The Black experience runs the gamut: tragedy, triumph, blood, sweat, tears, smiles, success, achievement, brightness, darkness, and the like. Today, we control so much of our narrative. Not all of it—but more than we ever have in the past. We own TV stations, radio stations, and other platforms where we define ourselves; we celebrate ourselves and each other.
Consider the role of two types of media in this space:
- Owned media is content that a brand creates and controls. Owned media gives a brand complete control over the message, tone, and content of their marketing efforts.
- Earned media is content about a brand that is created and shared by third parties.
Today, both earned and owned media open possibility for ways to celebrate and preserve the Black experience. This includes mediums like:
- Creative Projects & Programs (owned)
- Blogs (owned) like this one!
- E-Mail Lists (owned)
- Websites (owned)
- Podcasts (owned) like Editor Knows Best
- Vlogs (owned) like Maya Galore and Your Level Up Guru
- Social Media (owned) and Mentions (earned)
- Anthologies (both)
- Collaborative Partnerships (both)
- Magazines (both) like SwagHer Magazine
- Media Coverage (earned) and PR
- Reviews (earned)
Long gone are the days of relying on traditional media to hopefully “get it right.” We have the means and capacity to control our narrative.
We have created platforms that show us in the best, brightest light possible. We conceptualize, we collaborate, we connect, we create. It’s not just what we do but who we are. This innovation is hereditary, passed down through many generations. We see it on TikTok: dance isn’t just an art form, it’s a way of life. It is how we communicate with each other and share our greatness with the world.
Although there are instances of our intellectual property being appropriated and stolen, the origin cannot be denied. We are the experts in the Black experience and culture, so the narratives belong to us.
With the availability and accessibility of earned and owned media, we control our images, voices, likeness, productions, and other content. The power, influence, and decisions about us must be narrated, curated, and distributed by us.
