February is Black History Month. One of my favorite ways to empower others is to share the stories of inspiring entrepreneurs, creators, and influencers in my circle so naturally, I wanted to pass the mic this month to some Black social media influencers and Black creators to share their experiences.

These unstoppable Black creators are killing it in the world of influencing and content creation and continually inspire other BIPOC creators through their own stories. It doesn’t come without challenges that non-Black creators face, so even though this month is an especially important time to amplify and listen to Black voices, it’s something we should be doing every day.

5 Black Social Media Influencers and Black Creators You Need To Follow

Christelle Dobill – @xtel.thefoodie

What do you create on social media? Tell us about your biz!

I create content to inspire, motivate, and push foodies around the world to travel more and discover new destinations through food through my resources (ebooks, guides, courses) and group retreats. I mostly use my food photography skills.

What does being a Black woman mean to you? 

It was never really an issue for me, I grew up in an environment where we were all Black (Ghana West Africa) so it’s only when I traveled to Europe for my studies that I realized I was different, but it’s part of what identifies me as a person. However, I see myself more as an African than a Black person.

What is something you wish to change about the influencer/creator industry?

As weird as it may seem, I don’t feel there is anything that needs to change, maybe I’m delusional or I haven’t realized the gap but then again ignorance is bliss right?

What is something you wish Non-Black people could understand? How can we, as allies, change what we’re doing to create an actual impact?

It’s happening already but to integrate other blacks in their content, their teams, their lives. In reality, being Black is linked to a culture, a nation, a community, just like any other physical features on Asians or Latin Americans. It doesn’t make us less of humans so the exclusion from society is not really justified, well at least for me.

How has being a Black woman impacted the way you pursue your dreams?

My Blackness is linked to where I come from. It’s important for me to show Africa to the rest of the world. They have been sidelined for too long when a lot of the current resources (agriculture, music, art, etc) we consume every day in the Western countries come from there.

Where can we follow Christelle?

If you want to know more about Christelle and follow her journey as a Black social media influencer, here are her socials:

Instagram: @xtel.thefoodie
Facebook: @xtelthefoodie
Pinterest: @XtelDB
Website: xtelthefoodie

Aiesha Beasley – @aieshabeasley

What do you create on social media? Tell us about your biz!

I am a digital content creator/influencer! I share my daily lifestyle and all my discoveries living in Arizona. I share my content to my growing audiences on TikTok and Instagram. 

What does being a Black woman mean to you?

Being a Black woman is breaking through barriers and paving the way for more women who look like me to succeed!

What is something you wish to change about the influencer/creator industry?

I think there needs to be more transparency across the board on pay rates. It would help the industry immensely close the pay gap.

What is something you wish Non-Black people could understand? How can we, as allies, change what we’re doing to create an actual impact?

That the Black experience is different for everyone. The struggle of being a Black woman is being labeled or people assuming we all feel and have had the same traumatic experiences growing up which has shaped our views on society to the point where we almost identified as the angry/strong Black woman.

How we can change that is to hear our experiences and understand us more as individuals.

I want to address the HUGE success gap between white creators and BIPOC creators and would love to hear your thoughts on it, if you’d like to share.

You have to work in most cases 10x harder to get even half the success. When I started out, I had to pump out twice the content, shoot with a DSLR camera while most white creators back could shoot just iPhone photos and grow like crazy, and do a ton of outreach to be seen. It was definitely a hustle and still is. 

How has being a Black woman impacted the way you pursue your dreams?

I think there are challenges especially in the creator space but I have never let that hold me back on going after what I want in life. 

Where can we follow Aiesha?

If you want to know more about Aiesha and follow her journey as a Black creator, here are her socials:

Instagram: @aisehsabeasley
TikTok: @aieshabeasley

Jason Soaris – @jasonsoaris

What do you create on social media? Tell us about your biz!

