MILWAUKEE — Thursday is Carole Meekins' last day at TMJ4 after more than 30 years at the station.
TMJ4 News Today anchors Tom Durian and Symone Woolridge sat down with Meekins to talk about her career, legacy, and what she's looking forward to in retirement.
Durian kicked off the conversation asking Meekins about her start in television 40 years ago and if she thought it would continue as long as it has.
"Honestly, I really did not Tom. I just wanted to meet people. I thought I could be a reporter and go meet people," Meekins said.
Woolridge followed up and asked Carole if the people are what has kept her going all these years.
"I loved it. You both know, when we first start it's just very seductive. I was mesmerized. I loved everything about it. I loved news conferences in the mayor's office, I loved getting in the truck. It was so cool. I was just everywhere. You get so many life experiences," Meekins said.
Meekins has been a staple on the TMJ4 anchor desk, bringing viewers in Southeast Wisconsin both good and bad news.
Durian asked Meekins about representation and the responsibility she felt being a woman of color on the anchor desk.
"That was very important to me and even to this day I get a lot of people who say I did this because of you. If you know you sparked a life, and if you've been a teacher, that is what matters in life. It's so much more important. It's not about your looks all the time. I think a lot of young kids are getting that through social media and through the media. They think they have to look a certain way and boys too," Meekins said.
In a lighter moment, Woolridge told Meekins she tells everyone Meekins is the funniest person she knows. Woolridge asked where Meekins gets her humor from.
"My mother. My mother was so funny. She was just fun and funny, and very sarcastic and very self-deprecating but just always a blast to be around."
Woolridge also asked Meekins about her passion for music.
"Ever since I was a little bitty girl, I heard a little girl, we lived in Izmir, Turkey and she was playing 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus' at Sunday school." Meekins continued, "I begged my parents for a piano and we lived in Turkey so you had a weight limit of what you could bring. So, they could not buy a piano. I wanted one so bad, but as soon as we moved to the states my parents bought me a piano when we moved to Texas."
Durian then asked Meekins if there was a story that stood out to her over the years.
"The Sikh Temple shooting, and you know just the pervasiveness of gun violence. That's something, everyday. How can we live like this? It's just gotten worse and worse. The first time Columbine happened I was stunned and shocked. But then it became more and more. Are we ever going to learn from that?"
Durian continued and asked Meekins what she wants her legacy to be.
"I think my legacy would be that everybody matters and I want to hear you. I want to listen to you. I don't care what you've done or what your past is. I think that's important."
Durian and Woolridge then asked what Meekins is most looking forward to in retirement with her husband, Mark.
"We'll spend more time together. I will be active. I've already been asked to do a lot of events already and sit on a couple of boards. So, just take time. You both know, how much time do you have to reflect on life? You don't. You've got to get your makeup, new show, do this story, get your web story done. It just never ends. I just want to take time to think and reflect and go slow."
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