The culture of producing inclusive and diverse content, is growing and vital. These influencers, not only create powerful content but have cultivated cultural movements on and offline.
Dust off your bookmarks. We’ve endlessly scanned through loads of digital destinations by content providers, had several battle-of-the minds in the office, and reviewed threads via groups on Linkedin.
We finally present our first installment of “Content Culture,” a discussion and list of online entrepreneurs that breathe, eat, and provide excellent creative content and have built digital cultures (communities) around their brand. So we present :
Content Culture: 90 Creatives Cultivating Digital Communities Using Content:
1. 9to5chic.com by Content Creator, Anh Sundstrom | (US)
She started as a marketing assistant at a medical textbook publishing company. On the side, she birthed 9to5chic—a hobby— her personal life and style blog for those who desire to know how to transform weekend wear into affordable work wear.
She also uses her blog as a creative outlet for sharing her love of shopping and day-to-night style options. What grew into a hugely popular style blog also served as the reason
behind her securing her role as Marketing Director of the Destination Tiburon.
2. A Blonde Around The World by Content Creator, Pamela Goding | (Italy)
At the tender age of 17, Pamela Goding’s love for travel was birthed when her Father sent her to a cultural exchange program in Sweden. This experience grew her love for travel, and her perspective on life took flight. After work landing a job and working nine (9) years, she decided to focus 100% on her blog and creative career as a freelancer, web and graphic designer, and illustrator.
3. Afri POP Mag by Content Creator, Yolanda Sangweni | (South Africa/US)
To escape apartheid, Yolanda’s mom and her were forced to leave their home country. The South-African born media mogul planted her roots into Harlem, and her media career (and impact) began to blossom. She has worked for publications such as Oprah (South Africa), Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Arise Magazine and more. Her digital destination, AfriPop is a modern African movement and features all of Africa’s cultural relevance globally in lifestyle, art, and entertainment. She is currently Essence’s Digital Content Developer (slay mama!).
4. Ain’t I Latina by Content Creator, Janel Martinez | (Honduras & US )
At the intersection of culture and ethnicity is New York based, digital editor, producer and multimedia journalist Janel Martinez. Her mission came from the lack of media representation of Latinas- in all shapes, sizes, and color ( hey Mira) . She has worked for media empires such as Black Enterprise.
5. Aislerchic by Content Creator, Aissa Castillo | (Philippines/ US )
The love of creativity and her husband produced a digital platform. Aissa teamed up with the hubby to give birth to a visual style journal. The consistent digital documentation of her personal breezy-bohemian-style transformed Aislerchic.com into a community, on that connects authentic creatives from the fashion industry worldwide and her local community.
6. Aleali May by Content Creator, Aleali May | (US)
Aleali May is a member of the multicultural millennial generation who paves their career paths and entrepreneurial pursuits. Born in Los Angeles, half Filipino and African American beauty own a namesake blog that came from the desires to create with others.
Upon graduating from college in Chicago, she worked in sales at Louis Vuitton igniting her love for styling. Shortly after she returned to LA to represent brands and clients including brands like Audi USA, Nike, and Adidas.
Through her blog, she shares her experiences as a local L.A. celebrity, and perspective on fashion, entertainment, and travel.
7. Ascot Road by Content Creator, Cheralee Lyle | (South Africa)
South African-born editor of Ascot Road (named after a street from her hometown), Cheralee Lyle’s owns a digital destination for fashion, travel, and lifestyle.
Between partnering with brands to create customized campaigns online and running social media, she works as a consultant, brand ambassador, blogger, and lends her writing and style services to publications like Elle Magazine (SA) and Nylon.
8. Ave Styles by Content Creator, Alexandra Evjen | ( US )
A proud and unapologetic millennial who is a Pinterest influencer (Queen) and contributing style to the world. Alexandra is a mother of two, fashion maven who doesn’t mind sharing rectangles (Pinterest boards) of her life or style inspirations.
