By: Whitney Kouaho (’20), Staff Writer
YouTube is the second biggest search engine after its owner Google. Many people aged 18-24 are spending more time watching videos on YouTube than they are watching cable television. The platform has over 1.5 billion users and it’s safe to say it has taken the world by storm.
Similarly, blogging is also a huge industry. From micro-blogging (e.g. Twitter) to personal blogging, business blogging and much more, the blogging industry represents a different form of online journalism. Bloggers have the opportunity to flex their writing skills and interests without the censorship that may arise from writing for a publication.
I asked a few female YouTubers and Bloggers from UNC about their experiences on the digital platforms and what they see for themselves in the future.
Yaa Sarpon: Beauty/Lifestyle Youtuber
Yaa is a junior pre-dental, public policy major. She runs her channel with her friend Chanele. After spending her childhood watching videos on YouTube, Yaa toyed with the idea of starting a channel because she believed it would be fun and wanted to help bring more representation to YouTubers of color.
When I asked her if there are any roadblocks for creators of color, she noted that women of color may have more difficulty than others to become successful on the platform. In her own words, “People always give influencers like Jackie Aina and Alissa Ashley a harder time than they would someone like Jeffrey Star or Nikkitutorials.” Many of the disparities that exist in everyday society, translate to the online sphere. In the future, she would like to continue the channel and become more consistent.
Channel: Yaa and Chanele
Kristen Marion: Music and Politics Blogger
Kristen is a senior Music and Public Policy student. She started her blog to share her experience as a Black classical musician. In her own words, “At this point in time, I really just want it to be a space for myself and maybe others to address the issues that I’ve found in hopes of documenting realizations.” As a Black musician, she wants to augment some of the conflicts that arise from all of her different identities. During her time as a blogger, one difficulty she has had concerns consistency. Among many other things, she is an activist and full-time student, and at times it is hard to juggle her many responsibilities. In the future, she wants to continue blogging and connecting with others who may have the same experiences.
Blog: https://enharmonicspellings.wordpress.com/
Jacqueline Hada: Lifestyle/Fashion/Beauty Blogger and YouTuber
Jaq is a senior Exercise and Sports Science major. She started her channel and blog after she received an enormous amount of support from friends and loved ones. As she told me, “Goals wise, I honestly just want to help people gain knowledge. (I want) to continue to grow and get better at creating original content. Of course, higher numbers would be nice, but at the moment that’s not my main focus.” She understands how over-saturated YouTube is and sometimes feels as if it “hard to not only stand out but to also keep your engagement up”. And as I mentioned earlier, there are millions of active channels on the platform, so her concerns are not unfounded. In the future, as she transitions into her career, she would like to continue building her brand using these outlets and hopes to commit to a more consistent posting schedule.
Blog: https://sheisgoldblooded.wordpress.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/JaqIsAUnicorn
Others on campus:
Olivia McPhaul: Spiritual and Lifestyle Blogger, Aspiring Novel Writer
https://Truthfullyyours.weebly.com
Whitney-Jocelyn Kouaho (hey, that’s me): Political and Popular Culture Blogger, Natural Hair Youtuber, Aspiring Novel and TV Writer
http://www.kinksnthinks.com
https://youtube.com/whitneykouaho
Ajia Caldwell: Self-help and Growth
https://thiswoman.weebly.com
