Congratulations to Joy-Ann Reid on her new television show, The Reid Report, that debuts next week at 2 p.m. EST on MSNBC. Because of her many years with The Miami Herald and other local media outlets as well as her involvement in community events, we claim her as our homesistah and celebrate her latest accomplishment.

Let's be real, it didn't seem as though mainsream television news was ready and willing to showcase another black person in the role of newstalk show host. Some of us also wondered aloud in conversations and via our various social media interactions if our sister Joy-Ann Reid's opportunity to host a show was being thwarted because she is a sister of a darker hue, unlike her bi-racial MSNBC colleagues Melissa Harris Perry and Karen Finney.

Don't put her in a gender or ethnic box, Joy is undeniably one of the brightest talents around in media. I pray that the suits at MSNBC making the decisions about The Reid Report show will not tinker with her image too much and just allow Joy-Ann Reid to continue to be her authentic fabulously brilliant self. Congratulations, Joy, your Miami fans will be watching!

 @vbyers

Like Blogging Black Miami on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.