Between juggling motherhood, working with top brands: Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Coca-Cola, she is a passionate advocate for the millennial generation.
9. AWed by Content Creator, Monica Awe-Etuk | (Nigeria/ Canada)
A sociology & mass communications professional who wears the beautiful crown of being one the Atlanta’s most influential bloggers. On the other hand, a super stylish mother, wife, and the editor of Awed, fashion & lifestyle blog. She started the blog, while on maternity leave. She needed an outlet for herself while she raised her kids. Between blogging and being a mom, she serves as a social media and brand consultant.
Her work has featured in Vanity Fair, InStyle, and People Watch.
10. BaldHike by Content Creator Paul Steele | (UK)
The ramblings of an avid traveler, in love with great hikes, food, gadgets, and the gathering of like-minded friends can be found on Bald Hike. Paul Steele conceived the blog. He is from Northern-England, UK a host to mountains, lakes, and valleys. He freelances and writes for notable publications and sites.
11. Beige Renegade by Content Creator, Jiawa Liu | (Australia)
A lawyer by day, minimalist always. This Aussie-loving style icon looks a life through muted-colored glasses. Being based in Australia doesn’t stop her from covering international style and fashion trends.
12. Bella Naija by Content Creator, Uche Pedro | (Nigeria)
Uche is a Nigerian-born and raised entrepreneur who has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, Canada. Before launching her website, she worked for Shell Canada, Cadbury Middle East & Africa Unity in the UK, amongst other companies. She has won awards for her contribution to Africa’s fashion, media, and creative worlds (for example Kid’s Choice Awards)
13. Brighton The Day by Content Creator, Brighton Keller | (US)
Her primary purpose for launching her blog was to support her mom’s shoe design business. Brighton brings a Southern air to the blogosphere. Also, the blog satisfied her creative cravings although her major appetite was for computer programming and web development. The combined interest resulted in the delectable digital platform: Brighton The Day.
14. Caroline Margaret by Content Creator, Caroline Margaret Acree | (US)
Nashville has always been home to this little girl now an operations and marketing executive who shares her Nashville experiences through style. Her site features wellness, health, lifestyle, culture and her rustic style.
15. Carrie Brad Shawlied by Content Creator, Kathleen | (US)
A southern lady, not afraid to use her marketing and communications graduate degree to build a bold empire. By day she is a social media manager for Urban Decay Cosmetics and by night a self-proclaimed budget-friendly fashionista.
She made a move from country to California when her surgical resident husband placed in Orange Country. She chronicles her story, DIY projects, and affordable fashion tips on her blog.
16. Chronicles of Frivolity by Content Creator, Katey Mc Farlan | (US)
A public relations account executive, based in Dallas who is known as a fashion and beauty influencer. After studying PR in college, she worked at a lifestyle PR agency. Her desire to study public relations outside of work led to her launch of COF. COF is a full servicing fashion & lifestyle outlet. Through blogging, hosting events, and styling clients she makes every woman feel like a total package.
17. Curls In The City by Content Creator, Zoe Zeigler | (US)
Marketing, advertising and communications professional for leading global marketing brands and passion about merging traditional, digital, and social strategies to create integrated brand campaigns. When she is out of the office she blogs about style, beauty, and her everyday adventures as a natural curlnista.
18. Deliciously Ella by Content Creator, Ella Woodward | (UK)
With little self-confidence and perhaps energy she began her blog. It The awesome rock mom created this style, travel and lifestyle blog in response to a diagnosis. Barely reaching the age of 20, the disease took hold of her nervous system, and tugged at her mentally, emotionally, and socially. The plethora of medication prescribed to her didn’t work. Frustrated and drained, she began fighting back, reading and learning more about diet and lifestyles, it impacts on illness and ways she could reverse her diagnoses. Her change in diet and exercise aided her, but it was difficult. By blogging her journey, it kept her game. To her surprise, the community grew. After seeing traction, she created an app launched in 2014 to serve her community further.
