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Black creators have been at the forefront of trends, and that will likely not end anytime soon. The interesting fact about their impact is that they have not always been paid or recognized for their contributions to the industry. From comedic skits to product recommendations, Black people have been at the center of culture — providing the entertainment and “up-to-date” information the world craves. Recently, Forbes recognized the work of some of these Black creatives. Not only have they been in their creative bag, but they have also overcome some systemic challenges and earned quite a bit of income in the process. Check out the list of Black creators that made the Forbes list.
Black creatives push the culture forward, period. Premium bottled water brand LIFEWTR has remained committed to serving as a source of inspiration and hydration through its latest initiative alongside actress and creative Marsai Martin. Martin will serve as the Creative Curator of Black Art Rising, where she will contribute, collaborate with, and spotlight some of the best in the game when it comes to Black content creators in the newly formed LIFEWTR TikTok medium. Courtesy of Life Water “Having grown up in the entertainment industry and being a creative myself, I’ve seen the lack of resources and representation within the Black content creator community,” said Martin in an official statement. “That’s why I’m excited to partner with LIFEWTR and their Black Art Rising campaign. Being able to create opportunities that spotlight and celebrate Black digital creators who are pushing the culture forward is something I will always support.” Continuing the digital content leg of the...
Issa Rae said it was her “me season.” In yet another deal that serves the Black creative community, Issa Rae proves that it’s her winning season even with the series ending of the beloved “Insecure.” In a press release provided to AfroTech, the creator’s company Raedio has announced that it has closed in on a worldwide multi-project development deal with Audible.
Instagram is creating more ways for creatives to get to the bag! The social media network has announced that it will kick off a test of subscriptions for its U.S. users, per reports from Variety. “This will help creators earn more by offering benefits to their most engaged followers like access to exclusive Lives and Stories,” said Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook and chairman/CEO of its parent company Meta in an official post sharing the news. “I’m excited to keep building tools for creators to make a living doing creative work and to put these tools in more creators’ hands soon.” Only a small portion of those U.S. -based creatives will be able to set a monthly price (at their discretion) and unlock a “subscribe” button via their profile. Creators will have eight different price points to choose from, which range from 99 cents to $99.99 per month. Courtesy of Instagram The new feature, titled Instagram Subscriptions, will also allow creators to manage what content will be...
What seems to be at the top of YouTube’s list this year is a renewed commitment to the creators who keep the platform afloat. According to Deadline, the video-streaming giant has announced that it will return to the core reason that it was created in the first place — to serve as a home to creatives with a focus on user-generated content. While the platform has spent the past few years building a hub for original programming, the news reveals that they will scale back and put the funds back into programs that were built with creatives in mind.
Snap Inc. is introducing its latest efforts to push diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to the forefront with the launch of 523, its first content accelerator program, according to information provided to AfroTech. The goal of 523 is to champion small, minority-owned content companies and creatives. The program counteracts those whose support and resources don’t match the massive influence they bring to the Snapchat community. Courtesy of 523 “The voices of underrepresented groups have long helped shape mainstream culture, yet these creative minds often don’t see the equitable benefits from their impact,” Starr Nathan, 523 Program Manager at Snap Inc., said in a statement. “If you want to make a real change, you have to embed equity in the business. That’s why we are designing tailored workshops, providing funding and helping participants build sustainable businesses.” The fuel behind Snap Inc.’s mission to help build minority-owned content companies and creators is Snapchat’s...
Back in May, Spotify announced a monumental initiative designed to invest in and amplify the work of Black creators in music and beyond. Today, the streaming giant has teamed up with Black woman-operated creative agency FourTwo Creative to rollout a new campaign continuing the momentum of the new budding creator hub. Frequency Podcast Campaign — which features a two-part video series highlighting select Black creators who have chosen podcasting as their creative avenue — was created by both parties in an effort to spotlight a space where Black voices are moving the needle and becoming a dominant force in audio. “Podcasting is yet another medium that allows Black creatives to have a space where they can say what they feel and tap into audiences who can relate,” FourTwo Creative tells AfroTech. “It’s a medium that’s also a level playing field of creating one’s own platform—there are so many resources available that allow creatives to start with what they have and produce quality...
The innovation of Black entrepreneurs is unmatched! As the CEO at Nēdl , the AI-powered search engine for live audio broadcast, Ayinde Alakoye knows a thing or two about creating processes that make our lives easier. Alakoye created Nēdl , to serve as a place where Black people could find their voices and ensure that it’s heard by the masses. “This is a product that is founded by Black people to give Black voices a platform,” shared Alakoye on the latest episode of Black Tech Green Money with host Will Lucas. Nēdl elevates Black voices across all sorts of channels and spheres so that we are heard. The live audio platform allows anyone to create a live call-in radio show that also transcribes, amplifies, and monetizes words as they are spoken. It also serves as an AI-powered search engine for live audio broadcasts. “I think the voice is the unique proposition,” said Alakoye as he explained the value of his product and why it’s so important for Black creators from all walks of life....
