Black Creatives: Being the Blueprint or the Bottom of the Barrel?
By Cocoa the Journalist
For me, mental health is paramount. It’s the center of every decision, every moment, and every encounter. My absolute greatest passion and my favorite topic of interest is what I was welcomed to share my voice on.
Finding Sisterhood
I received an alert, in the middle of my day as a college student. In the midst of midterm season, I could only imagine the range of responsibilities that awaited at the other end of my phone.
To my surprise, I was asked to be featured in an interview about the very thing I am fighting for — making mental health a priority.
I couldn’t be in a better position.
I met Shenia Thompson during my freshman year at university. Already overwhelmed with expectations, I forced myself to blend into my new environment. Being able to meet her and other Black women was a breath of fresh air. I was inspired by her mindset and knowledge the moment I sat down in a classroom with her.
Shenia shared meaningful insights about Black women in our society, speaking on topics no other member in university had before. Mental health, inclusivity, and respecting Black culture were just the basic topics I learned from her. It blew my mind that there was so much to learn about my own background and amazed me how others felt the same as I did about these topics.
God aligned our connections from that point forward, and she graced me with the opportunity to collaborate with her.
Turns out she was already a growing content creator. She started her own podcast called Diary of an Anxious Black Girl. It highlights the Black individual’s experience in our world, and she has featured multiple creatives and writers, including myself! It’s inspiring to connect with a person you’ve admired — how their goals, their presence, and their mere existence is portrayed by others and themselves. It was amazing to see someone following me who already had a strong media presence and community of users willing to support her life.
““I am capable of overcoming the negative impacts of my trauma.
My trauma does not define me or who I am.””
I was able to call myself a part-time creator.
Addressing Censorship: Chaos within Creativity
It’s no secret that POC creators have been struggling to make ends meet. Unfair wages, constant comparisons and backlash, and the risk of being shadow banned stops creators like myself from climbing the ranks. It’s even harder when the very platform we’re trying to grow on neglects their users. Nikita Ramkisson talks about this in her criticism of TikTok, asserting POC creators are now facing the same prejudices online as they do IRL:
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“Just like the prejudices, people of colour are made to navigate in a white-centric society at large, social media has a specific and underhandedly violent way of frustrating POC creators to other spaces – letting them know that this is not a place for them. This is despite POC creatives being the backbone of content creation and trends on social media.””
Activists and Black creators have been ridiculed and suppressed for centuries. From blackface portrayed in theatre and cartoons to the constant bullying and threats on social media, it’s clear that the very spaces we try to occupy are the same environments we are not safe or welcomed within.
It’s known that harmful content gets banned or flagged on platforms, but it’s especially concerning how Black creators fall under this same treatment for sharing their truth. Black creators are a primary source of inspiration for a majority of the trends and creativity on the internet. From makeup, to dance, to Black culture altogether, Black creators are being used for their talents without receiving the proper credit or even recognition for it. Balance Now: Insight is a platform dedicated to publishing and analyzing diverse and inclusive content. Writer Angela Luna has been examining TikTok’s pattern of suppressing Black creators with the app’s growing popularity:
““Black creators are a major reason for popular trends that skyrocket to virality. Certain dances, popular music, skits, etc. are made popular by Black TikTok creators adding their own twists to it and making it go viral.””
An Influx of Hatred: Pushing a Narrative onto Content Creators
Multiple Black TikTok creators either receive hate for their content or become suppressed for their media presence. Black creator @lipglosssss decided to leave the TikTok community and focus on her education to avoid the backlash and threats she received for her opinions on coily afro hair. There are multiple reasons Black creators lack engagement, and social media apps are at fault. “Many touch on the Black Lives Matter movement, racism, discrimination, and even shadow bans of other fellow creators,” says Luna. However, such content tends to get suppressed by TikTok.”
Black, POC, and other minority groups should feel free and encouraged to use social media to share their true stories without fear of being suppressed or censored. As technology becomes more popular, the rise of inclusivity and fair treatment of its users also needs to follow suit. Not because of a hashtag or because it became a trend, but because it’s moral and respectful to the ones who’ve already fought enough.
It’s not our responsibility to fit the norm society and now social media has created for minorities. Nor are we obligated to tolerate censorship or beg for higher wages from companies who profit off the users who they see as beneficial. This type of prejudice not only impacts engagement and following, but it suppresses the earning potential of Black creators who don’t fall in line. Sherley Joseph, podcaster and founder of Black Canadian Content Creators, speaks to this in her mission to amplify Black creators:
““Being oppressed forces Black people to have a different lens and have an outside-the-box approach to creating. What would the world be without Black people in terms of culture, art and fashion? It all stems from the necessity to exist and prevail.””
Inclusivity on the Internet: Creating Ceaselessly
Having your content repeatedly taken and reaching other audiences without credit is an obstacle Black creators regularly face. For brand deals, sponsorships, and other notable partnerships it is common for small creators to not receive compensation. This alone shows how companies view influencers and treat promoters differently based on their content, exposure, or background. Compound this with the inequities Black people face to be able to become more than just small creators, and we have a serious problem.
From my own experience, it’s difficult trying to be a full-time content creator. It feels like everyone around you is growing, or is born to be on the media with how quickly their platforms are growing. It can be intimidating seeing other creatives thrive while you are struggling to produce content and grow as a creative. The fear of failure simply for being a minority should not be a factor when deciding if you want to pursue your passions.
Social media is a challenging workplace. It’s hard knowing how to navigate critique and racial barriers for different situations. Addressing these issues and learning how to use the algorithm to your advantage is important to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Until then, let’s just hope these “hacks” are good enough to get by.
Meet the Writer
Cocoa is an aspiring journalist and a student with a passion for mental health. She hopes to publish articles centered around advocacy, Christianity, and mental health awareness through poetry and articles.