19. Deepicam by Content Creator, Deepica Mutyalapica | (US / India)
Her desire for beauty and worship of the Big Apple made this little girl stand out, in her formative years in a South Asian community in Texas. Contrary, to her father’s dreams to become a Doctor, Deepica created a career path for herself – moving to NYC and working in beauty.
Landing a college internship at L’Oreal laid the foundation for Deepica’s takeover of in the makeup world. Her recent role as a Senior Manager of Brand & Product Development at Birchbox, exposed to her to the latest innovations in beauty and helped her build a Rolodex of top stylists, celebrity makeup artists, and brand CEOs.
With her product expertise and on-camera experience, by late 2014, Deepica was filming various makeup tutorials each week for Birchbox, in addition to her day job. After starring in her umpteenth video, she thought “why not create my channel where I can share everything I’ve learned through the years?”
Deepica launched her YouTube channel in January 2015 around the premise of “beauty decoded”. If there is one lesson, she has learned through her years of experience is that beauty is a universal language, and she sought to make beauty approachable for all by sharing her expert tips, tricks, and tutorials. What started as a hobby quickly turned into much more, when her second video on how to mask under eye circles with lipstick went viral, garnering over 9 million views on women all over the world. A flurry of broadcast and editorial opportunities followed, including appearances on The TODAY Show and Dr. Oz.
Deepica currently lives in NYC and splits her time between developing her channel with tutorials, product reviews, and insider interviews, and serving as an on-air beauty expert including as regular spot as a TODAY Show contributor (a dream of hers that she still can’t believe is reality). Her dad is now an avid subscriber to her YouTube channel has finally accepted that she might never go to medical school, & is prouder than ever.
20. Eat Pray Overachieve and Eat Pray Moms by Content Creator, Biodun Daphrede | (Nigeria/ US)
Biodun Daphrede is a millennial mom, writer, speaker, Human Resource Consultant and author of every book in The JJC Guide series. She started Eat Pray Overachieve (EPO) & Eat Pray Moms (EPM) to inspire others who want to experience their dream careers and to reduce career disillusionment to the bare minimum. As a means of giving back, she also uses the EPO network to produce a Clothing Drive which accepts donations of new and well-loved corporate apparel for job seekers and starting entrepreneurs, helping them with their confidence as they interview for jobs or pitch ideas.
This millennial mom is here for millennial moms as well! EPM is a resource loaded with tons of stuff crafted and curated to help all women. Biodun believes there are different types of moms.
There are moms:
- that want me time
- who are dying to bitch (Dear Jane, just give us a time & place)
- who are torn between advice from Grandma and Doctor
- who will get fit or die ‘tryin’
- who do differently from their moms but haven’t forgotten how their moms did it
- who want to give their daughters better chances and teach their sons new ways to be men.
Her overachieving audience is young, hungry, techie and style-savvy. They love to keep up with everything career-related and look up to us for direction.
21. Extra Petite by Content Creator, Jean | ( US)
Beantown (Boston) 5ft native, CFA Charter holder, who formerly worked in financial services and retail startup industry, started her blog to share experiences tips and solutions for women, at any size to feel confident.
22. Fabulously Average by Content Creators, Joanne Mason | ( US )
Average Joe(anne) is a mother of two, wife and rescuer of two pitbulls. Her less is more outlook on life spurred her to create a blog that assists people in recycling their wears, efficiently mix and matching outfits, and look fabulous. She also shares motherly experience and style.
23. Face to Face Africa by Content Creators, Sandra Boateng and Isaac Boateng | (Ghana/ US)
Wife and hubby duo, Sandra Appian and Issac Boateng is a couple with a powerful and passionate mission: change the perspective people about Africa. Their media company F2FAfrica, magazine, as well as cultural & professional events continuously provide global access to learn more about Africa’s movers and shakers.
