MEET MARIAH HUQ
MARIAH HUQ is a globally dynamic media and philanthropic powerhouse. She is the FIRST African American woman to create and executive produce an original franchise for Bravo TV, a subsidiary of media conglomerate NBCUniversal. Mariah is a serial entrepreneur with several businesses in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mariah created, co-produced, and co-starred in BRAVO's Married To Medicine after being approached to join the cast of Real Housewives of Atlanta. Led by Mariah’s charismatic personality and infectious catch phrases, Married to Medicine broke network records as Bravo’s highest-rated non-franchise, non-spinoff freshman series, garnering over 2.77 million viewers during its premiere season. To date, Married to Medicine boasts over 27 million viewers and is currently in production on its 10th season. “Creating a legacy for my children was MOST important, and it means EVERYTHING to me for my children to see my name in the credits (as a producer)”, says Mariah.
As it turns out, Mariah’s creation was the exact shakeup that reality tv needed. Cable networks had not yet tapped into the lives of women associated with the medical field, and Mariah knew the concept would be a hit. She pitched the show to several cable networks including Lifetime and TLC, ultimately choosing Bravo TV based on its targeted demographics and higher level exposure. Mariah’s interracial marriage to native Bangladeshi Dr. Aydin Huq was the direct inspiration for Married to Medicine’s concept. It was the perfect opportunity to highlight their blended heritage as a "Blackadeshi" family.
Mariah was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee and is a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. While in college, Mariah produced and hosted the public affairs show Trendz on 3 at channel 3 WRCB-TV, NBC's local News affiliate in Chattanooga. Mariah quickly learned that effectively telling a story meant selling the story to the right audience.
Married To Medicine first premiered on March 24, 2013 as part of Bravo’s coveted Sunday night lineup. The premiere episode averaged 1.9 million viewers aged 18 – 49. A fiery ensemble cast show with Mariah Huq at the center, the show received 2.77 million total viewers and lifted the BRAVO network to #1 on Sunday nights, earning nearly 2 MILLION total viewers among all key demographics. (Source: Nielsen Media Research Live + 7 data The Futon Critic Premieres only). The series chronicles the lives of seven women in the Atlanta medical community, including four women doctors and the wives of doctors. The network announced a spin-off show entitled Married to Medicine: Houston, which premiered on November 11, 2016. On March 10, 2019, Bravo premiered another spin-off titled Married to Medicine: Los Angeles.
PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS
In 2019, Mariah was honored for her civic and community leadership in her hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Reverend Al Sharpton presented her the Ruby Hurley Humanitarian of the Year Award (https://www.chattanoogan.com/2019/10/29/398695/Ruby-Hurley-Image-Awards-Are-Tuesday.aspx) at the NAACP 32nd Annual Ruby Hurley Image Awards. Ruby Hurley (1909-1980) was a Civil Rights Movement leader as well as an official NAACP administrator who was recognized for her service and resilience.
Mariah has a strong love for motherhood to her daughter Lauren and son Ethan. As such, she strongly supports Sparkles of Life (https://sparklesoflife.org/), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families on their paths to parenthood. Sparkles of Life supports women whose journey consists of infertility, miscarriage(s), or delayed parenting, using education, empowerment, and advocacy by providing a variety of programs for women in all stages of conception & delivery. Mariah and her husband Dr. Aydin Huq directly work with the Solaiman Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports educational, health, and humanitarian needs for disadvantaged people in both the USA and Bangladesh.
The foundation has a three-story school building and children’s home in Bangladesh and provides scholarships to children in need. Their children Lauren and Ethan work with the foundation to build further ground themselves in the Bangladeshi culture. Mariah, Dr. Aydin Huq, and their two children continue to travel the world supporting community outreach efforts and being of service at each destination. The Huq family also added Kenya, Africa to their list, helping to donate food, clothing, school, and medical supplies to the Kebene Children's Home in Mombasa. Mariah and her family also work with local Mosques and Churches in Chattanooga and Georgia, donating numerous book scholarships for college students. New Projects MARIAH HUQ is working on new television shows, has established a full-service green screen production studio, and is enthusiastic about her newest venture, Studio Sleek Co-Work & Media in McDonough, Georgia.
The studio serves as a hub for directors and producers, content creators, and business owners to efficiently create and produce content in one combined space. It is ideal for shooting digital films, reality television, conducting training services, and producing live digital content. The space also includes a smart conference room, private content and selfie rooms, ideal for podcasters and vloggers. Mariah Huq is a certified BEAST in the media industry, and she is just getting started.