Social media is the new trend of today’s society. Everyone is either on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. People can use these social media platforms for freedom of speech, good laughs, connecting with people from different periods of their life and much more. In this new era, women, specifically African American women, have used social media platforms to launch their careers in the entertainment industry.
Issa Rae: Issa Rae is known today as the creator of the hit show “Insecure.” Insecure is a show that features Issa Rae growing up in her late 20s as she navigates through life factors such as family, friends, relationships and much more. Did you know she was not always successful in the entertainment industry? She started out in a YouTube show called “The Awkward Black Girl,” where she speaks on the trials and tribulations of being an awkward black woman in today’s society.
Quinta Brunson: Quinta Brunson is known today as the creator of the new television show “Abbott Elementary.” The show features a fictional character who is a low-budgeted school teacher. The show features jokes about being a teacher and highlights teachers being the backbone and support of society. She started in a skit on YouTube where she made funny commentary on a guy buying a large-sized order at the movie theaters where she says, “He’s got money.”
Jackie Aina: Jackie Aina is known for her YouTube channel and being a beauty guru. She has been able to advocate for black women in the makeup industry. She has partnered with brands like Sephora, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Too Faced, and Anastasia Beverly Hills. Jackie is able to use social media for her makeup tutorials, humor, and again being able to call out inequality against African American women.
Renell Medrano: Renell Medrano is a photographer from the Bronx. Her big photo series was named “Untitled Youth.” She has also taken pictures of famous people such as Jay-Z, Solange, Justine Skye, H.E.R., ASAP Ferg and much more. Renell’s photos can be featured on her social media platforms.
Karen Civil: Karen Civil is from New Jersey and is known as a self-made marketing guru. She began her career as an intern for Hot 97. This gave her the tools to create and launch her own website in 2008, where she could blog information about celebrities such as Niki Minaj, J. Cole and much more. She was able to expand to luxury brand spaces and secure partnerships with music artists.
To summarize, African American women have used social media platforms as a stepping stone to becoming successful and famous. Many women of color face discrimination based on their skin color and therefore cannot gain access to the entertainment industry. Social media is where they all started and continue to grow their legacies. It just goes to show it does not matter how small someone can start out; with determination, they could become successful in their own way.