1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: There Are No Girls on the Internet. As a production 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio and Unbossed Creative, I'm Bridget Todd, 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: and this is there Are No Girls on the Internet. 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: In recent weeks, we've seen demands for racial justice reached 5 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: an unignorable roar, and a lot of it is played 6 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: out online. If you were scrolling Instagram back on June two, 7 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: you probably saw people posting a black square as a 8 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: way to pause normal social media chatter and make room 9 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: for voices calling for change. And today, July seven is 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: a blackout Day, a boycott campaign urging people not to 11 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: spend any money unless instead of black owned business. But 12 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,239 Speaker 1: where did these initiatives come from and how did we 13 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: get here? The story about that is confusing and familiar 14 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: at the same time. It's a story about how easy 15 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,279 Speaker 1: it is to erase black women online, even as we're 16 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: supposedly trying to make room for our voices and affirming 17 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: that our lives matter. More on that at a moment, 18 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: but first let's go to Mars. My name is Marissa 19 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: mars Sebastian. Um I go by just mars um. I 20 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: am a writer and author and a social media manager. 21 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: UM I just say that I like to have fun 22 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: on the Internet and crack jokes, girls centric web games 23 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: like Neo Pets and Polly Pocket, cemented mars Is lifelong 24 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: love of being online, and when she discovered all the 25 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: cool weird nerds congregating on the social media platform tumbler, 26 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: it was so affirming that she describes it as a rebirth. 27 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: Being a nerd on tumbler is really like my second 28 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: I call it, it's like my second Internet rebirth, like 29 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: because I was on the Internet as a little one, 30 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: but really joining tumbler um gave me a true sense 31 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: of what like having friendships that were Internet based were like, 32 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: and so that's that's always been my favorite part. Mars 33 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: was on tumble ear when, just like today, police and 34 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 1: state violence against black people was impossible to ignore. She 35 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: and her friend to Vonn Green decided black folks just 36 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 1: needed a break. We were in a societal moment where 37 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 1: a lot of us as young people were reckoning with 38 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: what anti blackness really looks like UM, specifically anti black 39 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: violence UM and police violence. We were dealing with the 40 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: fall out and the realities of Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown, 41 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: Eric Eric Gardner in Sandra Bland and things were heavy. 42 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: Conversations about what it means to be black in America 43 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: were so so heavy, UM, and he was like, you know, 44 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: we just we just needed to have fun. We were like, 45 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: what if we just have fun? And because black Tumbler 46 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: was already sort of this like nebulous pocket where a 47 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: lot of black people were creating content and chatting and 48 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: having conversations um around all of this stuff, we're like, 49 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: what if we just you know, took a break. And 50 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: so he proposed the idea of just taking a bunch 51 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: of selfies and posting just so that you can feel beautiful. 52 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: Everybody wants to flix, everybody wants to feel celebrated and loved. Um. 53 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: And so we're like, just love on each other, um, 54 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: share each other's pictures, and you know, we'll take it 55 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: from there. And so we really did not, um intend 56 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: for it to get as large as it did, um 57 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: much less jump from Tumbler to Twitter to Instagram and 58 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: sort of have this lasting impact that's lingered since. UM. 59 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: But yeah, that's really what we set out to do 60 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: with it, was just to provide an oasis, a space 61 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: where we could just celebrate. They had clearly tapped into 62 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: something people were craving and blackout Day was a viral smash. 63 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: Twitter analytics service toopsy that the hashtag blackout Day was 64 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter and Facebook, 65 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: with over fifty tweets by noon alone. It sparked offshoots 66 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: for other black folks to show up in their online communities, 67 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: like blackout k Pop for Korean pop music fans or 68 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: blackout Eyed for black Muslims. Mars was part of creating 69 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: something really special online, but as it took off, it 70 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: was a struggle to make sure she was credited with 71 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: the very thing that she had helped create. So let 72 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: me rewind when blackout Day really started to pop off. Um, 73 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: it started to spread all over Tumbler. People were really 74 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: excited about it. You know, the bigger things get, the 75 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: harder it is to you know, trace the origin um. 76 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: And when our third team member, uh New Kirk joined us, 77 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: he actually was writing down like he created a master 78 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: post um that was like, you know, this is what 79 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: blackout Day is, and like this is like this is 80 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: a guy who's doing it, YadA YadA, And I actually 81 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: had to go and ask him to add my name 82 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: to that post and say, like, by the way, like 83 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: I am also a person who is doing this, Like 84 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: this would not be named Blackout Day if it hadn't 85 00:04:58,160 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: been like it had. It would not be black out 86 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: if it wasn't like for me because the like you'll 87 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: see on the original post, like and I had to 88 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: and I pulled receipts and I sent him the post 89 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: because he asked her receipts to prove I wasn't lying. Um. 90 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: And then yeah, and so that was pain point number one. 91 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: And then pain point number two came really quickly when 92 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: we went viral and places like BuzzFeed were picking it 93 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 1: up and it was like, oh my gosh, this is 94 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: such a huge deal. And I was actually in my 95 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: dorm room because I was still let y u UM. 96 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: I was a senior just about to graduate, and I 97 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: was in my dorm room like giving media training, like 98 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: flying off like this is what I think you should 99 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: say to the two guys while they were interviewed, and 100 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: like that became pain point number two, right, And