Blogging While Brown 2013: Conference creates innovative atmosphere for blacks in online media
theGRIO REPORT - What do you get when you take a group of stylish, ambitious black women and place them together in a room?...
But, the most important element of the conference for many was not the wealth of expertise offered. The key takeaway was the building of positive relationships between African-Americans in the Internet content sector, and with those people and organizations that support the growth of people of color in that space.
“The blogging world is an interesting place,” noted Bridget “Bee” Quammie, a health and wellness blogger from Toronto, whose blog 83toinfinity.com also takes a witty look at current events. “Family and friends often don’t fully understand what you do, so it’s easy to feel alone. Simultaneously, the blogosphere can feel utterly crowded, and you wonder how to make your mark. The conference was empowering because I was able to connect with people who ‘get it,’ while being supported and encouraged in the work I was doing.”
Many people saw the closing keynote, “Empire Building” as empowering on a massive scale. Featuring superstar bloggers Necole Kane of NecoleBitchie.com, Angel Laws of Concreteloop.com, Claire Siobhan Sulmers of The Fashion Bomb, and Karen Civil of karencivil.com, this final panel moderated by Alfred Edmonds of Black Enterprise enabled aspiring blog stars to interact intimately with some of the most popular personalities online.
“Necole actually put together the closing panel all on her own initative,” McCauley told theGrio of this special moment. “She wanted to see all of those black women bloggers come together. I just provided the platform, but she brought in her blogging peers. It was a beautiful sight to see. Four empire-building black women coming together to share their wisdom with the up and comers. Necole has a generous spirit.”
As wonderful as Blogging While Brown 2013 was for many, there was some room for improvement some observed.
“I’d love to see speakers from more diverse sectors of black blogging,” Quammie stated to theGrio over email. “There are some amazing black bloggers in the sexuality, LGBTQ, wellness, and social activism spheres to name a few — it would be great to hear their voices and experiences.”
McCauley is happy to receive any and all feedback as she gears up for Blogging While Brown 2014. This year’s conference was held in New York City for the first time, and based in Harlem, an area of the city with a dynamic history and tremendous current cultural capital. Next year, due to its tremendous 2013 success, Blogging While Brown 2014 will return to this location.
“So many people said that after Day 1 it was well worth the trip, but we can and will do better,” McCauley said. “I’m already working on filling in any gaps I thought were there this year. I want to be responsive to their needs,” she said of bloggers of color. “I want bloggers to win. But I also want to make sure that bloggers like me, an activist blogger, also don’t get crowded out. We can learn alot from each other.”
“I have never left a conference with so many practical takeaways. There is no way that I will miss BWB 2014,” Trotman said over email.
“Personally, I see it only helping me to become even better,” Quammie stated of the whole Blogging While Brown experience. “I’ve been lucky to connect with other bloggers who are not only doing amazing things, but are open, friendly and sincere. For me, the openness and sincerity is almost more important than the skill set another blogger can offer me. Comraderie, support, and upliftment is needed and necessary, and really is what I feel will push myself and other bloggers of color further.”
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter @lexisb.
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