In the spirit of Black History Month, I thought I'd dedicate this post to talking about some of my favourite black-owned accounts, websites, businesses, charities etc. It's really quite laughable that I'm doing this because I reckon I have maybe 10% of the audience of even the smallest of them, but maybe it will help just a little, and it's nice to show things you've been enjoying, which are often whitewashed anyway. Full disclosure: my list of non-mainstream black creators is a little short, but I'll try anyway.
Accounts:
@professorlove_
Jamel makes satire videos, mostly about racism. They're very creative and have a vine vibe. He acts out all his own characters in the same way, and his token white character (who's often racist in un-overt, nuanced ways) is just signified by this Bieber-esque blonde wig, which is hilarious to me.
He also has a podcast with Chaya Crowder, where they discuss the intersectIons of pop-culture and politics. I haven't listen to it yet (I just found about it), but I'm really excited to start.
@meeks.ravyon
Meeks is an AMAZINGLY talented photographer. He shoots for PAQ (a great fashion show with two wonderful black boys), as well as independent and freelance projects, and have a city-magic feel to them. Here are a few of my favourites:
He's also EXTREMELY handsome. Like, jaw-droppingly.
@nowhitesaviours
The title says it all, really. This account points out and talks about the problem of white saviourism, particularly when white (or "wyt") people travel to Africa to "volunteer" when they do not have the necessary qualifications to actually help in any way - the assumption being that their existence is as good or better than that of a qualified African.
Websites
andrerhenry.com
Andre writes a lot about the very subtle ways in which he and other black people experience racism. He's extremely eloquent and expresses himself in shocking but effective ways. I'll leave you the pleasure of discovering this.
PluggedNYC
This is a black-owned and run online shop that has an insta-baddie vibe. Last year or so, their designs were stolen by Kylie Jenner, just one example of black fashion and culture being re-appropriated and straight up stolen, made palatable for white audiences by the famous, who can get away with it because of their status. So they deserve some extra support!
Artists
Terrance Hayes
A beautifully oblique poet. I love this one in particular:
Lil Tracy
Tracy's a rapper but he's also a goddamn poet. He wrote one of my favourite lines ever, "I know you wanna FaceTime / baby I have Samsung". As you can see fro that line alone, he's great at blending the new machinery of our 21st century lives with age old love tales. This and his extension of gothic imagery into modernity is amazing. It's typical of the whole of the gothboiclique, but I think he does it best.
My favourite of his songs:
Like A Farmer is also incredibly witty and intergrates racial commentary really subtly:
Academics:
Safiya Noble
Safiya Noble's research is just really fucking cool and, in the face of the now not-so-recent American election, very relevant: how the internet is biased in relation to politics, particularly social justice. I haven't read her new book, but I learnt about her through an instagram story of @awardforgoodboy 's where she talks about Noble's very book, "The Algorithms of Oppression". Very simply put, the algorithms that govern very, very big websites like Google and Facebook are inherently racist, sexist etc, because the tech industry, especially programmers, are overwhelmingly white, wealthy men. Their inherent (and sometimes even overt) biases are reflected in the way that they code.
Charities / Causes
Therapy for Black Women and Girls
I've talked about this before, and I'll talk about this again. Financially support Rachel Cargle's initiative to provide psychological support for black women and girls! Their oppression has caused a trauma that needs to be addressed, but, of course, is not because of this same oppression.
Help Walela Through Chemotherapy
Walela's an artist and social justice advocate and community organiser who can no longer work due to her chemotherapy in hopes of remission
-
What this has shown me is that I don't support nearly enough BIPOC people, so I'm going to work on that.
Accounts:
@professorlove_
Jamel makes satire videos, mostly about racism. They're very creative and have a vine vibe. He acts out all his own characters in the same way, and his token white character (who's often racist in un-overt, nuanced ways) is just signified by this Bieber-esque blonde wig, which is hilarious to me.
He also has a podcast with Chaya Crowder, where they discuss the intersectIons of pop-culture and politics. I haven't listen to it yet (I just found about it), but I'm really excited to start.
@meeks.ravyon
Meeks is an AMAZINGLY talented photographer. He shoots for PAQ (a great fashion show with two wonderful black boys), as well as independent and freelance projects, and have a city-magic feel to them. Here are a few of my favourites:
He's also EXTREMELY handsome. Like, jaw-droppingly.
@nowhitesaviours
The title says it all, really. This account points out and talks about the problem of white saviourism, particularly when white (or "wyt") people travel to Africa to "volunteer" when they do not have the necessary qualifications to actually help in any way - the assumption being that their existence is as good or better than that of a qualified African.
Websites
andrerhenry.com
Andre writes a lot about the very subtle ways in which he and other black people experience racism. He's extremely eloquent and expresses himself in shocking but effective ways. I'll leave you the pleasure of discovering this.
PluggedNYC
This is a black-owned and run online shop that has an insta-baddie vibe. Last year or so, their designs were stolen by Kylie Jenner, just one example of black fashion and culture being re-appropriated and straight up stolen, made palatable for white audiences by the famous, who can get away with it because of their status. So they deserve some extra support!
Artists
Terrance Hayes
A beautifully oblique poet. I love this one in particular:
Lil Tracy
Tracy's a rapper but he's also a goddamn poet. He wrote one of my favourite lines ever, "I know you wanna FaceTime / baby I have Samsung". As you can see fro that line alone, he's great at blending the new machinery of our 21st century lives with age old love tales. This and his extension of gothic imagery into modernity is amazing. It's typical of the whole of the gothboiclique, but I think he does it best.
My favourite of his songs:
Like A Farmer is also incredibly witty and intergrates racial commentary really subtly:
Academics:
Safiya Noble
Safiya Noble's research is just really fucking cool and, in the face of the now not-so-recent American election, very relevant: how the internet is biased in relation to politics, particularly social justice. I haven't read her new book, but I learnt about her through an instagram story of @awardforgoodboy 's where she talks about Noble's very book, "The Algorithms of Oppression". Very simply put, the algorithms that govern very, very big websites like Google and Facebook are inherently racist, sexist etc, because the tech industry, especially programmers, are overwhelmingly white, wealthy men. Their inherent (and sometimes even overt) biases are reflected in the way that they code.
Charities / Causes
Therapy for Black Women and Girls
I've talked about this before, and I'll talk about this again. Financially support Rachel Cargle's initiative to provide psychological support for black women and girls! Their oppression has caused a trauma that needs to be addressed, but, of course, is not because of this same oppression.
Help Walela Through Chemotherapy
Walela's an artist and social justice advocate and community organiser who can no longer work due to her chemotherapy in hopes of remission
-
What this has shown me is that I don't support nearly enough BIPOC people, so I'm going to work on that.
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