I 101 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: don't necessarily fault them for that. It's the it's the 102 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 1: responsibility of people who are doing reporting to try to 103 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: do their due diligence. UM. But that became pain point 104 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,679 Speaker 1: number two, and then that lasted for months, like people 105 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: were like, who are you? Whenever we wanted to get 106 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: together and try again and do another thing, I would 107 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: speak semi you know, authoritatively on something and they'd be like, 108 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: but are you? Who are you? Like what do you 109 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: have to do with blackout? What? And I was like, 110 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: why am I the only one getting this smoke? Like 111 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: why aren't the guys, Like why aren't you like roasting 112 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: them and grilling them for Like there were accusations of 113 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: me trying to like Bandwagon, there are accusations of me 114 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: trying to scam, like I'm just some random girl who 115 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: doesn't really know that, Like it was just so weird. Okay, 116 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: So this is where the story gets kind of difficult 117 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: to keep straight, and it's a really good example of 118 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: help Everything online can sort of be turned into one 119 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: massive digital game of telephone. Mars's initial blackout Day, the 120 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 1: call to populate social media with images of black folks 121 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: that I just told you about. Started in last month. 122 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: Brianna Ajimon and Jamie La Thomas, two black women music executives, 123 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: created what they called the Show Must Be Paused campaign, 124 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: asking people to take a b for an honest reflective 125 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively 126 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: take to support the black community. It's not entirely clear how, 127 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: but their call morphed with calls for people to post 128 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: a black square on social media, which people then talked 129 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: about as blackout Tuesday, But posting a black square was 130 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: never in their original call to action on their website. 131 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: The women's campaign asks are for folks to donate to 132 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: bail funds and educate themselves about anti racist resources. They 133 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: never asked for anyone to post a black square, and 134 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: as well meaning as it might have been to post 135 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: a black square on Instagram showing solidarity with black lives, 136 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: many critique the action as performative at best, and at worst, 137 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: potentially blacking out the black Lives Matter hashtag, a tag 138 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: that was once full of anti racist resources and protest information. 139 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: So clearly there was some confusion, And in case that's 140 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: not confusing enough, Calvin Murder announced another campaign called Blackout 141 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: Day a boycott, asking that people not spend any money 142 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: today unless it's that a black owned business. Atlanta rapper 143 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: t I promoted it on his social media, which led 144 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: to media outlets incorrectly reporting that he was the originator 145 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: of Blackout Day, Like I said, a massive game of 146 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: Internet telephone and a real cluster fuck for Mars to 147 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: deal with. After the success of our Blackout Day five 148 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: years later, I you know, I'm getting messages like, hey, 149 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: do you know that there's a guy on Facebook with 150 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 1: like thousands of like Facebook followers on this page that's 151 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: called Blackout Day twenty twenty And I'm like what who? 152 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: And then you know, the media then crediting that movement 153 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: to t I Oh, I'm like, okay, like what really 154 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: is up? Like, I don't know what else I have 155 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: to say or do to prove to people that this 156 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: was a thing that happened, and like, I don't know, 157 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: and it became weird. I it was hard for me 158 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: to even put into words what I was feeling because 159 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: I didn't want to feel selfish, you know. I don't 160 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: want to say, like, you know, I don't want to 161 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: seem like a kid throwing a tantrum when there's actual 162 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 1: work to be done, you know, and like there are 163 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 1: so many other things that are more important and like 164 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: that are happening right now that I care about um. 165 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: But it did sting. I was like, I am so 166 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: and so we also see that happen with the ladies. Um, 167 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: with what became known as Blackout Tuesday, which is a 168 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: complete departure from their original branding. UM, I was like, well, 169 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: nice to like, not nice, but like nice to know 170 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 1: other black women experiences, and I'm not like crazy, you're 171 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: making it up you now. After finding out about the 172 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: new Blackout Day, Boycott, Mars and her team tried to 173 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: revive their Blackout Day in May in an effort to 174 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 1: regain control of the digital infrastructure they created, but at 175 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 1: a time when their voice was most needed, it seemed 176 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: like their work was being raised. It's just that confusing. 177 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: So what we have always faced with Blackout Day is 178 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: that the word we don't own the word blackout, right, 179 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: We definitely do not blackout as a word that existed. Um. 180 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: I could one could say, okay, you don't even own 181 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: the concept of when black people mobilize online, Like, I 182 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: don't own that. I don't like that is a phenomenon 183 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: that no one owns. It's just us getting together and 184 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: mobilizing for a greater good, right. Um, But Blackout Day 185 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: specifically did not exist as a phrase as a tag 186 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: like before us, So we were actually preparing to try 187 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: to um archive the work and like leave the pages 188 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: up as a sort of um like museum and reminder 189 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: that they happened, right. Um, But we were actually saying, Okay, 190 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: we maybe should we should make a comeback because people 191 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: were obviously with the success of like Blackout Day and 192 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: how out quickly that man's movement was growing. We're like, 193 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: people are obviously hungry for some sort of action. We 194 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:12,439 Speaker 1: are also re entering a societal moment just like the one, 195 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like we are currently now 196 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: living in that sort of moment again, maybe this is 197 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: the time, like maybe we should just try again. You know, 198 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: it gets discouraging for to try to do this for 199 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: so many years and sort of feel like you're screaming 200 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: into avoid um and so we're like, okay, let's try again. UM. 201 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: But the issue is is that this guy knew that 202 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: our hashtag existed and then was just like, I'm gonna 203 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: just do my thing using hashtag with a year on it. 204 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: And unfortunately we are now to like we're so confused 205 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: with each other that people send me hate mail that 206 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: is meant for him, like, which is a crazy thing 207 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: to think about, Like our email gets emails meant for 208 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: the man and I have never spoken to him before. 