We all know that creatives have been running the world, but now they can also run up a check thanks to technology! Creative industry leader and host of Claima (which is short for “claim a seat at the table”) Stories, Bimma Williams knows exactly what it means to be able to use technology to your advantage to claim a seat at the table. “It’s changed everything,” he told Black Tech Green Money host, Will Lucas. “I think back to the time of this creator kind of community that’s happening in the midst of creative economy.” He further explains that from his point of view, around 2010 and 2011, the world saw Facebook mature, Instagram began to come online and Twitter was already mature. He said people had pretty large followings but didn’t have a chance to really cash in from a monetization standpoint. “When you think about today and how those tools have really advanced to how you can literally have something like a Patreon account where you can get a subscription model going for yourself...
Who knew that building an app could be as easy as 1-2-3? Tara Reed is showing entrepreneurs that you don’t have to know how to code in order to build your app. As the founder of Apps Without Code, the No. 1 online school for app entrepreneurs, Reed is assisting others in bringing their app ideas to life and teaching them how to do it with ease. “So before it used to be that if you had an idea for an app or an online business you would have had to hire someone to build it for you and usually pricing for that starts at 20K and up,” Reed tells Will Lucas, host of Black Tech Green Money. She also explains that back then entrepreneurs would also have to find someone to be their tech business partner in order to make an app idea run smoothly, but now that has all changed. “What changed is that the platforms and software available to let people build apps are different,” she continued. “Before you had to know a coding language to get the job done, but now you can build apps in English.”...
Instagram’s @design and the Brooklyn Museum are partnering to announce their inaugural grant program that’s empowering Black creatives this year. The #BlackDesignVisionaries grant program officially launched today as part of a joint effort to amplify, center and invest in the Black design community. Founded with a mission to create an open, inclusive and safe space that’s inspiring for all, Instagram’s @design strives to uplift the emerging talent amongst Black designers whose work embodies the platform’s core design values. “@design is committed to uplifting underrepresented voices and championing inclusivity and accessibility, which is why we’re delighted to launch #BlackDesignVisionaries,” Ian Spalter — Instagram’s Head of Design — said in a press statement. “We hope that the craft, passion, and creativity of our grant committee and partners, as well as Instagram’s design values, will inspire designers to share their dreams with us.” The #BlackDesignVisionaries program will award...
If you’re looking for a tech company that’s all about diversity and inclusion, look no further because Cre8te Technology is here! Serial entrepreneur , businessman, and philanthropist, Brandon McGhee formed Cre8te to bridge the gap between a concept and a product. Cre8te was built to foster innovation and partner with creatives to help them bring their ideas to life. “It all started when I studied under my mentor, a tech billionaire from Chicago,” shared McGhee in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “I’ve always been a creative person and haven’t always had the resources needed to bring them to fruition and so my company Cre8te helps other creatives who’ve had the same sentiments.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cre8te (@cre8tetechnology) McGhee has always understands first-hand what it’s like to be a Black creative with limited resources but he’s now discovered that the same applies to Black founders. “I feel that other people say that they want to help but...
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Solange Knowles originally launched her company, Saint Heron, back in 2013 with a simple mission to create a cultural hub that amplifies the work of Black artists across music, art and film. Now, the digital brand is looking to reintroduce itself through its next evolutionary phase as a cultural institution. According to a press release shared with AfroTech, Saint Heron is officially expanding into a multidisciplinary platform, studio and creative agency in which its mission will continue to uphold values that “preserve, collect and uplift the stories, works, and archives” of Black and brown artists throughout our creative communities. “Saint Heron’s vision to build and structure new worlds that connect and strengthen our identities through expression, is the foundation of its work,” Knowles told ESSENCE. “We are intentional about how we empower authenticity, and that begins from our center. I am so honored to have this incredible team of women by my...
At the peak of last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, Facebook stepped up to pledge $200 million toward Black-owned businesses, creators, and communities in an effort to offer substantial support that’s lacked in recent years. Now they’re taking it a step further to cultivate a wide-reaching creative community/accelerator program called “We the Culture” — supported by a $25 million investment. The program aims to amplify the voices of Black content creators and their work to celebrate our influential culture. The new community was created by a passionate team of Black employees at Facebook who are helping Black visionaries share their creations with the world, while also serving as a launching pad for their professional careers. “We The Culture celebrates Black creativity,” co-founder Michelle Mitchell shared with AfroTech. “I’m a Black creative myself — I’m convinced that a part of my desire to create and express is driven by a need to render myself less invisible in a society...