Yep, that’s me in this pic back in the day. I was pretty good, and I wanted to see if I could make my mark in the rap game.
I loved old-school hip hop. I loved everything about it and I still do. It gave me life and confidence as I too got the rhyme fever and created my own moniker and went by the MC name Lady Fresh.
I was building my network of fans before building a tribe online was a phrase. I was my brand as an artist, and now I am my brand as a business owner.
Donna Baxter Porcher, Founder & CEO of Soul Pitt Media, enjoys putting the positive people and things in her community on blast! Out of her passion for Pittsburgh, this former rap artist turned Tech Diva has gone from “Rhymer to Digital Designer” and transformed a hobby into a successful business, which includes the award-winning Soul Pitt Quarterly print magazine and community website, that attracts corporate and small business advertisers looking to connect with its audience. As a certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Soul Pitt received the Class 1 Supplier of the Year Award from the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC) In 2021, Donna was a Pittsburgh Business Times Women of Influence awardee.
Donna holds a BA degree in Communications and a Master of Education in Instructional Technology and once served as President for the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Additionally, Donna serves as a business speaker and digital consultant and is on a mission to educate and empower entrepreneurs and “technically challenged” individuals on the power of the internet and encourage those to “Get Online or Get Left Behind!” Originally from Johnstown PA, and recently married to her hometown sweetheart David Porcher, Donna manages to juggle her job, business, wife life, and dog mom duties surprisingly well. Visit her website, TheSoulPitt.com, which changed the game and created a new media that has been a consistent trusted leader in marketing to Western PA’s Minority community both online and in print.
Four Hi-Res Photo Options
Link to headshot 1 | Link to headshot 2
Link to headshot 3 | Link to headshot 4
“I am deeply grateful for each and every award and honor I have received
throughout the years for my efforts promoting and servicing the community!
It’s always a reminder and encouragement for me to keep pushing.”
- 2021 Pittsburgh Business Times Women of Influence Awardee
- 2020 CLASSIC EVENTS! Business Vanguard Honoree
- 2019 WEOPGH High Powered Black Girl Magic Recognition, March 23
- 2019 Talk Magazine’s 100 Influential Pennsylvanian African American Women
- 2018 Onyx Woman Network Entrepreneur of the Year
- 2018 Brown Chapel AME Circle of Courage Award
- 2017 EMSDC Class 1 Supplier of the Year Award
- 2017 Sister’s Helping Sister’s Win Award
- 2017 Talk Magazine’s 100 most influential Pennsylvanians (#43), June 2017
- 2016 Pittsburgh Club, NANBPWC, Inc. Business Woman of the Year
- 2015 Iota Phi Foundation Business Person of the Year Achievement Award
- 2015 Hill Dance Academy Theatre‘s First Community Partner in the Arts Award
- 2015 Classic Events! 3rd Annual Ladies who Network Honoree
- 2014 Women’s Ministry at First Baptist Penn Hills Church Women’s Day Entrepreneur Recognition
- 2011 Pgh Black Media Federation’s Communicator of the Year
- 2010 YWCA Racial Justice Award
- 2008 Pittsburgh Magazine and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Program’s “40 under 40” Award
- 2008 New Pittsburgh Courier’s 50 Women of Excellence
- 2008 Black Web Awards Best Community Web Site in the East USA (Site Owner)
- 2007 Your Sister’s Project’s “A Nation Can Rise No Higher than Its Woman” Community Award.
- 2007 Black Web Awards Best Community Web Site in the East USA (Site Owner)
- 2006 National Association of Women Business Owners Rookie of the Year
- 2005 Renaissance Publications Emerging Trailblazer Award Recipient
- 2004 New Pittsburgh Courier 50 Women of Influence Award Recipient
“Donna was our Mistress of Ceremonies for the National Council of Negro Women’s (Rankin, Pennsylvania Section) historical First Annual Legacy Awards Luncheon. Donna is not only a successful African-American business leader/owner, but also one of Pittsburgh’s best kept secrets as a speaker. Our luncheon honored women 80+ years of age who have contributed to the advancement in their communities. Our audience, especially the honorees, found Donna to be captivating, engaging, humorous, but most of all informative. We all held on to every word she spoke knowing the responsibility she felt not only in paying homage to the legacy of our honorees, but also encouraging us to continue to serve diligently in our communities. We hope to have Donna speak at our events in the future. It was an honor and a privilege to have Donna serve as our MC and her presentation skills are unmatched.”
— Flora Jackson, President, National Council of Negro Women (Rankin, Pennsylvania Section)
“Donna graciously agreed to speak at the Pennsylvania Young Professionals conference in Erie, PA. Her session, about simple/free tips to make your business or project more successful, was a huge success. She had a full audience and captured/retained their interest. Her tips were so easy to implement. We received excellent verbal feedback about her presentation. If appropriate, I would contract Donna again for the young professional audience, for executives, small business owners, administrative assistants and more. Her presentation can relate to almost any field.”
— Carrie Payne Teetzel, Director of Education Programs at eBizITPA
“Donna Baxter is one of the best webmasters and designers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She always exceeds my expectations, and I’ve recommended her to several of my clients.”
— Beth Caldwell, Public Relations www.pittsburghprofessionalwomen.com
“Donna Baxter is an incredible mentor, leader, and educator. She has become a valuable resource within many business networking organizations, and continues to be in the fore front on internet marketing. The information that Ms. Baxter provides is valuable to anyone that understands the value of professional internet marketing.”
— Susan Miller, Owner, Women’s Small Business Association
“Donna is an accomplished, no-nonsense professional. She is a pioneer and has been recognized for her award-winning website. I find her to be very relatable and real.”
— Monica Ramanathan, Distributor, Send Out Cards
“I first met Donna when I needed someone to design our Jireh web site several years ago. Donna’s professionalism, creativity and attention to detail are characteristics that not only impressed us then but continue to amaze us now as she grows and expands. Donna is a sought after speaker in the tech field but is also an excellent role model for young women today. Donna is personable and pleasant to work with and goes above and beyond to satisfy her customers. If you need a web site developed, business cards, flyers, a place to advertise your business or someone to teach on the advantages of using technology, Donna is an excellent choice!”
— Cassandra Brown, Owner of Jireh Wellness & CO Owner of Jireh Mobile