24. FASHIOLIEZTA by Content Creators, Liezel Esquire | (South Africa)
Native to Cape Town, she loves sharing her views on global lifestyle, fashion, and beauty trends. She also freelances as a writer providing fashion, beauty and lifestyle articles and offers styling services.
25. Fashion Bananas by Content Creators, Delmy Rivera | ( Honduras/ Puerto Rico/ US)
2008 got a makeover when Delmy Rivera, a God-fearing, children-loving digital tycoon launched her online style diary. Her choice to do so was inspired by Chictopia, after researching contributors styles.
26. Fashion container by Content Creators, Malena Permentier and Tatiane Kozijn| ( Netherlands / Brazil / UK )
Fashion Container parent’s by two multi-creative co-conspirators Malena Permentier, law degree holder and Tatiane Kozijn (journalist and photographer – former X-factor TV show editor) is massive.
The platform has been recognized by and collaborated with global brands including Marks & Spencer, Oasis, River Island Four Seasons, Intercontinental and HP (the official HP brand ambassador)
Melena is based in Amsterdam, yet is always traveling and has somewhere to go. Her co-partner, Tatiane is originally from Brazil but spent her formative years in the Netherlands.
27. Fashioned Chic by Content Creator, Erica Hoida | (US)
Meet the fashion stylist and creative agency owner, who is also a seasoned professional.
Her love for styling and media jump-started her journey through the industry.
28. Fashion In The Street by Content Creator, Susana Ares | (Spain)
Susana is a business administration graduate who had several years in consulting. She decided to pursue passion & purpose. This landed her amazing collaboration with Banana Republic, Pepa Loves, Titis Clothing and Mr. Wonderful.
29. Fashion Mr by Content Creator, Redeemer Resk’que | (US)
Business mogul/ fashion consultant, media executive, and a brand developer is the child of two preachers. He uses his artistic mind and humble heart to pour into his entrepreneurial ventures.
From selling ice water in West Africa to becoming a total entrepreneurial force to be reckoned with in the world of business. The commonality in all of his pursuits is his uniqueness.
30. Fashion Notebook by Content Creator, Nancie Mwai | (Kenya/ US)
This fashion stylist transformed her business and marketing profession, creativity, and technical skills into a content production for her blog. When she isn’t blogging, she is a brand ambassador.
31. Fashizblack by Content Creator, Laura Eboa Songue | (Cameroon / US)
A serial entrepreneur and lover of all things Africa is a digital branding and web marketing consultant who founded the platform for the most compelling reason: the need for more representation. In Paris, she noticed the growing rage for street style and all its rage was blazing through blogs, yet very few, however, feature black people.
32. For The Love Of Fancy by Content Creator, Kate Blue | ( US )
Fashion, merchandising, and marketing professional who has built a career in the industry. Her husband (photographer), encouraged her to begin the digital platform as a hobby. If you’re in need of inspiration for fashion, motherhood, and lifestyle, her platform provides it all.
33. FunmiOgunja.com by Content Creator, Funmi Ogunja | (Nigeria / UK)
Funmi Whitney Ogunja is a Nigerian based in Central London. She is an enthusiast, lover of all things beauty, style, and fashion as well as the author of self-titled digital community FunmiOgunja.com
34. Gary Pepper Girl by Content Creator, Nicole Warne | (US)
A leading digital influencer, whose fashion, travel and lifestyle brand have a global following of over 2.3 million followers. From being a part of Forbes 30 Under 30 list and BOF’s “The 500 People Shaping the Global Industry” list, her digital influence has led to opportunities such as Asia’s Next Top Model (2016). Australian Fashion & Film Awards, the face of L’oreal Professional’s Global Advertising Campaign,ana assigned deal to be Net-a-Porter’s style council, Ambassador. She has graced covers such as Vogue ME (China), Miss Vogue (Australia), Harper’s Bazaar (Singapore and Malaysia).