209 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: I don't know him. I don't like, I don't know 210 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: how t I got mixed up in this. It does 211 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: sound like the media was just like, yeah, T I 212 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 1: reposted this thing from Facebook, and now he's a you know, movie, 213 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: he's a thought leader, which is, you know, a whole 214 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: an other conversation to have in and of itself. It's 215 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: like where is the bar? And like, I know that 216 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 1: I am probably shooting myself in the foot. I am 217 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: very um, I'm very aware that rocking the boat um 218 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: in this way, But like, why do we keep making 219 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: thought leaders of people who are really just doing they're due, 220 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: Like they're just doing what is right, They're just doing 221 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: what is you know, being amplifying the voices of other people. 222 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: But all of a sudden, I'm supposed to really really 223 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: listen and hone in as t I comes up with 224 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: this like grand economic plan to save black people, which 225 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: using the hashtag that for five years of my life 226 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: I have been gutting called slurs for like, it is 227 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: really odd. It's like I felt like I was in 228 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: the twilight zone because the whole thing really exploded the 229 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,559 Speaker 1: day after my birthday, and I was like, what is 230 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: going on? Like happy birthday to me? A project that 231 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: you really wanted to sunset and like Keep Sacred is 232 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: now back with a vengeance being led by a man 233 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: you don't know, and then the whole um you know, 234 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: the show must be paused. That was like adding fuel 235 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: to a fire already, you know, because people are already 236 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: having the weird tension and confusion between us and Blackout 237 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 1: Day and then Blackout Tuesday. And I read really as 238 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: like a scholar of the Internet and thinking about how 239 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: content travels. Um, the show must be Paused is a 240 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: perfect example of how you can be really, really really 241 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: tight with your messaging, but as soon as your messaging 242 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: reaches a certain threshold, it's out there in a wild 243 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: like you don't know how people are going to interpret it. Um. 244 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: You don't know how it's going to change and how 245 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:11,319 Speaker 1: it's gonna morph um. And so yeah, the Black Square 246 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: thing across very many industries that that didn't make sense, 247 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: and then people were coming and asking me, like what 248 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: do we do next? And I'm like, I have a 249 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: new idea. It's not me. What was it like to 250 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: sort of be forced into making a statement about Blackoutda 251 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: initiative you had nothing to do with. It was actually 252 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: so panic inducing. Um, Like to be really real, I 253 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: was terrified, um, just because I am. Although I've done 254 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: like I could say, like, oh, I've done a bunch 255 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: of like really cool things. Um, I don't necessarily have 256 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: a spotlight shown on me very often on the internet. Um, 257 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: beyond my tumbler following is pretty hefty, but like Tumbler 258 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: is pretty like tumblers returning to being kind of niche 259 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: at this point. Um, and so having a massive tumbler 260 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: following doesn't mean much outside of a tumbler right, Um, 261 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: but really, like I got almost three thousand Twitter followers 262 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: in two days and was like, what's going on? Um, 263 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: I hope you guys aren't following me because you think 264 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: that I'm going to have like a super well put 265 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: together plan about what's happening, because I can't answer those 266 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: questions like again, like we get emails that are meant 267 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: for everyone else. I have really had to think seriously 268 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: about how to move forward. Let's take a thing right 269 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: and we're back. Mars was supportive of the spinoffs and 270 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: offshoots of Blackout Day, and she gave them her blessing, 271 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: but the Blackout Day boycott, with its massive virility and 272 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: celebrity endorsement, this was different. It makes it hard for 273 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: her to imagine doing anything else online using the name 274 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: Blackout Day. For me, it makes very little sense to 275 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: continue with Blackout as uh like as our name, just 276 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: because it's kind of like, you know, they have the story, 277 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: that's what is it. It's it's like escalators didn't used 278 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 1: to be called escalators. It was really the brand Escalators, 279 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 1: but then everybody started calling it escalators, so now every 280 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: moving staircase is an escalator and they lost their copyright. 281 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: Like that's literally what it feels like is now everybody's 282 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: got a different version of Blackout, and that's been a 283 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: thing for years. You know, Blackout D is one, it's 284 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: my favorite one. UM every d where you know as 285 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: Ramanan is ending like black Muslims show out, Like I 286 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: love that one. There's UM a Blackout for K pop fans, UM. 287 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: You know black BTS fans Blackout bts, that's what it is, 288 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: UM and they're all those are all considered like direct 289 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: spin offs. We've supported them over the years. It's been cool, 290 00:16:55,800 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: but no one's ever really known like what those actions 291 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 1: were mimicking on a grand scale. Um, And so I 292 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: am just so now used to blackout this blackout that, 293 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: or like blackout even this Blackout Day fiasco that I'm like, 294 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: you know, I really am like at this point, I 295 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: don't know if there's ever if there's ever going to 296 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: be a point where, um, what we