During a time where supporting BLM and BIPOC is very important, one of the best things we can do to help support is to learn. With today’s technology, we can learn through film, books, news sources, and TV, but one of the most accessible and easiest ways we can learn more is through our social media. By following accounts and influencers of colour, it can help us learn more about what is occurring in Black and BIPOC communities, and also add influence and consistent learning about a variety of things to our everyday lives. With so many accounts on Instagram to view, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. So, if you’re looking for some accounts to follow, here are a few to get you started:
- @soyouwanttotalkabout
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This account is likely one you have seen when swiping through your Instagram stories. Run by an activist named Jess, @soyouwanttotalkabout adds a twist to the general information posts you see on Instagram but uses her platform to create informational PowerPoints to be shared online. @soyouwanttotalkabout creates slideshows on a variety of topics, including mental health, political news, and most primarily, posts that discuss topics relating to BLM, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ communities. Out of all the accounts on this list, @soyouwanttotalkabout is one of the top accounts for information and helps people of all ages understand what is going on in the world and how you can help. You can follow @soyouwanttotalkabout on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter, and you can also check out their account to find petitions to sign, ways to take action, and recommended reads.
- @nabela
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Nabela Noor is a Bangladeshi-American social media influencer, activist and the CEO/Founder of Zeba and Noor House. On her page, she covers lots of topics relating to mental health, body image, interracial relationships, and other struggles she has in her own life. She loves not only discussing these topics, but also showcasing her forms of self-care and how she gets past these struggles with her followers, which is why you may recognize her from aesthetic videos part of her #PocketsofPeace series on social media. Nabela’s other platforms include YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter pages, as well as additional Instagram pages, including @nabelanoorhome where you can find most of her #PocketsofPeace content, and her business pages @zeba (her body inclusive clothing brand) and @noorhouse (a scholarship program for disadvantaged girls to get the education and nourishment they need).
- @2amtakeoutpod
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If you have been listening to podcasts to learn more about what is going on in the world in relation to activism and social justice within the BIPOC communities, chances are you have stumbled upon a newer podcast called 2 AM Takeout. Run by Mindy, Katelyn, Angel, and Yumi, this podcast launched in June of 2020 and is primarily known for its conversations on youth activism and Asian American culture. They do not have too many episodes yet, but I would recommend checking out their Instagram in the meantime. The @2amtakeoutpod Instagram page has lots of content-filled carousel posts which have discussed topics including fast fashion, ICE deportation, #EndSars protests, blackfishing, and everything in between. They also have important petitions that you can sign on their page to help take a stand.
- @_kaicealea
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Kaice Alea is a social media influencer whose primary focus is beauty and self-care and is a host for the podcast His and Her Theory. When it comes to Kaice’s beauty and self-care products, she not only shows audiences her topmost popular products with the help of the #SephoraSquad Ambassador program, but she also likes to incorporate and promote products from Black-owned businesses. From using them in her latest YouTube videos, to posting them on her special Instagram story highlight dedicated to buying Black-owned business products, she’s always finding ways to showcase great products you may not have heard of, while promoting Black-owned businesses that are important to support. You can find Kaice on Instagram & YouTube, as well as on her His and Her Theory podcast wherever you stream them!
- @ethelsclub
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If you’re looking for ways to help support and learn about the BIPOC community, consider following @ethelsclub. @ethelsclub is a social media and wellness club that was created to focus on people of colour. @ethelsclub consists of two halves: shopping and information. On the shopping end, @ethelsclub has an online store filled with lots of products created by Black entrepreneurs that you can purchase in support, rather than getting items that go toward big box companies. On the other end, the @ethelsclub Instagram provides lots of posts to help members heal, learn more about their mental health, and find other media created by members of POC communities. They also have loads or petitions to sign and offer many different healing sessions for members of the Black community.
- @yarashahidi
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Having the most presence on our influencer list is actress and activist Yara Shahidi. Yara is most prominently known for her acting in Grown-ish and Black-ish, two prime-time sitcoms with BIPOC members in front and behind the camera. Along with acting, Yara uses her platform to spread awareness on the BLM movement, #EndSars, and various other topics that need to be addressed. Along with social media, Yara also uses her role as executive producer on Grown-ish to create TV content to act as an advocate and to help spread awareness of what goes on within the Black community.
The five accounts I selected only scratch the surface of BIPOC influencers and social justice accounts that you can follow on social media. But by following these accounts, it will allow you to form a foundation of accounts to discover, which will allow you to learn more about what is going on in the world, and how to be an ally to those in need.