College life, cooking, and social justice – all topics Leslie Lopez covers in her vlogs. When she’s not working on her BA in Psychology and her minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, this UNT junior spends her time creating YouTube videos and posting on her blog about subjects ranging from midterms to menstrual equity.
Although she started vlogging by working on a collaborative YouTube channel in 2017, she gained the motivation to start her own videos after this channel did not work out. Originally, her videos just revolved around her experience in college.
“I’m a first-generation high school graduate and college student so it was very important to me that I create a sort of diary to look back on my growth,” Lopez said.
Her first year in college did not leave her much time to post as often as she wanted, but she started work on her channel again last fall and began making videos aimed at educating viewers on social issues “in a way that doesn’t include them reading textbooks with a lot of academic jargon.”
“I became more involved in the reproductive justice movement and realized how important that information was but how hard academia makes it for people to have access to that knowledge,” Lopez said.
With no prior experience in vlogging or editing, Lopez taught herself how to begin her channel with only a cheap camera and a beginner’s editing software. As she created more videos, she began to gain more subscribers and even had a video retweeted by someone she admires.
“I never thought other people would be interested in what I have to say so watching that number slowly but surely grow has been the fuel I need to keep going,” Lopez said.
Before beginning her vlogs, Lopez felt the same nerves and insecurities likely felt by most people considering starting a blog, but she encourages those interested in this field to not allow their worries to stop them from pursuing their passion.
“Put yourself out there because you never know what will happen,” Lopez said. “I have doubted my abilities so much and it has stopped me from being part of some amazing things and I encourage you all to not do that anymore.
However, as the world of vlogging grows, it also gains more critics. Many people doubt the legitimacy of blogging as a career, and Lopez herself has faced people questioning her decision to do this but refuses to let that hold her back and wants her critics to know that she, as well as other bloggers, do not intend to stay in the shadows.
“We are expected to be taking on other roles and responsibilities, but I think with the growth of more bloggers/vloggers and the opportunities that are given to them for being in the field, people are going to have to acknowledge that we are here to stay!” Lopez said. “Also, I think actions speak louder than words so when I get to collaborate with my favorite brand or organization, I will simply remind those people who doubted me of what they said.”
Be sure to check out Leslie’s work and follow her on Twitter to stay updated on what she creates next!
YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2YbJxMD
Blog: https://theblaxicankid.weebly.com/
Twitter: @LesIieLopez_