were doing before 297 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: will ever make sense again. Do you think that the 298 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: organizer of Blackout Day like intentionally camped out on this 299 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: infrastructure that you built, or do you wish they had 300 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: reached out to you? Like what like, what do you 301 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: think is going on with that? I've really I have 302 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: no idea. I haven't spoken to him beyond like a 303 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: Twitter exchange where he I think he saw my thread 304 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: about t I and felt a little defensive, and so 305 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: I was just like, no, like, I I stand by 306 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: what I said in my thread simply because I was 307 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: explaining to people how like the mechanics, the actual mechanics 308 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: of the eratio that happened here. I was, you know, 309 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: pointing out that the media, you know, gave te credit 310 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: for a thing that's happening on Facebook. The thing that's 311 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: happening on Facebook is our name with a year on 312 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: it organized by someone I do not know, Like nothing 313 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: I said was a lie. Um, I don't. I haven't 314 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 1: spoken to him since he has not reached out again. 315 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: I've kind of buckled down and prepared for the worst, 316 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: I think, um in terms of like any kind of 317 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: pushback or fallout, um, spam mail or like hate mail 318 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: and my my d M s or anything. Um, But 319 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: I haven't. I haven't spoken to him since. And I 320 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: but I find it hard to believe that he didn't 321 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: see our tag at all in the internet, like on 322 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: the internet, Like I find it incredibly hard to believe 323 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: just because we're googleble, like we have a week media 324 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: page like it's there. Um. And then nevertheless, the fact 325 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 1: that he did see this whole thing happening. He did 326 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: see like this conversation I was having, and then has 327 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: not has not reached out again, and has continued trucking 328 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: and is selling merchandise and is like doing whatever. Like 329 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: that kind of tells me what I need to know. 330 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: And like, yeah, you could say, well, Mars, why don't 331 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,479 Speaker 1: you reach out? But I'm tired of doing that. Like again, 332 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: I have this whole from five years ago on up. 333 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: I have been the one to reach out to the 334 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: other person advocate for myself, and like at this point, 335 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 1: I'm like, you know, I I'm I'm I'm gonna sit 336 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: here and I'm gonna wait and if it works out, 337 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: it works out. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't 338 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: work out. UM, But I am going to put the 339 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: onus on the black man too, do that, like to 340 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 1: to to be the initiator here, um, just because they've 341 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: kind of gotten a way, like you know, with erasing me, 342 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: like from the very start. You know, it's it's frustrating, 343 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: it's hurtful to think about. UM. And also like I'm 344 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: only saying this because I'm not scared anymore, you know 345 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: what i mean. Like I used to be scared, Like, 346 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:23,719 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, what do they think I'm bitchy? What 347 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: do they think? I'm complaining and I'm detracting and like 348 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: getta YadA YadA. But at the end of the day, 349 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: you can do the right thing and like reach out 350 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,679 Speaker 1: and ask me what I think and like actually say, okay, 351 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: you know what, I am actually causing problems for this person. 352 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: Let me do better and do right by her. Um 353 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: or you cannot. That's just that's just that's just it. 354 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 1: I mean, until then, I'm just I'm hanging out. I 355 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 1: have other things that I've got going on, UM and 356 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 1: other things that I'm working on them that I care about. UM. 357 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: And you know, at the end of the day, we 358 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: all want the same thing, which is better for black 359 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: people in America, better for black people all around the world. 360 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: Mars was genuinely hurt, and on top of that, she 361 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 1: felt a lot of pressure to put on a happy, 362 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: pr friendly version of how she felt. On Twitter, she 363 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: said she was tired of the expectation that she'd just 364 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: be grateful to be a footnote on something that she created. Well, men, 365 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: she's never even spoken to got the credit. And I 366 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:35,919 Speaker 1: I I'm still it's a it's a thing that I'm 367 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: still actively processing. But essentially, like, look at the state 368 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: of look at the difference between like a T I 369 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 1: and I. Right, T I is a multi millionaire, successful, 370 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: like heralded like out here, does not have to worry 371 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: about healthcare or being his rent or anything like that, right, 372 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: And I was just I'm actually just coming off of 373 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: the tail end of what I've been jokingly but not 374 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 1: jokingly calling the toughest year of my life. The year 375 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: twenty five, Like I turned twenty five and then the 376 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: breaks like broke, like that year. It was so painful, 377 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: um and so hard for me. And so here I 378 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:22,239 Speaker 1: am like watching Blackout Day get kind of erased and 379 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: like become a footnote again because it happens all the time. 380 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: But the difference here now is that like holy crab, 381 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: like there are people with so much, like so many 382 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: more resources than I have at my disposal, actively celebrated 383 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: for like doing a thing that is like confusing people. 384 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: So like we also have our long term community who 385 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: is like, Mars, what's going on? What what's happening, because 386 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 1: we do still have people who care about the work 387 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: we do. We we do still have people who we 388 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: consider our Blackout Day family, and They're like, what's happening 389 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: over there? And I'm like, I have no clue. And 390 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: so part of me was like it really does hurt 391 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: because here I am a twenty six year old freelancer. 