Source: Nylon; Illustrated by Jihyang Lim
Being black in society, it is our resilience embedded in our DNA that makes us strong and mighty. That same characteristic is embedded in these 6 black women who are bloggers.
Whether it's fashion, sports, beauty tips, or everyday life advice, these bloggers dedicate their time and effort to inspire and motivate their communities, opening up a safe space for their brothers and sisters to have a voice in the world. They are prime examples that black female bloggers do exist — and that they are here to stay to speak their truth and to uplift and touch their people. Live In The Mix complied a list of 6 beautiful black female bloggers who are making a difference.
1. Marissa Marshall: Lemonade On The Bleachers
Marissa Marshall is a graduating senior from California State University, East Bay in Hayward, CA majoring in Communications with a concentration in Strategic Communication. Her platform "Lemonade On The Bleachers" is a platform that glorifies the topics of sports, women, inspiration, music, and plenty more. This platform features stories, poetry, articles, podcasts, photos, and videos that have been developed by Marshall and other contributors.
Beyoncé's visual album “Lemonade” influenced her in her sophomore year in the most prominent way possible to create the platform, as Marshall's goal was to carry forward her message of positivity, but adopt that directive in her own fashion. Lemonade connotes women, inspiration, music, and anything that can influence and uplift individuals in a positive manner, and the bleachers signify the sports aspect of what the brand inquires. Marshall wants to assist and bestow individuals a plateau where they are able to convey what they authentically feel in a positive place, and help bring into existence the endless possibilities, that lay beneath them.
She has interned with several different companies/ organizations such as the Golden State Warriors, NBC Sports, Sony and the LA Sparks. Her passions are rooted in the sports world, but in the WNBA in specific, as she wants to change the narrative for female athletes and shine a positive light on these athletes, that can hopefully branch off into different directions so people are aware of these athletes capabilities and they are able to get the support they deserve.
2. Sydnee Williams: Half Street Sports
Sydnee Williams is a 20-year-old hailing from Washington, D.C. Her love of sports and writing helped her create "Half-Street Sports", a sports website that does coverage on sports in the DMV area. Williams never saw many blogs, especially in the D.C. metro area, created by woman to cover sports so she decided to make her mark. The name “Half Street” came from William's love for the Washington Nationals, the coveted walkway to baseball that connected metro to vendors to the amazing atmosphere before the hype of nine innings.
The mission of Half Street Sports is to give content that is comprehensible to the average fan, while still piquing the interest of those that are diehard. To cover every day regional sports news and go beyond the box scores to and choose angles that you might not find on other sport outlets. The goal is to become a household name one day for DMV sports.
Williams has been operating Half Street Sports for about a year now. She has also worked with 1340am FOX Sports where she did lead coverage for the Washington Nationals, giving daily articles and game recaps.
3. Arrion Drumgoole: Eleece Designs
Arrion Drumgoole is a senior at Central Michigan University majoring in Fashion Merchandising and Design. Born and raised in Detroit, she learned how to sew from her grandmother and started to create her own unique designs.
She has been a part of the CMU's Threads Fashion Show for 3 consecutive years. Through her designs Drumgoole strives to empower women, making sure they feel good in anything they wear, as she believes women are scared to step out of their comfort zone and need to learn how to express themselves. Her blog, Eleece Designs” showcases her sketches, completed looks, and looks made to order.
4. Jordan Mickey: JoJordan
Jordan Mickey is a sophomore at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills, MI.
Her blog on Tumblr, "JoJordan", is a simple blog that showcases aesthetics and captions that her and other can relate to. Mickey hopes that through her blog people can gain inspiration to became the best versions of themselves.
5. Jira Harvey:
Jira Harvey from Georgia views her blog, "7anai" as a free spirit; She believes social media platforms provide a better way to express those thoughts, though every statement could retrieve negative feedback; Tumblr is the positive way she can express herself ultimately.
She reblogs based on fashion, lifestyle, photography and the black community as a whole. She admires where her followers engage with different topics and praise the work I put into my art. To a certain extent, she views social media as a stress reliever, joining with the mindset of relating to people with her works to the pure quotes of her community. Through 7anai, You get the feel of natural and natural vibes, which are qualities that Harvey hopes every viewers gets.
6. Nicole O. Johnson:
Nicole O Johnson is an aspiring, actress, writer, dancer, and filmmaker. She also goes by the nickname Nickel, a funny name she received from her friend when she was 14 years old. Growing up, she found herself being "different from her classmates" and experienced bullying. She turned to the performing arts, movies, reading, writing, cartoons, and YouTube to make herself feel better. Watching and following different kinds of bloggers, from makeup artists, dancers, actors, and filmmakers, it gave her the courage to get up and start creating her own content.
She started with an Instagram, YouTube and Tumblr account, all with various names: "Nicoleeeojj" and "Inickel" Her audience is open for everyone,especially for girls between the ages of 10-16. She inspires to be a big sister figure to them, a positive role model, someone they'd go to for advice. She speaks on multiple topics, from better representation in Hollywood to Black Lives Matter, and hopes to be a positive influence in her community.