There are a lot of black influencers, bloggers, content creators…but more often than not, they get overlooked by the white influencers. Racial discrimination also exists in the influencer industry. I’ve heard stories of black women getting invited to press trips and getting lesser treatment.
It’s a shame because there are so many black influencers that not only make amazing content but use their platform to speak out about the issues black women deal with on a daily basis.
On this post, I want to give a shoutout to my favorite black influencers and explain why I think they are so awesome!
Jackie Aina
Jackie Aina is one of the most popular black beauty Youtubers. I admire her for being so outspoken about discrimination against black people, especially in the beauty industry where makeup for darker skin tones is limited. Her Anastasia Beverly Hills palette (which I reviewed here) was amazing and one of my favorites (along with the Soft Glam).
Set Apart Style
Nash Amber is a UK-based fashion and lifestyle blogger, the face of Set Apart Style. She is a devout Christian and also shares godly spiritual encouragement. Her outfits are modest but far from dowdy. She has an impeccable and classic feminine style that is office-friendly, travel-friendly, and chill outside-friendly. I try to take my style inspo from her. She also rocks her natural hair!
Ruthie Ridley
I hate using the terms “boss girl” or “boss babe”, but that is what I can best describe Ruthie Ridley. She is a fashion blogger that has worked with many different brands (including Vici!), but she is also a Registered Nurse AND a worship leader! It doesn’t get any more ambitious than that! Ruthie shows that you can have multiple callings and look stylish while living your purpose! Even, or especially as a WOC. Her family also lovely: She is from Jamaica, and her husband is from the UK, and they have 3 beautiful children. Oh, and she is from Sacramento too!
Chelsea Olivia
If you are 5’2″ or under, you are going to love Chelsea Olivia. Her blog is called LoweCo Petite, after all. She is 4’11” but full of energy and sass, and her outfits show it! Honestly, I didn’t follow her at first because I wasn’t into her blogger clique of friends. And I felt bad about her being the “token” black friend in a sea of bleach blonde bloggers. But after this incident with George Floyd, I saw that Chelsea brought it to light on her Instagram stories, that her friends didn’t bother to check up on her and didn’t even raise any sort of awareness until she and their other followers called them out. Some friends they are. But things like that reveal who your real friends are. She has a few Q&A highlights on her Instagram, with people asking her about her background, faith, what it’s like to be a WOC blogger, and just plain getting to know her!
Cake and Cashmere
If Cashmere looks familiar to you, that’s because she’s the Founder/CEO of Beauty Bakerie, one of the most popular black-owned beauty brands to date. She is as sweet as her products. Her story is inspiring: she is a cancer survivor, and her mission is to be better, not bitter (which is also the name of her coffee & cocoa palette). The idea came from a blog post she wrote a while ago: that she could be bitter about her cancer and her circumstances, but instead she chose to rise above it all and be better.
Brit and Barre
Britany is Pure Barre instructor in Portland. She uses her platform on IG with photos of herself doing barre moves with correct and incorrect form to help you improve your own form. The barre fitness culture can be very elitist and whitewashed—the demographic in barre classes and the marketing materials show 20-30-something white, size 2 lululemon housewives (although their marketing has diversified over the years). But because of this, many WOC want to try barre but are afraid of not fitting in. It is refreshing to see a WOC in the fitness space, especially the barre/yoga/Pilates space. Brit has Rheumatoid Arthritis which helps me relate with my lupus (also a rheumatoid disease). She shows that barre is for everyone, no matter what shape, size, color, or ability!
Tanika NYC Lifestyle
When I look for home decor ideas and inspiration, I look no further than Tanika’s IG page. Her apartment decor is GOALS. Her 900+ square ft. NYC apartment is a muse for my 670 square ft. Sacramento apartment. Her tastes are eclectic, colorful, and whimsical. Just like my taste in decor! I would just love to chill on her couch and have a cup of coffee with her. Her dog is adorable too!
Jacie Scott
I first saw and heard about Jacie on Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team when she cheered for America’s Team for four seasons. After that, she went on to be a Radio City Rockette in NYC for a few seasons. Talk about an impressive dance resume! In addition to being a dancer, Jacie is a writer and the founder of non-profit We Declare Hope, in dedication to her mother who passed away from pancreatic cancer.
What other black influencers do you follow?
Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.