Say Yes When Life Says No wins Silver Telly Award

By AI, Created 1:10 PM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.’s digital talk series Say Yes When Life Says No earned a Silver Telly Award in the 47th Annual Telly Awards, giving the first-season show national recognition for storytelling and impact. The honor highlights a Central New Jersey-produced series built around resilience, faith, leadership and authentic conversation.

Why it matters: - Say Yes When Life Says No is getting national validation for a first-season digital series built around resilience, healing and leadership. - The award gives Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. and co-executive producer Desiree Peterkin Bell a larger platform for a show centered on purpose-driven storytelling. - The series adds to the growing credibility of independently produced talk content that aims to compete with major media brands.

What happened: - Say Yes When Life Says No won a Silver Telly Award in the Talk Show & Interview Series category. - The recognition came in the record-breaking 47th Annual Telly Awards. - Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. hosts the series. - Desiree Peterkin Bell co-executive produced and promoted the show through DPBell & Associates. - The series is available on Dr. Soaries’ YouTube channel.

The details: - The series focuses on resilience, reinvention, faith, leadership, healing and purpose. - The show features intimate conversations with guests from business, faith, advocacy, entertainment, social justice and community leadership. - Dr. Soaries said the series was created to remind people that purpose can remain even in hard moments. - Dr. Soaries said the guests shared personal stories of resilience, faith, reinvention and survival. - Desiree Peterkin Bell said the award reflects impact as well as creative excellence. - The series is produced from a nearly 1,000-square-foot studio in Central New Jersey. - Dr. Soaries envisioned, built and funded the studio himself. - The studio was designed as an independent media platform focused on authentic storytelling, meaningful dialogue and ownership of narrative. - Dr. Soaries’ investment reflects his long-running focus on empowerment through communication, education, faith, civic leadership and economic freedom. - The studio now serves as a creative hub for conversations meant to challenge, inspire, heal and uplift audiences across generations. - The Telly Awards annually honor video and television work across all screens. - This year’s winners include organizations and creators such as Paramount TV, Warner Brothers Discovery, FOX Entertainment, MoMA, Sony Music, TED, ABC News, Olympic Channel and Harvard Business School. - More than 13,000 entries were submitted globally from six continents and all 50 states. - Winners are selected by the Telly Awards Judging Council, which includes more than 250 experts across video, television, streaming, production and digital media.

Between the lines: - The award suggests the series is connecting beyond its niche audience and reaching viewers who are looking for more personal, conversation-driven content. - The show’s in-house studio setup gives Dr. Soaries more control over production, branding and message. - The recognition also positions DPBell & Associates as a visible player in purpose-driven media and communications. - The Telly Awards field remains crowded and competitive, which makes a win in this category more notable.

What’s next: - Say Yes When Life Says No will likely use the Telly win to expand audience reach and strengthen its position as a national digital talk series. - The studio and series are set up to keep producing guest conversations built around lived experience and social impact. - The award could help the team attract more viewers, partners and high-profile guests.

The bottom line: - Say Yes When Life Says No has turned a first season into award-winning recognition, and the Silver Telly gives the series a stronger national profile as it builds a platform around resilience and purpose.