392 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 1: I have like scraped by like like you know, like 393 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: black women do like making spinning gold out of straw constantly, 394 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: just like grinding and grinding, and I'm out here just 395 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: trying to get people to read my writing and just 396 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: trying to, you know, keep my peace and then you 397 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:29,959 Speaker 1: kin like, yeah, I don't want to see a multimillionaire 398 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: like hip hop celebrity like Superstar getting cold, like like 399 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: if that's so annoying. It was so like from it 400 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: was hurtful. It was annoying, It was frustrating. I was 401 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 1: just like I had no like I have no health care, 402 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:47,959 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like I am surviving the 403 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: day to day like grind for a creative and it 404 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: really does like it hurt and it stung, and I 405 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: was just like I can't be silent this anymore because 406 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: if I keep this inside me, I'm going to explode. Um. 407 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: And I was not expecting the level of support that 408 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 1: I got in response that I was like, this is nuts. 409 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: Like I wasn't expecting anybody to care, if that makes sense, um, 410 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: which is a really sad thing to say, but like, 411 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: you know, like I wasn't expecting people to really be 412 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 1: as passionate as they were about it. Um. And then 413 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,239 Speaker 1: like knowing that I'm also you know, knowing that I'm 414 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: not alone in this was um. It meant a lot. Um, 415 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,919 Speaker 1: But yeah, it hurt, Like it's more than just like 416 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: give me credit. Like whatever. But yeah, I cried. I 417 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: cried and I cried and I cried. And you know, 418 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: I'm really lucky to have been quarantining with my parents 419 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: because I think if I was dealing with UM, this 420 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: particular you know, unfortunate piece of I don't even know 421 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: what to call it. Like, if I was dealing with 422 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: this unfortunate saying alone, UM, I don't know how UM 423 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: I would have I would have COPD properly. I think 424 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: it's also like a culmination of like a bunch of 425 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: years of this happening, right. I think it was just 426 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:17,159 Speaker 1: kind of like the straw that broke the camel's back, um, 427 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: which seems to be the theme of this societal moment 428 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: like we are living in like listen, we are fed up, honey. Um, 429 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: But yeah I was. I was really deeply hurt by it. 430 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: When I saw Mars's tweets, I was furious on her behalf. 431 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: I wasn't alone either. The community she built online was 432 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 1: ready to flip tables make sure she got credited and 433 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: had support. It's a good reminder that sometimes we're all 434 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: we got. It was amazing. I mean, it's so weird too, 435 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: because um, I don't feel like I'm I don't feel 436 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: uh seen, Like I forget people see me, you know 437 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: what I mean. Like, And I don't know if other 438 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 1: black women have experienced this, but I definitely forget that 439 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 1: when I throw a tweet out into the universe, or 440 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: when I write something, when I create something, when I 441 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 1: make something that other people do see me, you know 442 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,919 Speaker 1: what I mean. And I think that might be a 443 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: combination of just like you know, the active eraser of 444 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 1: black women in a lot of our workspaces and a 445 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: lot of things we make and create, UM, but also 446 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,680 Speaker 1: just kind of a little symptomatic of UM, like going 447 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: viral for your your work, you know what I mean. 448 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 1: Like I want to be those cool writers who are 449 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: getting all those cool like interviews and yeah yah yeah, 450 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: Like I think I got so caught up in wanting 451 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: to sit with the cool kids. I think of it 452 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,719 Speaker 1: about it this way. I try not to get so 453 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: caught up wanting to sit at the cool kids lunch 454 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: table that I forget that there are very many people 455 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: who are inviting me to sit with them, Like there 456 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 1: are so many people who would go, hey, Mars over here, 457 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 1: and I'm so focused on wanting to try to get 458 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: to the Cool Kids Table that I miss out on that, 459 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: and so this was also just like one of the 460 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 1: silver and things was like, oh my gosh, you are 461 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: seen and you are loved, like people see you. People 462 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: went up for me, and I was like, this is 463 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: so crazy, and you know what, And there's also like 464 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,439 Speaker 1: we need to stop trying to take things on, like 465 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 1: and by we, I mean black women trying to take 466 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 1: things on all by ourselves, because for real, the energy 467 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: and the love you feel when you just let people 468 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,679 Speaker 1: go up for you, just let people start a fire 469 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: for you. It's okay, it's gonna be okay. Let people 470 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 1: be your defense squad, you know what I mean, like 471 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 1: especially other black women, especially like like women and fems 472 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: really and like the people from Tumbler who were like, 473 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: oh na, na no, like I know, y'all are not 474 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,199 Speaker 1: out here trying to disrespect Mars. And I was like, 475 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: this is so like you know, happy tears, um, But 476 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: that's just it's crazy. Let people go up for you. 477 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: And remember that the Cool Kids to Lunch Table is 478 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 1: like overrated, you know what I mean, Like cool, cool cool. 479 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: They have a New York Times bestseller, cool cool Cool 480 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: there they went there on vacation or their speak being 481 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:04,199 Speaker 1: there or YadA YadA, YadA. But you know, comparison is 482 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: a thief of joy just and you know, I've had 483 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: to process all of that, of course, because I was like, 484 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,160 Speaker 1: am I just mad that t I is getting attention? 