Why it’s important to support Black writers in Charlotte — and everywhere
Have you ever taken a second to stop and look at the racial makeup of Charlotte? Really look beyond your own neighborhood, core group of friends or even coworkers. If you did, you would see that while 49.5% of residents are white, a little over 35% of them are Black.
Why is this important?
With a city this diverse, it is important that the same racial makeup is reflected in media, marketing and branding. As racial protests continue to unfold across the country and people are slowly waking up to the realities of our nation, another group of people are finally being spoken up for — Black writers and bloggers.
Houston-based blogger Erika Harrison of the Instagram account @blackgirlswhobrunch created a post that went viral, speaking on the harsh realities of being a Black blogger today. Her post highlighted the fact that while the world is banding together to support Black-owned restaurants and businesses, they should keep in mind that writers, bloggers and influencers are entrepreneurs, too.
%20(1).jpg "FullSizeRender (3) (1).jpg")
Black journalists, writers, bloggers or even influencers are often overlooked or ignored by brands and businesses simply because they don’t fit or appeal to a certain demographic.
Charlotte-based food blogger Cory Wilkins of @dailyspecialsclt has encountered this experience.
“Even after becoming well established in the blogger world here in Charlotte, I would often still get excluded from many of the blogger events due to nepotism and the individuals in charge wanting to keep access only within their circles,” Wilkins told CharlotteFive.
Wilkins’ page focuses on highlighting businesses around our city that may not necessarily get attention from the media or some of what he called the “inner circle” bloggers. He has taken a special interest in visiting and photographing dishes from many of the city’s Black-owned restaurants. His posts garner hundreds of likes and drive customers to the businesses through his appealing photos.
‘Very few Black-owned places were getting any coverage’ in Charlotte
“Very few Black-owned places were getting any coverage when they were just as good, if not better, than many of the places that constantly were getting posted over and over again by bloggers and media. That is why my goal has always been to shine some light on those places that mainstream bloggers and media often neglect, while also giving my community someone that they can connect with and that looks like them.”
As the current climate has shifted, there has been an increase in Black-owned content coming from mainstream media and non-Black content creators. Dozens of lists appeared across social media platforms highlighting the Black business owners not only in Charlotte, but cities across the country.
Initially, Wilkins felt that platforms were using the movement for their own personal gains and noticed that many of them had never supported or highlighted Black businesses in the past. He described it as frustrating, but as the weeks have gone on, he’s embraced the additional coverage.
“I love hearing that many of the places I frequent now have lines out the door and are finally getting more recognition,” he said. “A group of friends and I started #eatblkclt to keep the progress moving forward and to hopefully motivate people to keep supporting these places even after it’s no longer trendy.”
How can I find Black bloggers and influencers?
Harrison also pointed out in her post that brand and business reps often say they aren’t familiar with Black bloggers or influencers. This means that only a fraction of the creatives in a given city are represented, which limits community awareness of what’s happening around them. Bloggers and influencers often appeal to people who look like them and have similar socio-economic backgrounds. If they are excluded, then their communities are ultimately excluded, too.
An easy way to scope out and engage with Black bloggers and influencers is to first check hashtags on social media that represent them. In Charlotte, tags like #blackbloggerclt, #blackfoodiesclt or #blackinfluencerclt will often steer you in the right direction. Simply asking other bloggers for suggestions will allow you to put together a new network of people to reach out to, as well.
While our city is home to tons of creatives, writers, bloggers and influencers, it’s time that we start including all races and ethnicities. It’s the only way to ensure our entire city is included and represented.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 12:30 PM.
