I’m not an influencer. I don’t post five times a week or track my engagement rate.
But I do spend my days (and way too many nights) behind the scenes, helping creators show up online—loud, proud, and full of purpose.
As a Black Queer Woman in South Africa, I’ve always known that visibility is powerful. However, meaningful visibility? That’s where the magic is. That’s where influence becomes something more than brand deals and aesthetic feeds; it becomes advocacy.
The Internet Is Loud, So Make It Count
Let’s be honest: the internet is chaotic. Between trending audios, filter fatigue, and the occasional algorithm breakdown, it’s a noisy place. But it’s also a space that lets people like me, someone who has survived domestic violence, someone who lives and breathes mental health advocacy, someone who proudly colours their eyebrows and posts about queer joy, speak out.
My Instagram isn’t curated. It’s lived. You’ll see mental health check-ins, reminders that healing isn’t linear, stories about being queer in a deeply binary world, and raw moments of what surviving trauma looks like in real life. And while I don’t have “influencer” in my bio, I know how much it matters when real stories are shared.
Creators Are Getting Real And Brands Are Finally Listening
In the world of influencer marketing, we’re seeing a major shift. Brands are no longer looking for the glossiest feed or the most followers; they’re looking for alignment. Values have entered the conversation.
Creators who advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, who talk openly about mental health, who care about education access or sustainability, those are the voices brands are partnering with. And it’s not performative (okay, sometimes it is, but that’s a whole other article). It’s about connection. It’s about community. It’s about reaching audiences with something real.
And when done right? It’s beautiful, it’s impactful, and it’s necessary.
Advocacy Is the New Influencer Currency
Influence isn’t just about reach anymore; it’s about responsibility. When a creator speaks about surviving gender-based violence or posts about eco-friendly living in townships or talks honestly about their therapy journey—it lands differently. It hits because it’s not scripted, it’s true.
And as someone working behind the scenes with these voices, I’ve learned that some of the most powerful campaigns don’t come with the biggest budgets. They come from a place of shared purpose. From brands asking, “Who do we want to stand beside?” rather than, “Who can sell this for us?”
So What’s the Takeaway?
If you’re a brand, stop chasing visibility and start prioritising value. Ask yourself: what do we stand for? And who stands with us?
If you’re a creator, lean into your truth. Show up messy, bold, soft, loud, whatever version of you feels most you that day. That’s what people connect with. That’s what moves people.
And if you’re someone like me working behind the scenes, shaping the narratives and pushing for authentic partnerships, keep going. Keep fighting for the underrepresented, the beautifully complicated and the honest and raw stories. They matter.
We’re not just building campaigns. We’re building culture. And for me, as a Black queer woman who’s lived some heavy chapters and still chooses to show up in colour, this work is personal and it’s powerful.
