Donna Terrell is a force on and off of the television screen. When Donna joined Fox16 News 17 years ago, she was the first African American news anchor in the state capitol of Arkansas. Fast forward nearly two decades later, and she is one of the most recognizable faces in Arkansas media. Not to mention, she has been honored with several broadcast awards, including multiple Emmys.
The Michigan native’s accolades consist of two Associated Press Awards for her stories on a patient’s “Right To Die” and her special reports on “Grieving a Child”, where she highlighted her daughter’s battle with colon cancer. Donna has two Emmy Awards for her work on cosmetic surgery issues and breast cancer. She was also nominated for numerous other Emmy Awards for the story on her daughter’s colon cancer, Arkansas’ Little Rock 9, and more.
Donna is not only thriving behind the anchor desk, she’s making her mark on the community, too. The Fox16 News anchor did not have it easy growing up as a teen mom, so she makes it a priority to give back to her audience. Terrell’s nonprofit organization, Yoga Warriors, raises money for cancer survivors in her daughter’s memory. Last year, they raised almost $50,000 for a state-of-the-art device that can remove cancer lesions from various places on the human body, including the colon. It is the first of its kind in Arkansas and it’s all due to Donna leading the charge.
This Black History Month, we wanted to spotlight Donna for making her mark as a woman of color on the frontlines of media and beyond. Donna, we see you!