Black influencers and creators have been the trendsetters behind so many iconic creations in pop culture. We have been the face of inspiration for decades and continue to be the blueprint for future generations. It’s motivating and electrifying to know how these creators have shifted pop culture within the black community, and in general for the better. From fashion, beauty, film, music, and so much more, black beauty should be represented, honored, and celebrated. Here are some influential black creators you need to know and give a follow!
- Yara Shahidi (@yarashahidi)
Yara Shahidi is a well-known actress from Black-ish and Grown-ish as she plays one of the starring roles, Zoey Johnson. Apart from her successful acting career which she continues to embark upon, she has continuously shown her passion for modeling, activism, and feminism in various ways throughout the years. She never fails to show her audiences of all ages how influential and powerful she is within her community.
Beginning in her teenage years, Yara was always vocal about issues of activism, in fact, she even started a group in her high school that educated people on ending the issues of poverty. She quickly excelled in terms of making a name for herself in activism. When she was only 18 years old she launched what is now known as WeVoteNext, which is a creative platform that encourages young people to get out and vote.
Yara Shahidi is a great example of a successful and influential black creator who continues to actively give back to her community, all while serving as a woman of color to which young people can look up to. She can serve as a woman who shows reliance, strength, and confidence to both the youth and older generations. Give her a follow!
- Wisdom Kaye (@wisdm8)
The ever-growing app TikTok is filled with music, dances, and humor we all enjoy almost every day. As this app continues to grow, I’m sure anyone who uses it is more than aware of the iconic fashion influencer Wisdom Kaye, who has grown his following exponentially within a short amount of time.
Since his very first post in January of 2020, he has grown to have 2 million followers on TikTok. He began posting daily fit checks and soon branched out into color coordinating different outfits and showing audiences his ability to break the boundaries of fashion in different ways. Wisdom is known for his unique and eccentric style, as he continues to be the blueprint of men’s fashion. His success has led him to be noticed by big-name brands such as Vogue.
Wisdom continues to have an impact on the TikTok community and beyond, as he is the face of the future in the world of fashion. His ability to eloquently style 70’s fashion, but somehow still keep it modern, while still allowing his style to remain authentic to him is what continues to inspire audiences of all ages. Nonetheless, Wisdom Kaye is a black creator that has well deserved all of the recognition he has received and continues to receive, giving him a follow on all platforms is an absolute must!
3. Jamie Broadnax (@JamieBroadnax)
Jamie Broadnax has made her impact on social media for the better as she influences many with her content. Apart from being a social media influencer, she is a blogger and film critic. Since 2012 she has been the face of empowering black women, furthermore, she serves as an advocate and social media influencer for mental health within her community.
Jamie launched her online blog entitled “Black Girl Nerd” which celebrates all black women while focusing on black feminism and geek culture. Along with her online blog, she also holds a Black Girl Nerd podcast, which focuses on social justice issues, activism, and reproductive issues. Her unique and creative ideas in terms of social media have led her to a large fanbase, and I encourage you all to follow her.
- Demetrius Harmon (@demetriusharmon)
Demetrius Harmon is an incredibly inspiring and successful comedian and creator who has been the face of so many amazing creations within media and fashion. His success began on the app vine. Demetrius Harmon quickly became an admired individual, for his ability to be so authentic, and easily make people laugh. His lovable and genuine persona got him very far as a social media influencer and creator.
As vine soon came to a close, Demetrius branched out and began making his vlogs on YouTube. Audiences began to see a more personal side of Demetrius as he grew more open about his battle with depression. After releasing a short video to his YouTube channel entitled “Be Happy” it got much praise for its ability to shed light on the importance of mental health and understanding depression. He soon began the startup of his now very successful clothing line, “You Matter”.
Demetrius Harmon’s ability to be vulnerable and relatable with his audiences is why he is the successful and appreciated creator he is today. His content and clothing aim towards educating audiences on an array of important issues, and it is incredibly inspiring. To know that a large and respected creator goes through the same struggles so many of his fans do is comforting and makes one feel less alone. It’s important to be vocal and transparent as an influencer, especially now more than ever. Demetrius Harmon uses his platform to spread awareness in very effective ways, furthermore, it’s great to see a black male creator being able to be so true and honest to his art and passions.
5. Shayla Mitchell (@makeupshayla)
If you love beauty and makeup, Shayla Mitchell is the go-to influencer for you. She is both a YouTuber and an Instagram influencer who continues to inspire her audiences with her gorgeous yet natural makeup tutorials. She began her love for makeup when she was a junior in high school, and from there, her love only grew. Shayla now has a following of 2.5 million and her fanbase is continuously growing. Shayla is one of the most powerful beauty influencers on social media as well as one of the most influential and successful women of color in the makeup industry.
Her content consists of makeup and beauty, but also health, wellness, and self-love. It provides viewers with a sense of comfort as her content can go from, makeup tutorials, to get ready with me’s, and house tours. She is an overall well-rounded influencer and that is always a positive. Her success has led to many of her accomplishments in the beauty industry.