Black digital creators appreciate not being “the only one in the room”

The Bel-Air Hotel was hosted by some of the internet’s favorite content creators at the second annual TikTok Visionary Voices Black Hollywood Brunch in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. The event marked the celebration of the social media platform’s 2024 Visionary Voices list, honoring 15 Black creators, small business owners and disruptors from across industries.

“Unfortunately, I’m used to being one of them when I walk into the room, but in a room like today I feel so much love because we are very many,” said Canadian pop star LU KALA (@igobylu), one of this year’s winners, said during a panel moderated by Alexzi Girma, TikTok’s #BlackTikTok community manager.

Girma co-hosted the brunch with Shavone Charles, TikTok’s global head of diversity and inclusion communications, who encouraged guests to stop by their first-ever #ShopBlack experiential installation, which included brands like Topicals , Pat McGrath Labs, Ami Colé and FORVR Mood. , as part of the platform’s ongoing commitment to elevating Black creativity.

During the panel discussion, EVERY HEAD and fellow 2024 honorees Jordan Howlett (@jordan_the_stallion8) and Daven Gates (@onestopchop) each shared how they found their voice on TikTok and what building a community meant to them.

“Growing up playing baseball, I was the only black kid on the team for a lot of it, and you have to learn a lot on your own if you don’t have a lot of people that look like you around you,” shared Howlett, who has a global reach of 23 million followers and is known for his humorous takes on life and his recent viral interactions with Man of method And The rock. “The hardest part for me was that I just needed advice. I needed someone who could tell me that I could do these things, that people like me had done these things.

A former D1 athlete, Howlett said TikTok gave him new dreams when he leaned into the platform after his hopes of being drafted into Major League Baseball were derailed by the pandemic. “The most rewarding thing about making these videos is hearing people say that my videos make them feel like we’re having a conversation and that they feel wanted in this space. This is something I wish I had between the ages of 15 and 22.

As a black pop star, LU KALA connected with Howlett’s feelings of being an outsider. “I didn’t grow up and see people who look like me on screen doing anything other than what people expect a lot of black people to do,” she said during the panel. “I don’t think difference is rewarded, not at first. I think in the long run the game will pay off, but in the beginning I feel like we’re all fighting to break down these barriers, so I feel like winning means that other girls, boys and people can win. by my side. »

Gates’ motivation as a creator comes from being a father. Her son, Cam, is often seen in her popular cooking videos. “It’s like a taboo for a black father to be at home, so I try to portray fatherhood in a positive way so he can see a positive image of me,” he shared.

The significance of the performance was a sentiment shared by other guests in attendance, including beauty influencer Jackie Aina (@jackieaina), who said The Hollywood Reporter, “I use my voice to uplift the black community by walking into rooms and not being the only person. Reaching out and bringing others with me and advocating on behalf of people who otherwise might not be as confident speaking up in certain scenarios. I do this because there are people who have done it for me.

In addition to Howlett, Gates and LU KALA, TikTok’s 2024 Visionaries list includes the following individuals categorized into three areas:

— Creators: Aliyah (@aliyahsinterlude), Taylor Lindsay-Noel (@accessbytay), Ms. Hassan (@misswondroussoul), Little (@nyane)

— Industry Disruptors: Victoria Monét (@victoriamonet), Coco Jones (@cocojones), Dr. Darien Sutton (@docteur.darien)

— Small enterprises : De’arra Taylor and Tara Jones (@lorvaeeyewear), Trenton Williams (@pochigoods), Danielle Johnson (@realmcandles.ca), Kymani Ashanti (@theskincarebakery), Olamide Olowe (@topicals)

Sunday’s brunch was one of several initiatives TikTok executed to celebrate Black creators during Black History Month. As part of the platform’s Out of Phone: Cinema partnership with Screenvision Media, this year’s winners were also featured in theaters nationwide during Screenvision’s Front + Center film premiere throughout of the month of February. These efforts underscore the hopes that creators in the room shared for the prospects of digital media and entertainment.

“I’m really excited about the future of this, because if you look around the room right now, there’s so much Black excellence and Black creativity,” LU KALA said. “And I feel like in the future there will be so many more.”

Anaja Smith contributed to this report.