My main goal on my platforms has evolved with my growth. I started as trying to be the health and fitness guru, even though I still am, that was not my entire life. I then went to being an inspirational speaker because I saw others do it and I thought I should also. I had a breakthrough about 2 years ago when I said, “You know what? I’m going to be my authentic true crazy self.” It was such a relief and literally that video (I was talking about how good some type of juice was) [resonated] with so many people [in ways] my other characters didn’t. I then made the decision I’m going to be me. My goal is spreading joy and I want to be a positive light on everyone’s timeline. I love to laugh and it’s my natural happy state and it makes me feel good that other people can laugh also. Whether it’s with me or at me lol.

What does being a Black man mean to you?

Being a Black man means power to me. From all the adverse challenges we face by just waking up and still having the ability to be successful is just powerful and unbelievable. 

What is something you wish to change about the influencer/creator industry?

I want to get equal income opportunities as other creators instead of getting the low ball rates. We deserve the same or even more because look [at] where lots of the content originated from. 

What is something you wish Non-Black people could understand? How can we, as allies, change what we’re doing to create an actual impact?

Understand that we work as hard or even harder and still don’t get the same opportunity as others, not because we are not talented, but because of our complexion. 

How has being a Black man impacted the way you pursue your dreams?

I want to create a lane for more successful Black creators who have universal content. I am [living] my dreams, I never thought I could get paid for being myself.

Where can we follow Jason?

If you want to know more about Jason and follow his journey as a Black creator, here are his socials:

Instagram: @jasonsoaris
YouTube: Jason Soaris

Catryce Thompson – @catrycethompson

What do you create on social media? Tell us about your biz!

I am a young adult life coach and lifestyle influencer who focuses on showing others how to thrive while in their 20’s. When we graduate high school we aren’t always prepared for all the hurdles adulthood places before us. I work to provide services and resources to help young adults get over as many hurdles as possible.  

What does being a Black woman mean to you?

To me being a Black woman means I have a special seat at the table. It can be so easy to get wrapped up in all the things that I can’t do or that women like me have been told they shouldn’t do, but I love my ethnicity and I love what it has done for me in life.

My 9 to 5 is working as an aquatics director and to be a black woman in charge of a pool is one of the coolest things to me, because of the history of pools and racism. I work in a community where the kids who come to the pool get to see someone who looks like them running the show. I hope to inspire future influencers and entrepreneurs in the same way. 

What is something you wish to change about the influencer/creator industry?

If I could change anything about the influencer/creator industry it would be to give more opportunities to grow and be established to creators of color. When I am scrolling through reels 95% of the reels and TikToks I see are by white creators. I know that there are creators of color out there, but I hardly ever see them on my for you page or discovery page. It’s hard for people to dream when they don’t have anyone to look up to that relates to them.

What is something you wish Non-Black people could understand? How can we, as allies, change what we’re doing to create an actual impact?

Something that I wish Non-Black people could understand is the work that goes into getting ready as a Black person especially when it comes to curly hair. A bunch of creators talked about one of their goals for the new year being to get ready for the day more. I gave this a try as well, but ultimately my curls got the best of me. I can only imagine what it would be like to wake up, get dressed, brush my hair and have it fall just perfectly.

Growing up, sometimes I would brush my hair and just wear it “big” which resulted in me getting teased a lot for having an afro and getting in the way of others being able to see the board at school. Doing make up can also be a struggle since sometimes it takes mixing a couple different foundation shades to get the right shade to match my complexion. I would say the best way to be an ally is to advocate for your favorite brands to be inclusive, but to also be kind and think before you speak. Also, be aware of others and their own personal situations. 

I want to address the HUGE success gap between white creators and BIPOC creators and would love to hear your thoughts on it, if you’d like to share.

The success gap between white creators and BIPOC makes me so sad. We live in a world run by money and where we are talking about wage gaps. Influencer marketing and content creation is the way of the future and this is our opportunity to start trending in the right direction when it comes to pay equality. Brands working with creators should work to set an example of what equal pay looks like in an industry. 

