Black Women on YouTube That Are Getting Me Through It All

I have watched more YouTube in the past 12 months than I probably have in the past several years combined. I know I’m not alone in this; YouTube has predictably been doing well over the course of the pandemic with everyone watching more and more videos.

With the rise in YouTube viewership has also come a rise in video essays and cultural commentary geared towards social justice and themes of race, gender, sexuality, and culture. This change in the landscape has drastically altered the way many people engage with media. It has also birthed new content creators as well as shed some much-needed light on seasoned YouTubers that have long been occupying this space.

If, like me, you’ve got a YouTube habit and are looking to support Black female content creators, here are my recommendations for great women to put on your radar:

Kim Foster (For Harriet)

From pop culture to prison abolition, Kimberly Nicole Foster talks about it all. Her channel and brand, For Harriet, are widely known in the Black feminist digital space as a conversation-starting community. On For Harriet you can find everything from thoughts on the latest hit shows to in-depth interviews with authors, scholars, politicians, and activists about core issues — all from a Black feminist perspective.

Kim frequently goes live on YouTube to open the conversations up to viewers as well, and to rant unscripted every once in awhile about the state of the world. If you’re looking for someone who delves deep with all the nuance and intellect of a Harvard graduate and seasoned media specialist, look no further.

Jade Fox

Who among us doesn’t need a stylish lesbian to break it down every once in a while? Jade Fox is honest, funny, and real. When she’s not entertaining you with hard-hitting relationship advice, she’s dissecting queer culture, giving style tips, and being cute as hell with her girlfriend. I would describe her as nothing short of a comedian who’s definitely not afraid to cut the jokes every once in a while and say what needs to be said.

She also recently launched a separate channel, madeyoulooks, for masculine-presenting women to explore fashion and style.

Tee Noir

An absolute queen of bullshit-free reads, Tee Noir has made a name for herself with honest, no-filter video essays on anything and everything concerning Black women. She calls everything like she sees it with receipts and sources to back up all claims. When you don’t have the patience to vent about society’s everlasting mistreatment of Black women, trust that she’s already put all that irritation into words and a screencap.

Khadija Mbowe

I didn’t know I needed a Millennial Aunty, but thank god I found this one. Khadija Mbowe is a ray of sensible sunshine with both the brightest personality and the best vocal range. Crisp cultural analysis, witty commentary, and friendly chats about life can all be found on her rapidly growing channel. Cheerful and truthful, she’ll make you laugh and make you think. (Her video on the phenomenon of #Instagramface was something else entirely.)

In addition to being a content creator, Mbowe is a performer and opera singer who has used her platform to shed light on inequality in the world of opera.

As someone who can never have enough to watch, feel free to comment and let me know who else to check out.

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