joyner empowered us to go into syndication. It's just really not a master plan. It's just really following that which you know in your heart God intends for you to do with your life. But it carries an incredible responsibility with it, letting God order your steps.
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Chap and Shay Parker4:46
Amen.
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Catherine Hughes4:47
Amen. Order my steps, dear Lord. Order my steps. But along the way, He has always given me destiny guides. That's what I call my angels. And I am proud to say that Quicksilver is one of the head destiny guides. He helps me get to the destination that God has sent me to. He helps me to empower my people to be heard, to tell our story from our perspective, to make it accurate but more importantly to make it from our perspective. We can't count on other cultures to tell who we are and what's important to us. We have to do that for ourselves.
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Chap and Shay Parker5:26
One thing you always say, Mama H, is that you are unapologetically Black in the Black business.
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Catherine Hughes5:30
Absolutely. She's not apologizing. Urban One, Radio One, TV One is the nation's largest Black-owned media company started by a Black woman. Like we should all be clapping in our cars right now for that alone.
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Chap and Shay Parker5:44
Black women. Yes. That's one of Shay Parker's favorite things to say. Kathy Hughes...
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Catherine Hughes5:50
You know, it's what really touches me that I'm the only woman that Muriel Bowser gave a key to. This is a city where Dr. Dorothy Height, who was one of my mentors, Dr. C. Delores Tucker, another one of my mentors, Katharine Graham at the Washington Post forced a president to step down. But she chose me as her last key. And that touches me so deeply. But like I said, this key doesn't belong to me. This key belongs to the three of you. This key belongs to every one of the over 1,000 employees of Urban One who each and every day do the heavy lifting. And I just thank God I get the credit.
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Chap and Shay Parker6:35
Yes. Well, we thank God for you, for your dream, your vision that has allowed us to live our dream and our vision. It's such a blessing to be able to show up to work and to not only be yourself, but also to talk to our people the way that we need to talk to our people. So we thank you. This is overly deserving and one of many honors that we know you'll receive in time to come.
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Catherine Hughes7:01
Well, listen, I'm going to do a little get together on a week from Friday. I know that that's a little ride for you all. I want you all to come. We're going to have a Friday afternoon social and just really share my key. I'm bringing the key and let everybody take a picture with the key because there were so many of you who were present last Wednesday evening when I received it. A lot of people were cut off from the photo. So I want everyone to have an opportunity to take a picture with the key that belongs to all of us, not just to me. It's in my name, but it represents each and every one of us. So please, you all will get formal invitations today. It's a week from this Friday, but I wanted you all to plan in advance. I want to make sure my favorite is there.
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Quicksilver7:56
I'm going to be DJing. Go ahead, send text me the details, man, and tell whoever's in charge that Quicks is DJing. And Miss H, I was one of the people cut off on the picture. So I'll definitely...
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Catherine Hughes8:05
Exactly. And so we're going to take that picture over. So yesterday Ebony, my assistant, was teasing me because I told her I'm going to wear the same dress I wore last night. Might as well. So people will know that this is the official photograph. We can take some individual shots, but more importantly, take a group shot of the worker bees in this hive. I'm honored to be the queen of the hive, but I am not the worker bee. You all are and I thank God for you. You're my destiny guides. You all make certain I get to the destination that God has commanded me to travel to.
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Pork Chop8:41
All right, Miss Hughes, last thing. I know you got a key to the city in DC. But when you're in Baltimore, you got a free pork chop foot rub at the house every time I see you. That beats that key.
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Catherine Hughes8:54
That beats the key. Beats the key.
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Chap and Shay Parker8:56
Not a bad deal.
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Quicksilver8:57
Don't be touching my mama. Mama rubbed them feet before.
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Pork Chop9:01
You know I don't play about you, Mama H. Everybody know that.
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Quicksilver9:04
Mama H, tell Quicks how good that footwork was.
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Catherine Hughes9:09
She don't want to talk about little miss. She know it's good.
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Pork Chop9:13
I can't believe you told this story.
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Quicksilver9:17
Just telling the business.
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Chap and Shay Parker9:18
Congratulations once again, Kathy Hughes, my mate. I love you so much. Keep up the amazing work and just keep inspiring the culture and the next generation to be as big, if not bigger, than all the things you've already done.
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Catherine Hughes9:30
Amen. And hallelujah to that. I love you guys. Next Friday in person.
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Chap and Shay Parker9:35
Love you, my mate.
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Catherine Hughes9:36
I love you. Thank you. God bless.