485 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: Like let's unpack this, you know, like becoming your own therapist, 486 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:19,439 Speaker 1: sitting down on the metaphorical couch in your mind and 487 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: being like, Okay, what are you really feeling? It really 488 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 1: comes down to feeling accepted, celebrated and seen. That's what 489 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: Marris was looking for in Tumbler, and it's what drove 490 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 1: her to create Blackout Day in the first place, and 491 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: it's what she thinks makes online movements so special. And 492 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: getting right back down to the heart of what I 493 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: hope a lot of these movements think about going forward, 494 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: is how do you make the people who felt like me, 495 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: who forget that people see them, how do you make 496 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: them remember that people see them and like expand their 497 00:28:53,640 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 1: expand their like there their expectations for and like for themselves, 498 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:03,479 Speaker 1: like what do they want for themselves? And like just 499 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: within the context of the internet, because you know, this 500 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 1: is the thing that I think could be applied like 501 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: should be applied everywhere in real time. And what I 502 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: think a lot of campaigns like and a lot of 503 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: sayings like representation Matters are getting at is how do 504 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,800 Speaker 1: you make the people who feel forgotten, who feel unseen 505 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: I feel seen and celebrated in a way that's authentic 506 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 1: and amazing and empower them to want more for themselves. 507 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,479 Speaker 1: And like, if I were to pivot, and you know, 508 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: Blackout Day probably can't exist as it has, but if 509 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: I were to pivot the project, that would really be 510 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: what I would want to get at, whether it's you know, 511 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: completely scrapping the whole thing and starting fresh with a 512 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: new project like that is always what I wanted my 513 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: work to do. Is you feel forgotten, you feel like 514 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: no one loves you. I want this thing that I 515 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: make for you. I want this organization that I build 516 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: for you. I want this poem that I wrote, I 517 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: want this TV show that I create. I want this 518 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: thing I sing to feel like a love letter specifically 519 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: to you. That's really how my brain works and how 520 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,760 Speaker 1: I approach everything is how does this feel like a 521 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: love letter to the person I'm talking to, you know, 522 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: to the audience that I'm seeking to create? It? Thank you, 523 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: I'm a poet. I don't know. But more, there are 524 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 1: no girls in the internet after this quick break and 525 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: we're back. Anyone can make a Black Lives Matter post 526 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 1: on Instagram, But how do you really and truly affirm 527 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: black lives? How do you swell up for black people, 528 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 1: especially the black people who are likely to go marginalized 529 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: or overlooked. You might love to consume black content and 530 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: black culture, but do you really love black people? To me, 531 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:01,840 Speaker 1: love looks like love for black women especially, looks like 532 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: giving us credit and like it looks like giving us credit. 533 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: It looks like giving us space. It looks like giving 534 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: us opportunity. Um. And it also looks like recognizing when 535 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: you take up too much space, right, because I have 536 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: been seeing like in this recent wave of like oh 537 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 1: my gosh, that we're like, you know, we're dedicating this 538 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: space to doing black black creatives and that on supporting 539 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: black lives. There's always always, like in Blackout Too, there's 540 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: always always cream that rises to the top quote right, 541 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: like end quote Like there's always the people who are 542 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: going to be, you know, chosen first for the kickball team, 543 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: which sometimes that's not great because sometimes that means that 544 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: like the powers that be are tokenizing you, and that 545 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: is garbage. That is a horrible position to be in. 546 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 1: I don't wish that on anybody. But also sometimes it 547 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 1: looks like you having a ton of access and then 548 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: not leaving space for someone who might not have as 549 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 1: much acts us to get that opportunity and to to 550 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: have that conversation open up for them as well. Um, 551 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: And it's hard to have that combo because like sometimes 552 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: especially on Twitter, might tweet that you know, it's like, 553 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: why are you such a hater? Who are you sub tweeting? 554 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: Like I don't know? And it's hard to because as 555 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: a black woman, people are also projecting this like like 556 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 1: either the snobby nous onto you, like a caddiness or 557 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 1: for me, uh, it's like the mammy. Right, I'm everyone's 558 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 1: emotional support, like blogger, which is I'm honored, but it's 559 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 1: also exhausting. Um. So, like having this kind of conversation 560 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: about like who gets where and who and does and 561 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 1: like who does what and YadA YadA YadA is near 562 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: impossible on the internet, But I think it's a conversation 563 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: worth having. For sure. Mars is right. We should be 564 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 1: having conversations about who gets credited for their creations, but 565 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 1: those conversations are often difficult to have, especially online, and 566 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: when black folks make things online, the assumption is it 567 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: just belongs to everybody. Think about viral sensations like kombucha 568 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: girl real named Britney Toomilson, who's hilarious TikTok of her 569 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: taste testing kombucha landed are lucrative brand deals, including a 570 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: Super Bowl ad. It really smells like a public restroom. 571 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: From the first video I ever posted, I have like 572 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: fifty thousand followers, which is many, and then from there 573 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: I just kind of kept posting. The kombucha video was 574 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 1: like the ninth video I ever posted. Compare that with 575 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 1: fourteen year old Jolila Harmon. Jolila's renegade dance challenge on 576 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: TikTok went mega viral, with everybody from Lizzo to a 577 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: Rod doing it, but another dancer on TikTok was initially 578 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,719 Speaker 1: credited with starting the dance trend, and people on social 579 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,719 Speaker 1: media had to go hard just to make sure Jolila 580 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 1: was given credit at all. Mars wants to know why 581 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: it's so easy for black women creators online to not 582 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 1: get credit for our contributions and how tough conversations about 583 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: the role of power and cultural exchange. We had to 584 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: go up for a little baby girl to get credit 585 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: for that, right, And like watching that and I'm like, 586 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, you see people like and I actually 587 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:14,800 Speaker 1: just made a post about this, Like you see people 588 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 1: like no shade at her kombucha girl, right, I actually 589 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,080 Speaker 1: still don't know her name. I'm so sorry. Um, but 590 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:22,919 Speaker 1: like you see, like she ended up in a super 591 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:29,919 Speaker 1: Bowl commercial like hello, and like that's that's nuts. Like, wow, 592 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: is it that when people who aren't black go viral? 