YouTube has created a $100 million fund that will support black artists on YouTube.
The popular video sharing platform has been one of the hubs for creators to freely express their creativity and get recognition thereafter. African creators have utilized the platform and this has led to the creation of the Black Voices Fund.
The global $100 million fund will be support black artists so they can create better content. The announcement was made in June and since then it has officially been named the YouTube Black Voices fund.
Alex Okosi, MD, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA said:
“Along with our commitment to amplify marginalised voices on the content side, we are also investing in product and policy changes that will continue to advance YouTube’s mission of giving everyone a voice and showing them the world,”
Okosi adds that the Black Voices Fund will invest with the intention to “present fresh narratives that emphasise the intellectual power, authenticity, dignity and joy of Black voices, as well as to educate audiences about racial justice”.
The key countries that have been chosen for this new project are creators that are within the US, Brazil and Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Okosi added that over the course of the three years they hope to expand to other countries and support the creators by giving them adequate training in workshops and community events to Black creators globally.
For a while, African creators have been marginalized across the world and it’s only recently where they are being recognized and even breaking geographical barriers. This project will ensure that YouTube becomes a hub where Black creators and users can share their stories creatively.