8 Incredible People of Colour to Follow on Instagram
Previously to 2018, I didn’t consider more than, “do I like this content?” when I started using social media. Like most people, I followed my friends and famous people I admired. It’s only now I’m older, and have been using it for over a decade, that I’ve noticed a few unsettling things:
The majority of posts that are recommended to me on ‘Discover’ are pushing a heteronormative and patriarchal agenda.
The beauty that is revered is as limited as it was at the height of the supermodel era. It’s all skinny, white, and flesh-flashing with the odd splash of something different here and there to negate any backlash.
The niches that I was once so enthusiastic about, and hoping to find like-minded people to obsess over with, like mental health, travel, nature and feminism, started making me feel uncomfortable. Why, you ask? Because they are dominated by white people, and often wealthy white people. Don’t get me wrong, loads of those people are incredible at what they do and deserve their success. But many are not.
Added to that, a lot of people I know, are leaving social media, or detoxing at least. My friend Donna, told me she intentionally follows accounts of people to challenge the narrow image of ‘beautiful’ identities we are pushed. It made me take the plunge too! I deleted loads of accounts I followed out of habit, and looked for hashtags to introduce me to a more enlightening host of people. It’s as if my worldview is being rewritten, and I like it.
So, if you want to #brownupyourfeed here are some of my favourite accounts from people of colour who are owning the internet and challenging just about every stereotype under the sun.
Cali Wolf A fascinating woman who is gentle and fierce in equal measure, Cali talks about life as a native American who was adopted out of her tribe and is reconnecting with her heritage in adulthood.
Cali leaves the sassy approach to the other cool kids online and is unabashedly sensitive and gentle in her approach to sharing her own views. I love how feminine she is, but not because she is a 'good girl' who tows the line, more like because she's a reminder that you can be strong without sarcasm, and can take care of your mental health without being ashamed to admit it.
She is also a new mother, nurse, and empath, so her voice is akin to a hot water bottle in bed, soothing out the sore spots.This account has temporarily changed its handle from How Not to Travel Like a Basic Bitch, because she’s working in a project with kids. But, don't be fooled by the jokey account name of the past anyway, it was all a ruse to grab attention, this woman holds a PHD, posts ass pictures just to prove you can do that while still both loving yourself and being an academic. Her content is all about providing a forum for diverse voices and she's even curating a book about travelling while native.
Kiona is everything I've ever wanted to be, clever, confident, outgoing and inclusive. You don't get better than this agent provocateur.
She has recently posted a lot about cancel culture and accountability, she always comes through with the nuance that so many other people on the internet refuse to engage with.
Ohsahzay An intersectional feminist who describes herself as queer and an activist, 2 of my favourite things!
She talks loads about body politics and I learn a lot from her about sex workers, I often find it a bit out of my comfort zone, but in a good way, because I've been asking myself why rather than just opting out of hearing alternate views.
Monet is one of my favourite bloggers, if Monet had been at uni with me I would have tried to befriend her. To have discussed all things cultural theory with her until the early hours of the morning. I just know, I’d be sitting her now fondly remembering those nights of my fierce academic awakening!
This woman can write. She picks topics I like: blackface in contemporary art, the monopolisation of street-art and even some Blake Lively fashion fanning!
Check out her blog here Monet's blog.Ideal Black Female - Mandy - This woman, the way she champions herself! The word ‘ideal’ in her handle and a bio in which she describes herself as ‘a critical caption essayist’. As so many public social media accounts are focused on gaining status or wealth, we’ve come to expect the artifice of filters and angled bodies or the virtue signalling and green/rainbow washing from the ‘ethical‘ corporations, couple that with populist cancel culture clicktivism of keyboard warriors (who will write books repeating their own echo chamber verbatim) it seems almost pointless to expect anything ‘real‘ when we have commodified authenticity to the point we can’t know when we are seeing it.
When I consider why so many users are closing their accounts, or going offline for a month and using ‘detox‘ tactics, I can’t help but wonder if it’s because the spectacle is boring us? Do we want something corporeal? If so, Mandy is that. Earnest too, and articulate. I was drawn in by her commentary about race and sexuality, but have stayed because of the absoluteness of her virility.
Brown Up Your Feed Radio Hour - With Mandy Harris Williams, can be found here.
Ann Danger: I followed Ann because she draws pretty stuff, I was mostly wooed by her Disney residency and adoration of Studio Ghibli but then 2 things happened: First, I saw a story of hers where she mentioned that seeing 'Crazy Rich Asians' in the cinema had made her cry (because it was so amazing to see people who looked like her in leading roles on the big screen) Which, in my humble opinion, was really brave to admit; it's hard to be vulnerable online and especially so when you use social media to make money.
Second, she did a really detailed guide to her skin regime, after people kept sliding into her DMs about it apparently, and I followed a few recommendations for my acne spots and have NEVER been so impressed. She wasn't paid to do that either and isn't affiliated to the brands she mentioned, so double thumbs up.For the Love of Tradish Medicine Is from the Yup’ik tribe, her name is Angute’karaq (meaning, “the one who is supposed to be a man” or "provider”) Her English name is Estelle Thomson. She is from the Alaskan Southwestern Bering Sea coast village of Naparyarmiut– known as Hooper Bay in English. Her account is all about breaking down what it means to be a 'medicine woman'.
I feel like I'm being graciously welcomed when I read posts from this account. There are so many gentle reminders about the natural world and how to be our most congruent selves. There's also lots of focus on how to preserve traditions in the modern age, and what the assimilation climate in the USA is like right now. Expect to be curiouser and curiouser if you go down this rabbit hole.I could not resist this stunning drag king. Fizzing with hope, shunning the gender binary and rapping… While in sequins. What is there not to be charmed by? The Sunday Times said they “use humour as a feminist weapon“ and I’d die happy if I was described that way. Well played Christian Adore, I adore YOU!
Voila, there you have my beginners guide to following more diverse content! Let me know who else I should be following in the comments.
