Issue 18 | To Us, Humans
How humanity has shown up in my world, and a reminder for us to exercise it, too.
In March, I was preoccupied with living, celebrating the union of two dear friends, rekindling my love affair with Mexico, and cementing what will 100% be an annual spring break practice for my business. With the jacaranda trees in full bloom and the ocean as my soundtrack, I flowed sweetly through life and didn't get around to writing a newsletter for the month. As the calendar turned to April, I started to ponder my humanity, in all its benevolence and complexity, and what it looks like in practice within a zeitgeist that's rapidly changing.
So, in this issue, I’ll share a few of musings on the topic, and how it’s shown up in my world recently: in a headline on the influencer industry—and my response to it—in a Netflix series you’ve likely binged watched already, and scattered throughout conversations about AI (my opinions included). Let’s get into it, shall we?
On Influencers
I’ve worked in the influencer marketing sector in some capacity since 2016. The concept is nothing new, yet today exists a motley set of ingredients: a world of inspiration at our fingertips, a dash of short-lived virality, direct access to brands and personalities, a dollop of celebrity deterioration, the opportunity to monetize, and (claims of) community by proxy. Turning to recent headlines, an “ex-influencer” is influencing how to say goodbye to influencing in The New York Times, while The Atlantic reports on the content creator crisis. A quotation from The Atlantic article got my thinking cap on. 🤔
“[Online creators] have never been more valuable to their home platforms, yet they’re still struggling to turn that value into meaningful leverage. For years now, the wide middle range of creators—the people who can make some money on social media, even if they have not attained superstardom—has complained about product changes, opaque algorithms with shifting priorities, and arbitrary content-moderation decisions that limit their reach. Will the relationship between influencers and the internet ever change?”
To this I say, it’s not the relationship between the influencers and the internet that needs changing. It’s the relationship between the influencers that does. I’ve been calling for humanity in the influencer space in personal essays and podcasts while doing my best to walk the talk on my Instagram and in person. For a while, the last line in my IG bio read, “turning URL to IRL.” For me, what’s missing is the recognition of our inherent desire (and need) to be in community, not the online buzzword, but what’s rooted in our DNA and lineage.
The above insight is what I’m most excited to integrate with my work with HONE, a culinary talent agency supporting innovators in the food, beverage, and farming sectors. The traditional ways of working for a PR or talent agency often look like onboarding a roster of clients, brands, or personas within a specific industry, then assigning them a small team to ensure the business is laddering up to goals and objectives. Too often, the working relationship is limited to that small team managing the account; rarely are these people thoughtfully engaging with each other collectively as clients and on a regular cadence. And no, I’m not talking about Instagram comments, earned media round-ups, industry conferences, or holiday parties. In an agency format, isn’t it odd that clients experiencing similar frustrations, roadblocks, career milestones, and opportunities aren’t meeting intentionally to share resources? And if community is the buzzword, then how is it practiced by all the players in the game?
I’ll end with this: if you’re online with an audience (regardless of following) you’re influencing decisions, whether it’s part of their consumer journey or provoking thought. One of the refreshing ways I’m experiencing this is on Geneva, the latest innovation in group chats keeping communities organized and in touch. To me, it’s as if Slack, AIM, and Clubhouse had a baby. I joined the platform after an invitation to meet-cute, “NYC coffee-shop-focused work sessions with new friends.” I was eager to co-work IRL one day a week, switch up my work environments, fellowship with other creatives, and participate in a way that would keep me accountable. The now 110-member group is a resource for me. I pop into the chat a few times a week and tap into suggested playlist, ask for recommendations on affordable underwear brands, or share an article that’s piqued my interest. There are two human standards here: sharing and supporting, which reach far beyond any campaign’s engagement metrics.
On Beef
What a joy it is to witness flawed humans outwardly expressed. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been watching more television than ever because I can see myself in all forms.
There were several Instagram Story posts from my community recommending to watch Beef, but what got me fully committed was Ali Wong’s cover story in “The Cut.” She discussed the dynamic of her recent divorce, getting back into the dating game, and her latest Netflix project. And so, I tuned in.
Yes, the soundtrack hits. Yes, the episode title cards are intriguing. And yes, there’s something about seeing a protagonist wrestle with a life that is “supposed” to be versus a life that is and do it in their full range of emotions. Watching Amy Lau and Danny Cho in their respective rage sparked a burning ember of compassion under me. A third-degree-burn-inducing ember. It’s the same feeling I got for Chiron in Moonlight, the Kim family in Parasite, and Angela Basset in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (and during her snub at this year’s Oscars ceremony).
Off-screen, the expression of all parts of myself and the allowance of that for others is a practice I’m constantly moving through. It reminds me that we all have the agency to mess up, pivot, or change our minds, and we’re all human, too.
On AI
When I think of the griots of our culture, AI does not come to mind, yet I’ve seen everything from AI-generated musical covers, models, interviews, and art promoted on the internet over the last few months. Several content creators are pushing for it and brands and people alike use it. For me, it’s maddening on several levels, but my main gripe is that it’s a clear example of the erasure of culture, especially Black culture (ahem).
Recall the Bible story of the Tower of Babel. It’s often credited as the origin languages. For those unfamiliar, the story goes that God was concerned that humans had shown contempt by building the tower to avoid a second flood, so God brought into existence multiple languages. Consequently, humans were divided into linguistic groups, unable to understand one another. When I think of AI, I think of division and an eerie attempt to play God. There are so many books to read, songs to sing, languages to learn, and stories to write, all rooted in the personal.
The personal, the human, fuels the creative work. Memories, nostalgia, and experiences—good, bad or indifferent—inspire our stories and contributions to the zeitgeist.
Eat, Pray, Love
In each issue, I’ll wrap up with recommendations that are making my life more delicious, grounding, and fun. Perhaps you’ll discover your next dine destination or dose of inspiration.
Scallop with dates and uni at Estela—Every two months or so, I lunch with a group of some of my favorite ladies who love food and restaurants the way that I do. On our lunch this month, we hit up Estela and indulged in a scallop dish I hadn’t tasted during previous visits. The melt-in-your-mouth balance of salinity and sweetness was more aphrodisiac than any oyster dish I’ve had, and a flavor combination I look forward to ordering again soon.
Maya Njie Perfumes—Fragrance has become an integral part of my life, and earlier this week, I met Maya Njie, who walked me through her exquisite collection. I’m wearing my favorites from her discover set—a beautiful expression of culture and family—that’s only available in a few U.S. stockists: MUSE Experiences in Harlem and at Arielle Shoshana in D.C.
An online feature in Architectural Digest—The story of my investment piece made its debut in Clever this week.
Be well, all.
xx,
Shanika