35. Happily Grey by Content Creator, Mery Seng | (US)
She never planned on commanding such a followership. It all started as a hobby, a creative space to fill, all of her musings over fashion, travel, etc. The desire to initiate the hobby was inspired by just scanning the web.
36. Haute off The Rack by Content Creator, Jennifer Palpallatoc | (US)
Medicine. An unlikely start. After acquiring her nursing degree, she worked at a high pressured hospital unit. Blogging brought healing and relief from the intensity experienced at work. Besides, her desire to help women feel confident and maximize their wardrobe, she documents her personal style and informing readers of trends.
37. Hello Fashion Blog by Content Creator, Christine Andrew | (South Africa/US)
A wink to her style roots, Christine wanted to share trends, infused with global perspectives in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Her degree in fine arts and minor in business launched her professional career in sales.
38. In Fashion I Trust by Content Creator, Seyi | (Nigerian/US)
Say hello to Nigerian-American advertising professional, with an MBA and love for Christ. Everywhere she went, she was constantly asked about her looks. On her down time, in between looking for jobs she built her digital platform. Her marketing background added to her business savvy, helped her kickstart her blog in which she shares her styles and where to get her looks
39. Youtube Content Creator Iris Beilin | ( Panama / US)
This Afro-Latina, born in Panama cultivates beauty tips and beauty how to’s for all skin tones. Her makeup tutorials matched with her hilarious memes engage her followers. From eye shadow tips to lip-curling laughter her platform provides it all.
40. Irony of Ashi by Content Creator, Agatha Ashi | (Nigeria/US )
A Houston-based, Nigerian-born creative shares her love for blogging, sewing, and crafting.
41. I See A Different You by Content Creators Vuyo Mpantsa, Innocent and Justic Mukheli | (South Africa)
Born in Soweto, these South African creatives mission of changing the world’s views of Africa, from negative to positive is no small feat. The media disparity on reporting the positive side of Africa inspired them to start taking photos, launching and sharing their world on a blog.
42. Jadore Fashion by Content Creator, Stella | (Nigeria/ US)
Her aspirations went beyond having a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and Masters in Business & Finance. She started a blog after graduating as a nurse, to share her daily lifestyle and culture. The blog has since, become a family affair – bonding her and hubby even more- the husband, is the photographer, the one behind the lens.
43. Lala Faux Bois by Content Creator, Lisa Arizona | (US)
Mom to cats, a wife, and graphic designer who has a love for bright colors, comedy, podcasting, dresses, new wave music, and vintage. Her love for thrifting and remixing outfits is shared through her blog. Also she offers readers the opportunity to work with her.
44. Le Magazine Noir by Content Creator, Sarah Diouf | (Senegal/Europe)
A car accident that almost claimed her life triggered her asking the “what if…” question. She gifted herself with a mac book and began her first digital magazine, Ghubar to promote the emerging creative scene and the beauty never shown in the leading publications. Getting mainstream brand endorsements was a bit of a hassle at first, but inevitable. She won a UK Cosmopolitan Fashion award, landed collaborations with established brands such as Audi and Reebok. After surveying the African media and fashion markets and sharpening her skills, Sarah decided to launch her second magazine Noir, a bi-annual African fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazine dedicated to Black women. Inspired by Nastygal’s founder Sophia Amoruso, she pushes through the unknown and encourages young Africans to build their own dream by owning their ideas and staying determined even when it gets tough. To also support the development and work of African fashion designers in a global economy she has founded CFDAfrica.
Born to a Senegalese & Central African mother and half Senegalese and Congolese father. She currently lives in Paris but was raised in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire for a significant portion of her childhood.
45. MakhoNdlouvu.com by Content Creator, Makho Ndlovu | (Zimbabwe/ US)
At the age of 10, Zimbabwean-born Makho, came to the U.S. She is a celebrity reporter and blogger of her self-titled blog. She is a strong believer in carving one’s path, and she has. She writes and creates content for Essence.