The Clubhouse App: Brings Unprecedented Access, Inclusivity and Accountability To The Tech World, Creatives and Everyday People

A virtual community of accountability

*Originally published in Technology Hits

I was invited to join Clubhouse a week ago and I like it. Since then, I’ve visited several Clubhouse rooms, but I’ve only participated in conversations about entrepreneurship and writing. The Writing Community discussion hosted and moderated by Shaka Senghor and Julie Wenah was amazing and helped me understand the positive impact and need for a voice-based platform and discussions like this.

I’m not tech savvy nor big on social media. However, if I — a Gen X, WOC and educator turned writer and entrepreneur with a start-up consultancy can join discussions and walk away feeling heard, engaged and empowered — that speaks volumes about both the app and the moderators.

I will admit, at first I didn’t get it. I didn’t believe the hype. It sounded like the tech version of the old school party lines from the 80’s. However, Clubhouse is so much more and it’s needed during the pandemic. Being an entrepreneur is already a daunting and sometimes lonely venture, but social distancing adds a new level of isolation and challenges. Working from home and limited access to everything from government to banking services are a huge challenge; not to mention, how the current political climate deepens the digital divide, disparities and gaps in wealth, health and education. We need to connect and communicate to share information, ideas, resources and strategies to support, motivate, and inspire others and ourselves — more than ever.

Unprecedented Access

The Clubhouse community offers real access and authentic, real-time conversations between creatives, thought leaders, political and industry leaders, and celebrities and everyday people with similar interests from around the world.

The conversations can help you build connections and cultivate a wide array of personal and professional relationships with like minded people. You could find synergy that could lead to collaborations, mentorships, partnerships with people you would have never met through in-person and virtual networking or current social media platforms.

I can tweet about or mention anyone on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. I can even visit their live sessions, but the only place I could possibly listen to and possibly have a conversation with people like Oprah, Ava Duvernay, tech company CEO’s and venture capitalists is Clubhouse.

Inclusivity and Accountability

I love that anyone can start discussion. However, there is a higher level of accountability in Clubhouse’s invitation-only format. You need to choose wisely because your guest could impact your membership.

You might question how I make the argument that this is an example of inclusion. Well, unfortunately social justice and workplace diversity, equity and inclusion research has found a direct correlation between the lack of diversity in personal networks and the lack of diversity in professional networks and companies. It’s simple — you refer, hire and partner with who you know and who you’re comfortable with…

The Washington Post reported that three quarters of white people surveyed don’t have any non-white friends. Therefore, if Black or brown people had to wait for an invite from their white colleagues or business associates — they’d probably never get one. Yet, oddly enough they would probably get an invite from a Black or brown associate.

Clubhouse evens the playing field because Black and brown people have the power to invite people in their own network — which based on a cursory review of invites is actually diverse. I know this because Clubhouse lists who invited you to the platform.

Although it was only a small sample of members — the researcher and the nosey church lady in me couldn’t help but notice that the 3 white members, in two different chats with 100 plus people were invited by a Black person or person of color (POC). Yet, I didn’t find one Black or POC who was invited by a white person. This sadly aligns with the DEI data.

I don’t want to belabor the point about race, but it’s not a secret that Black people represent less than 3% in tech and social media industries. Yet, our likeness, culture and swag is marketed, promoted and profited from in the forms of appropriation and gentrified tribalism often without our permission, input, credit or compensation.

Clubhouse allows Black, brown and indigenous people to speak for, about and to ourselves — without the stereotypes and myths of monotone, monolithic cultures of what or who we are, should be or what and how we should talk about it. It allows us the see and hear successful Black and brown people share their stories, resources, motivate and support each other.

Most importantly it shows how Black and brown people bring a wealth of knowledge and we’re welcoming to other cultures (as long as they’re respectful) and I’ve seen nothing less on Clubhouse. I’ve seen rich, highly valuable conversations facilitated by POC with a diverse group of members who were fully engaged, invited to share and ask questions.

This is a game changer in dispelling myths and ending hurtful and unproductive stereotypes.

I also love the fact that the emphasis is on the quality of conversation — not pictures or followers. I think that adds a layer of authenticity that can’t be replicated. You can filter a picture, but you can’t fake your ability to engage with others or quality of your conversation.

On a final note on accountability. I love that Clubhouse creates a community of accountability, but I hate that your invitee can impact your status and get you kicked out. It makes you think hard about the company you keep and question if a person is worth the risk. Would they embarrass you or paint in you a negative light by affiliation (the birds of a feather rule)? If you have a friend or family member that has some questionable, controversial or biased views it makes you examine why you wouldn’t invite them. This made me go deeper and examine why I’ve allowed this person to stay in my inner circle especially — if I haven’t addressed their problematic views, comments or behavior.

Lingering Questions

I think of my eclectic circle of relatives, friends and associates. It also made me think about my friends who struggle with mental illness. Will they get kicked off and have me kicked off in the process if they go on a rant. Is there a place for them to talk about their struggles or have a bad moment?

Or what about the powerful and privileged people? Will or can they have conversations shut down because they can and are accustomed to being coddled? What about the ones who confuse discomfort, dislike or their inability to handle the truth with being attacked?

I apologize in advance for taking this dark and deep detour — but I promise it will just be for a minute:

Is Clubhouse going to break America’s dysfunctional relationship between truth and power? We live in a society that has bent to the will of money, power lies and revisionist history.

Could the Amy Coopers, and Kyle Rittenhouse sympathizers complain enough to shut down the real, relevant and very necessary conversations on Clubhouse that call out the racist and unjust systems that have thrived and survived to allow these people to hurt and literally kill other citizens with minimal or no consequences?

Or could Clubhouse be what this country has been waiting for — a safe, reliable place where influential people can connect with everyday people to inform, uplift, inspire and respectfully challenge, and from the privacy of our own homes without needing a glam squad or worrying about prying eyes or Room Rater judging us.

I need to add that Clubhouse’s invite and iPhone only features also makes it less accessible and I’m not sure if that’s on purpose, a design flaw, limitation or just part of the beta testing. I bought an iPhone for my business line, but not everyone has the funds, income or credit to purchase or finance Apple products or get a good service provider. This limits the reach to lower income communities; opening the app to Android customers could increase access as they have phones at more affordable price points.

I don’t know what the future holds for Clubhouse — but I hope it continues to keep the same accountability guidelines when it goes public. We all need a safe place to talk, connect and grow.

I hope you found this helpful — thank you for reading.

Sources

https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a34376747/what-is-clubhouse-social-media-app/