@awa.willow
awa.willowThe Tension Between Influencers and Traditional Media Recently, I participated in an interview with @CBSEveningNews and @jo ling kent that turned out to be disappointing. I wasn’t allowed to film the interview, and as expected, my words were twisted. Despite refusing to disclose my rates, they manipulated my comments about average earnings in the beauty space, falsely implying I charge $10,000 for advocacy work (girl I wish). They reduced me to a beauty influencer supposedly swayed by political groups, erasing the genuine advocacy I’ve championed since 2020. Had I known right-wing media would use this interview to undermine the work of myself and other creators just because we’re compensated, I wouldn’t have done it. Traditional media is obsessed with discrediting content creators because we pose a threat to their dying industry. Instead of adapting, they attempt to portray us as uneducated and untrustworthy. Even my colleague @Elizabeth Booker Houston was diminished to just a “former lawyer.” I’ve highlighted a few publications that have treated us with the respect we deserve. These outlets understand that creators are multifaceted—we’re doctors, lawyers, technologists (like myself), and more. We’re deeply invested in our democracy, not because we’re told to be, but because we genuinely care. Here are a few publications recognize our expertise, passion, and commitment to the causes we champion.
On the profile · Aug 26, 2024