At AVerMedia, we take pride in our amazing group of partners, diverse in their backgrounds and the content they make. As Black History month comes to a close, we want to highlight the achievements, knowledge, and perspectives of our black and mixed partners.
Achievements
Our awesome partner @curiousjoi has an insanely fun stream, does some creative cosplays, and is being featured in more places and getting the recognition she deserves! Recently, she was featured by Xbox on their Black History Month Streamer Takeover, where she played some Yakuza for the masses:
Her positivity and energy are infectious, so do check out her stream!
Find even more joy with Joi’s Socials:
Another one of our partners @Xmiramira has also been recognized as the amazing creator and leader she is. She’s the founder of a community called The Black Simmer, which aims to showcase diversity in the Sims community, and she was recently featured on Bloomberg Quicktake for her leadership!
And, as a Twitch Partner, she was also featured recently in Twitch’s Times Square ad for Black History Month:
She’s an inspiring creator—make time to watch her stream!
Say hi to Mira on her socials:
Knowledge
Each week we post Creator Tips, and for many of those tips we reach out to our partners for assistance. The platform is always up and open for partners to share their knowledge, but we made a point to prioritize the wisdom of our black partners for Black History Month. Here are a few highlights from what we’ve posted!
First, from our partner @IAMCha0tik on perseverance in this competitive industry. Your success hinges on your effort, so if you want to make it as a creator, you have to keep creating!
Catch more of Cha0tik’s socials:
Next, from @MekelKasanova on being your best self rather than trying to be better than others. Of course, taking inspiration and using some friendly competition with other creators isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but focus on doing your best.
Drop by with more of Mekel’s socials:
Third, from @ChosenDroid_ on the importance of following your own expectations and staying unique!
Catch him live next time! Chosen’s socials:
Last, from @BabyFNelsonPSN on using your platform as a creator to give back to the community and do good.
Follow BabyFNelson on his socials:
“Together we prosper, divided we fall. Enough said”
@BabyFNelsonPSN
Perspectives
Now, we have some perspectives on being a creator of color from some of our partners. This is their words with minimal modification or editing.
First, we have a perspective from @MekelKasanova on his heritage, working with companies as a mixed creator, and how many companies only tokenize their support:
I’ve never been one for Black History Month, as I personally feel like it shouldn’t even be a month and should be incorporated fully into American history. Instead, it’s the shortest month of the year and is often used to tokenize and parade around black individuals for social points which almost all corporations do just to say that they aren’t racist or to hit a diversity monthly quota. I’m also Dominican and Tongan/Samoan/Hawaiian, and due to my being mixed I’m often called barely black by many.
I’ve never been one to focus on race or care about it, but what I can say is I’ve noticed a lot in this gaming industry sphere is how having darker skin and complexion and features gets you treated much differently than if you were white, Asian, or even Hispanic. A lot of companies will blow you off entirely or say you aren’t marketable unless you play the token funny black person caricature role, and others in this industry will not even bat an eye at you or work with you unless it’s to meet their “diversity” quota. Even then, they assume that because they think you’re black, you have the same mindset and experiences as others who identify as POC or black because of your skin color and don’t really see you as an individual.
People see you as the color of your skin and, based on that, look down on you as if you’re helpless and inept and want to tokenize you just to say that they did something for a black individual for social points/clout. It’s frustrating but it’s also something I’ve learned to deal with and to just grin and bear it because honestly what can you really do about it? A lot of companies will only notice and actually try to do something for black individuals in February alone and once the 1st of March hits they move right along and drop that ally stuff.
Being an ally and supporting black creators doesn’t end on March 1st. However, on that same line, tokenized support isn’t real support. Representation matters, not just the representation that people expect to see. People are people.
Mekel’s Socials:
Next, we have a quote from Geefamous92 (@TheRealFamous92):
I’ve always been overlooked when it comes to something like this, maybe because I’m light skin. I think a lot of companies think they have to have darker skinned content creators featured when Black History Month is around. I don’t know how to explain it but it makes me feel some type of way when that happens, because no matter how light I am, I’m still a black content creator at the end of the day.
Diversity isn’t a quota, it’s reality.
Find more of Geefamous92 on his socials:
Last, we have a short essay from @BabyFNelsonPSN on being a black creator.
A Content Creator of Color
Hey everyone, my name is Matt and I go by “BabyFNelson” on Twitch. I have been making content on that platform for almost 5 years and it has been quite the journey. Being a content creator of color is challenging at times and probably not for all, the obvious reasons that might come to mind.
Before I started streaming, I consulted many friends, colleagues and streamers that I knew. They all had about the same advice for me, “Be yourself,” “Be consistent,” “It’s going to be a grind,” but only one of them leveled with me in a way I will not forget.
She said, and I quote,
“Twitch is hard, but it’s also such an amazing platform. You need to be strong, have thick skin, and be ready to be judged in every way.”
It was not until I got my first N-word/real derogatory comment that it all really hit home.
I am one who always expects the good out of everyone but is not naïve to the evil within many, but for some reason, this struck me differently. I was more confused than anything. I asked myself stuff like, “What did I do wrong,” or “Why would they say that to me,” but then I realized, it is not me at all. Most of us live in our own bubbles nowadays and go through our daily life reading about these things, such as racism and bullying, but rarely experience them if I am being 100% honest. We have become either de-sensitized to it or just plainly ignore it when it is right in front of our faces.
If 2020 has not taught us anything, it should be that racism is not dead. It might not be right in our faces as it used to be, but it is there lurking and being subtly suggested until the cowards have a venue like the anonymity of the internet to spew their hatred. Also, I do not want to sound like this is a daily occurrence, but it is at the very least a monthly occurrence. Simply put, racism is STILL a problem.
I will leave you with this, we are all human. I hope I can speak for all creators of color when I say we do not want a pity party. We just want to be treated like a human being. We want to be judged by the content we provide and not the color of our skin. We are gamers like everyone else…
We are all creators.
Peace, Love & Respect,
BFN
Follow BabyFNelson on his socials:
People can forget streamers and creators are people too, not just entertainers. Even with the anonymity the internet provides, remember to be kind!
Representation and diversity in that representation matter. We love all our partners and people who create with us all year, but we want to especially highlight the achievements, knowledge, and perspectives of our black and mixed partners for Black History Month.
Of course, Black History is far bigger than just one month. We ask everyone to continue to be kind, be supportive, be empathetic, and most importantly remember…
We are all creators.
AVerMedia Blog 