593 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:39,759 Speaker 1: It seems that like it's a life changing type deal, right, 594 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:42,359 Speaker 1: And then like black people have to actively make sure 595 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: that our names are like plastered all over everything so 596 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 1: that we can or like people have to make a 597 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 1: tweet that's like so and so made this. But you 598 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:53,240 Speaker 1: don't want to have that conversation before, before we get 599 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: to those types of opportunities, and especially like with black women. 600 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: Maybe it's because you know, maybe it's just a small 601 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:06,760 Speaker 1: fraction of a piece of the phenomenon that black people 602 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 1: are just essentially the ghost writers of popular culture, right, 603 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: Like maybe it's just a tiny little subset of that 604 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: that that issue just like there was oh my gosh, 605 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: I remember back in the day Tumbler would have this 606 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:24,360 Speaker 1: argument about the word funck boy, and like there was 607 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 1: like this rumor that it was a homophobic slur, and 608 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: it was like what are y'all talking about? Like it 609 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 1: really is just like life is the biggest game of telephone. Um, 610 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 1: and like once really and truly like no like no 611 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: offense to them, but like also if you're offended, it's 612 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,840 Speaker 1: the truth. Um. But like not once non black people 613 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: latch onto something, and like that's exactly what happened with 614 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 1: like the show must be paused because the c t 615 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:58,879 Speaker 1: A was too black people in the music industry. That 616 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 1: was the c t A and was the audience we 617 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 1: were it was a b conversation. But as soon as 618 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:09,279 Speaker 1: C D and E, which were non black people, join in, 619 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 1: the whole thing is just like stripped of its original 620 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: c t A, removed from its context and then complete 621 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: completely bastardized and corny right already and not effective and confusing, 622 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:29,239 Speaker 1: ineffective and weird and confusing, and like I think that 623 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 1: is just what black That's what the world just does 624 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 1: to black people, creating things all the time, especially Black Americans, 625 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:43,399 Speaker 1: especially African Americans, like child as soon as any as 626 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: soon as black people like or do anything that it 627 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: seems cool as soon as it comes like crosses that boundary, 628 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: and people like, oh my god, you don't want like 629 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 1: you're slang to cross like generations, you don't want it 630 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: to cross races, like that's beautiful. That's cultural exchange. And 631 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:01,719 Speaker 1: it's like, okay, well, what do I get an exchange 632 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 1: for all, like for all of the white women going yes, yes, yes, 633 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: queen work, Like what do I get in exchange if 634 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,400 Speaker 1: it's cultural exchange? Like I don't have any privilege. You're 635 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,440 Speaker 1: not giving me your privilege, you're not giving me your money, 636 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: that aren't hiring me? Like what is the cultural exchange 637 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,040 Speaker 1: that people keep referring to when they talk about the 638 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: ways in which black creations are like disseminated and bastardized 639 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,360 Speaker 1: on their way out of black spaces? You know what 640 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: I mean? Like, please, I didn't you gave me nothing? 641 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 1: And I am dealing with you guys arguing about like 642 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 1: Karen being a slert like, oh, come on, you get 643 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:43,520 Speaker 1: like you give me nothing culturally? I am black, Like 644 00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: we create this cool, like we create all this cool shawlbo. 645 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:50,840 Speaker 1: I will say dungeons and dragons naps because dungeon and 646 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 1: dragons is my favorite hobby. So I guess that's the 647 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:01,080 Speaker 1: exchange for free on a personal well, but I mean 648 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: from a systemic come on. I'm making this podcast because 649 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:11,840 Speaker 1: I want to make sure all the marginalized voices that 650 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 1: make being online what it is don't go a race 651 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:20,279 Speaker 1: or overlooked just because of our identities. Mars has had 652 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:22,840 Speaker 1: a big impact on how folks go up online, and 653 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 1: if I were writing a history book about the Internet 654 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: in the two thousands, she'd be all over it. But 655 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,239 Speaker 1: Mars wishes there were some way that other marginalized people 656 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,240 Speaker 1: can measure the impact they have online, because our impact 657 00:38:33,239 --> 00:38:35,960 Speaker 1: has been huge and we deserve to have that impact 658 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 1: celebrated and affirmed. I would love it if I could 659 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:47,120 Speaker 1: build a thing, or someone somebody somewhere could build a 660 00:38:47,160 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 1: thing where we teach people. We teach black women, especially 661 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:56,920 Speaker 1: how to like black women within Internet spaces with like 662 00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 1: black women who are shaping the Internet essentially, Like if 663 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:01,600 Speaker 1: we could have a collective where we all just like 664 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 1: Number one, just get together and like key, that'd be great. 665 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 1: Number two really teaching people how to make their impact 666 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 1: quantifiable because I think that's always been my issue, right, 667 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 1: That's always been the thing that's been hard for Blackout 668 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 1: especially is how do I mars make my impact on 669 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 1: the internet quantifiable? Even when you know, even being asked 670 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: to do this podcast, I was like, but I'm not 671 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:29,759 Speaker 1: a big deal, And then people are like, but no, 672 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 1: you are, and I'm like, I don't actually understand. I 673 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,799 Speaker 1: don't think I've internalized how I'm a big deal, you 674 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 1: know what I mean? So like, how do I measure 675 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 1: my impact? How do I make that impact? And then 676 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 1: like the last step is how do you make that 677 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 1: impact work for you? Because that's the problem, is that 678 00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:54,799 Speaker 1: black women will be super amazingly impactful and people will 679 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:59,719 Speaker 1: benefit greatly with like, you know, rich rich benefits from 680 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:03,680 Speaker 1: the work that black women have done, but how do 681 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:07,600 Speaker 1: we make it work for ourselves? Like, speaking specifically back 682 00:40:07,640 --> 00:40:10,560 Speaker 1: to movement work, it's like Black Lives Matter was founded 683 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 1: by three queer black women, Like that's amazing, but guess 684 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:20,400 Speaker 1: who was actively erased from the what has been heralded 685 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: as the quote main black Lives Matter movement? Black women, 686 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:30,200 Speaker 1: black LGBTQ folks, And like, how how do we make 687 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:34,080 Speaker 1: the thing that we make work for us, you know, 688 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 1: And so I would just want to, like, I'm thinking, 689 00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 1: you know, way far into the future, when this era 690 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 1: of the internet is over. What I want to be 691 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:52,920 Speaker 1: remembered for is like making cool things that made people happy, 692 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:58,160 Speaker 1: made people feel loved, made my people, black people feel loved, 693 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:01,640 Speaker 1: made girls like me that girls, black girls, dark skinned 694 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:07,400 Speaker 1: girls like made us feel loved and happy, but also 695 00:41:08,719 --> 00:41:11,400 Speaker 1: got credit for and like made my mark and was 696 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: able to carve out space so that it's easier for 697 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:18,320 Speaker 1: the next person. M I mean, that's the eternal question 698 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:22,919 Speaker 1: of how we do that. That's a beautiful goal. That's 699 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:25,359 Speaker 1: always and you know, and everything I do, that's really 700 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:26,880 Speaker 1: I want to. I want to be able to and 701 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm no longer ashamed of saying that I 702 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:32,920 Speaker 1: want to be able to eat and sleep and rest 703 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:35,319 Speaker 1: and take care of myself and buy myself a coach 704 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:37,760 Speaker 1: bag when I want to just as a little treat 705 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:42,880 Speaker 1: because I worked hard or not. You know what, No, not, 706 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:44,759 Speaker 1: I'm not coach. We will be black owns. What is 707 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:46,879 Speaker 1: it that everybody wants right now? Tell far I would 708 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:49,720 Speaker 1: tell I was like, oh my god, the hair pressure 709 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 1: I want one to. Then I found out there black 710 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 1: own and I was like, okay, gag um, but you know, 711 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,719 Speaker 1: like I want to be able to rest on my 712 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:01,000 Speaker 1: laurels and it's it's that's not a bad thing. And 713 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:03,640 Speaker 1: for black women, I want us to really internalize, like 714 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:06,640 Speaker 1: it is not a bad thing to want to be credited, 715 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: and it's also not a bad thing to want to 716 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:13,560 Speaker 1: have the basic necessities of your life and you're yourself 717 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,640 Speaker 1: cared for period, like whether it be you know, being 718 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,200 Speaker 1: credited properly or cited properly for your work. You know 719 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:22,680 Speaker 1: how many times I have seen amazing black writers on Tumbler, 720 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:28,120 Speaker 1: amazing black writers women too, have their words lifted and 721 00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:31,360 Speaker 1: posted on Twitter, like and I know it's the Internet, 722 00:42:31,480 --> 00:42:34,839 Speaker 1: I know it's public and gadiyada YadA, but like, oh 723 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:38,600 Speaker 1: my gosh, please like to see people who say care 724 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:40,880 Speaker 1: about black women protect black women. This, Edita, this is 725 00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:43,960 Speaker 1: how I'm supporting a black woman today. You are actively 726 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:49,319 Speaker 1: repeating the words like stealing the the intellectual thought, like 727 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:54,879 Speaker 1: the intellectual property and thoughts of black women, and that 728 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:59,000 Speaker 1: black women. You know that black woman goes to bed 729 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:04,040 Speaker 1: a little hung greed, then she should while you know, 730 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:06,240 Speaker 1: you have people who are benefiting actively from their work, 731 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:13,160 Speaker 1: you know, in in rooms with celebrities, like you know, 732 00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:16,640 Speaker 1: some people are going to want to aspire to celebrity, 733 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:20,200 Speaker 1: and that is on them to want to aspire to that, 734 00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:25,600 Speaker 1: but like to do it while stepping on the hands 735 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:28,040 Speaker 1: and the backs and the next of black women is 736 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:32,319 Speaker 1: just I cannot abide. And it's it's I'm tired of 737 00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:36,040 Speaker 1: being nice about that frustration. I have resorted to being 738 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:38,200 Speaker 1: angry out loud about it because it's like, if you're 739 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: gonna call me angry anyway, I might as well get 740 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,080 Speaker 1: my licks in, you know what I mean, Like if 741 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:46,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna call me big mad, are jealous or a 742 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,840 Speaker 1: hater because I'm not the quote influencer type, you know 743 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:51,320 Speaker 1: what I mean? And and for a while that's what 744 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:54,279 Speaker 1: I aspired to. I did want to like pivot to 745 00:43:54,440 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 1: not specifically within the realm off like Blackout, but I 746 00:43:57,000 --> 00:43:58,480 Speaker 1: did want to like pivot to being like cute and 747 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:01,680 Speaker 1: quirky and fun and like havy it engine um, But 748 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 1: I don't like that's I've tossed that in the garbage bin. 749 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:08,919 Speaker 1: It's like, I I'm not trying to be famous all 750 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:14,200 Speaker 1: that to say, like it's a dangerous thing and in 751 00:44:14,239 --> 00:44:20,040 Speaker 1: a hard line to tiptoe across when you're asking to 752 00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:22,279 Speaker 1: be credited and then having to kind of fight the 753 00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:24,840 Speaker 1: Cloud monster too, you know what I mean, Like I 754 00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:26,520 Speaker 1: don't I'm not saying this for Cloud, not doing this 755 00:44:26,560 --> 00:44:29,800 Speaker 1: for Cloud, but also you're gonna know who I am 756 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 1: because what I did was important. You know. Making a 757 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:37,359 Speaker 1: specific effort to support black owned businesses is a great 758 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:40,680 Speaker 1: cult action. Has we so support for black lives on Blackout? 759 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,160 Speaker 1: Let's also on or and amplified the Black women was 760 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:46,600 Speaker 1: labor and talent laid the foundation for us to do so. 761 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:50,480 Speaker 1: To support Blackout, DA, don't spend any money today July 762 00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:53,840 Speaker 1: seven unless it's had a black owned business to support Mars. 763 00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:56,080 Speaker 1: Follow her on social media at Mars and charge on 764 00:44:56,120 --> 00:45:01,279 Speaker 1: Twitter and at Mars and Charge underscore on Instagram. There 765 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:03,040 Speaker 1: Are No Girls on the Internet was created by me 766 00:45:03,120 --> 00:45:06,120 Speaker 1: Bridget Tad. It's a production of iHeart Radio and Unbossed 767 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:09,640 Speaker 1: creative Jonathan Strickland as our executive producer, Tara Harrison as 768 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:13,200 Speaker 1: our producer and sound engineer. Michael Amato is our contributing producer. 769 00:45:13,440 --> 00:45:16,399 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Bridget tad. For more podcasts for my Heart, 770 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:18,759 Speaker 1: check out the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever 771 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:19,680 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.