Earlier this year, Snap announced the Black Creator Accelerator — a program to help remove systemic barriers for Black creators. Now, the social media giant is in celebratory mode for its inaugural class.



In June, Snap’s 523 initiative shared the news that 25 program selectees would be paid $10,000 monthly for a year — totaling $120,000 — as previously reported by AfroTech. The $3 million funding’s mission is to support Black creators in turning their talent on social media into full-blown careers.

What’s more, Google Pixel, UNCMMN, and Westbrook Media became partners for the initiative.

“Black creators face unique systemic barriers across the creator industry — from disparities in compensation and attribution, to toxic experiences and more,” the company wrote in a press release at the time. “We believe one of the ways we can help remove some of those barriers is to provide mentorship and financial resources to emerging Black creators in the early stages of their professional career.”

On Sept. 20, Snap officially introduced its first class of 25 creators selected for the Black Creator Accelerator, according to information shared with AfroTech.

Along with $10,000 a month for 12 months, each creator ​​will receive a “Quick Tap to Snap” enabled Pixel 7 Pro device, industry mentorship, hands-on learning experiences, and more.

“This program, which falls under Snap’s 523 initiative, is our first accelerator program designed to support and spotlight emerging Black creators on their journey to make content creation a full-time career,” Snap states. “At Snap, we aim to not only ensure that content on our platform reflects the diversity of Snapchatters and their interests, but also help our creator community grow their audiences and build their businesses.”

The names of creators selected are as follows: