Investing in Black artists, creators and stories
Jan 12, 2021 – [[read-time]] minute read
Black creators and artists have played an important role in shaping the culture on YouTube. From fashion and comedy to politics, learning and wellness, and with innovations and contributions in every genre of music, Black creators and artists have propelled our platform forward. The #YouTubeBlack community is filled with so many talented, brilliant, passionate, and driven creatives, and we’re honored to equip these awesome creators and artists with additional resources to match their drive.
We built the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund to invest with an intention to present fresh narratives that emphasize the intellectual power, authenticity, dignity, and joy of Black voices, as well as to educate audiences about racial justice.”
We believe that Black stories matter. That is why we created the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, a global, multi-year commitment to center and grow Black creators and artists on our platform, as well as to produce and acquire new YouTube Original programs, focusing on racial justice and Black experiences. As part of this Fund, we developed the #YouTubeBlack Voices grant program -- an initiative dedicated to equipping and amplifying Black creators and artists with the resources to succeed on our platform.
We’re building on that momentum, and today, after many months of collaboration, we are shining a spotlight on the #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2021 -- a group of 133 creators and artists whose talents are as diverse as their hometowns. Hailing from the United States, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and Nigeria, this incredible group includes musicians, beauty entrepreneurs, comedians, activists, poets, personal trainers, teachers, parents, photographers, and more. We are honored that they have chosen to partner with us as the inaugural class of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund. In the coming months, we will work closely with the Class of 2021 to help them grow on our platform. This will include dedicated partner support from YouTube and seed funding for the development of their channels. They will also participate in bespoke training, workshops, and networking programs.
We built the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund to invest with an intention to present fresh narratives that emphasize the intellectual power, authenticity, dignity, and joy of Black voices, as well as to educate audiences about racial justice. We also want to invest for impact on our platform, and over the next few years, we will directly empower 500+ creators and artists from across the world to support, grow, and fund their channels and content development. In addition to the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund grantees who partner with YouTube directly, we’ll continue to support and connect with the wider global Black diaspora and communities through a wide range of programming and events.
The #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund is only part of the comprehensive work currently underway to make YouTube a place where Black artists, creators, and users can share their stories and be protected. We continue to make product and policy changes to meet that goal. We recently provided an update on our work to make YouTube a more inclusive platform, including how we handle harmful and hateful comments.
This is just the beginning.”
This is just the beginning. We can’t wait for you to hear more from the Class of 2021, as they continue their journeys as creators and artists, sharing their stories and their music. And we can’t wait to invite more creators and artists to join the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund in the future.
Click to learn more about the Creators who are joining the #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2021: United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, and [Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa].
Click to learn more about the Artists who are joining the #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2021.