How has being a Black woman impacted the way you pursue your dreams?

Being a Black woman has impacted the way I pursue my dreams in the sense that I dream of being the role model that I don’t always have. My dreams are fueled with a passion for change and to show little Black girls that they can be ANYTHING they want to be in this world.

Where can we follow Catryce?

If you want to know more about Catryce and follow her journey as a Black social media influencer, here are her socials:

Instagram: @catrycethompson
Blog: Catryce Thompson

Imani Wade – @imaniinspires

What do you create on social media?

I create practical and inspirational content around travel, self care, faith, and balancing a 9-5 while in pursuit of your dreams. I create content on  both my IG @imaniinspires, and my blog Worth Her Wonder, but I am also a published author and a coach for aspiring authors. 

What does Black girl magic mean for you?

BGM means constantly learning & evolving in loving myself, celebrating who I am, challenging my abilities to grow, pursuing my wildest dreams, and supporting other Black women while on my journey. 

What is something you wish to change about the influencer/creator industry?

A few things but the top three: comparison trap, lack of creativity (more focused on $$), and on the surface connections.

What is something you wish Non-Black people could understand? How can we, as allies, change what we’re doing to create an actual impact?

This isn’t for everyone but to most: Celebrating our blackness and Black girl magic should not make you feel any type of way!! Unless you are getting lit with us as we embrace who we are, no other emotion is allowed. The word of advice that I can give to anyone who does have that spark of jealousy, insecurity, control, weirdness, or ugliness that pops up in their heart is that you need a new one.

Allies – continue to call out the people who respond in this ugly way for us 🙂 gang gang**

I want to address the HUGE success gap between white creators and BIPOC creators and would love to hear your thoughts on it, if you’d like to share.

Transparently, I feel more well versed with discussing this issue in the 9-5 world, simply because I see this firsthand all of the time. And I imagine if it’s happening in the corporate world, it is with Influencers as well.  I am fortunate enough to work as a Senior Manager at a company that is prioritizing diversity, but I do know that there are MANY companies that pay BIPOC employees way less than white employees. In fact, if I didn’t have co-managers (both white women) who also valued equal pay, it would be a lot more challenging when interviewing and providing offers to BIPOC talent.

My final thoughts – people need to get with the shit because more BIPOC employees, and creators are starting to speak up and are empowered in doing so. And we do not work with/for companies where we aren’t valued. 

How has being a Black woman impacted the way you pursue your dreams?

At 12 years old I decided that I was going to give myself the life that I desired. This was heavily inspired by being raised by a single mom while dealing with a somewhat absent father, and struggling with poverty as a young girl/teen. I think that most young black girls are unfortunately raised in a similar setting, and dream of the day that their life will change. I have used my upbringing as a motivation to provide the life that my youngest self always dreamt of.  As I continue to pursue my dreams, I am inspired by other black women who are miles ahead of me, paving the way of representation and inspiration. And being inspired by these women have encouraged me to sprinkle inspiration for other black women (WOC as a whole) as I continue pursuing my dreams.

Where can we follow Imani?

If you want to know more about Imani and follow her journey as a Black creator, here are her socials:

Instagram: @imaniinspires
Website: Worth Her Wonder
Book: Breaking Up With The Bad Girl on Amazon

Naohms Media Shop Sale and “The OG 5 Lightroom Presets” Giveaway

To celebrate Black History Month, I’m having a sale on all my resources (with the code below!) and an Instagram giveaway on my Lightroom presets this month, which were designed specifically with BIPOC skin tones in mind!

What’s included in “The OG 5 Lightroom Presets”:

– The Shade preset
– Glow Up preset
– Frosé preset
– Girls Night preset
– Laguna preset

SALE:

50% off the exact tools I use for my influencer business until February 28, 2022 at 11:59pm PST with code – BLM2022

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