For The Culture: Tapping Into Black LinkedIn
For the longest time, LinkedIn was a relatively bland, ultra-professional, and let's just be honest, mostly white/non-POC social networking platform. You would see people share dry job updates, industry articles, with the occasional thoughtful quote sprinkled in. Now, LinkedIn looks very different. The content has become a lot more social and personal in nature, particularly as the global pandemic has kept us confined to our homes, forcing us to use virtual platforms to stay connected with one another.
This has opened the door for more intense and provocative topics typically left for platforms like Twitter and Facebook to take center stage. Enter Black LinkedIn.
In light of the tragic events we've seen this year in the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, Black professionals are leading the charge on LinkedIn in sharing more fiery content, speaking out against racism, discrimination, and injustice, both in the workplace and in society. Being able to vent on LinkedIn created a space for Black professionals to grieve publicly about the events around us, get much-needed support, and create greater awareness for other racial groups.
Up until now, many of us were suffering in silence at work or just commiserating with small groups of friends, in text chats, etc. Now through LinkedIn, we are able to connect with the broader Black population around the world, those who have encountered similar situations, share our same feelings, and further amplify each other's voices to ensure we are being heard. This has sparked conversations with company leaders, business owners, and entrepreneurs of all races, shining a light on what the Black employees in their ranks are feeling on a daily basis while being expected to come to work and give 100%.
While in some cases, it appears that LinkedIn may have tried to silence some of our voices through content erasure or throttling, Black people have still continued posting unapologetically about our experiences.
You may be thinking "Well this is great, Julia. Thanks for sharing. But how do I actually get plugged into this space on LinkedIn, sis? Where do I get started?" Don't worry, I got you covered! Here are a few tips to help you tap into this network:
1.Start following and connecting with those who are helping to drive these important conversations around the Black experience.
Here are some folks who immediately come to mind:
- Aaisha Joseph - Diversity advocate
- Minda Harts – Best-selling author and advocate for women of color
- Latesha Byrd – Career Coach and Talent Development Consultant
Keep in mind that some of the powerful Black people that you follow on other social media platforms also have very strong LinkedIn followings as well, and their posts can be forums for good discussions as well as finding others to connect with. You can then transition some of the conversations beyond LinkedIn to actual conversations or Zoom calls where you can further build relationships.
2.Search and follow relevant hashtags to see where the conversations are happening.
Some ideas are: #blacklinkedin (yes, there is a hashtag for Black LinkedIn), #diversity, #inclusion, #diversityandinclusion, #blacklivesmatter, #blackprofessionals, and #blackwomen. Don't be alarmed if there aren't thousands of followers on the hashtag itself. Review the content of the posts with the hashtag and also see WHO'S posting the content. You can also use the hashtags when you are posting content so that other Black professionals can also find and connect with you.
Remember, LinkedIn is not just about what you can get from the platform, but what you can offer.
3.Join groups and follow company pages focused on Black professionals.
You can literally type in "Black professional" into the search bar on LinkedIn and find PAGES of groups and companies focused on the Black experience in corporate and in business. There are groups by geographic location/city, industry, etc. Take some time to review the company pages and check out some of these groups to participate in some of the conversations. If there are groups in your specific area, this may provide you with an opportunity to build your local network of Black professionals that you can connect with in person (socially-distanced, of course).
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Shutterstock
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images