Facebook launches ‘We The Culture’ to expand the voices of Black creatives

Written for The Link Entertainment by

Kiara Desirai, Author at The Link Entertainment

‘We the Culture’ intends to celebrate voices from the Black community through various social channels across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, spanning from music, art, poetry, to food and more.

The launch is committed to serve as “a launch point for black creators,” says Dan Reed, VP of global media, sports and equity partnerships

The initiative will include over 120 creators and also incorporate programming for Facebook Watch through partnerships with production companies focused on Black creatives. Some of the first shows will be “Chop It Up” with Storm Reid, “Asking for a Friend” with Vanessa Simmons, “Mastery of Comedy” with Angela Yee, among other creatives.

‘We the Culture’ is investing $200 million to support Black-owned businesses and organizations, including $25 million earmarked for Black content creators following the tragic murder of George Floyd.

Facebook’s ‘We the Culture’ will also provide partner management support, educational and training resources, marketing support, and audience development.

Storm Reid who will be among the Black creatives was “thrilled to collaborate with Facebook on their We the Culture program because we’re completely aligned in our messaging.” Their first show, “Chop It Up,” will be “a conversation series where I talk with my friends about things that matter to us and issues that are currently impacting our world. Investing in diversified voices is more crucial than ever, and we look forward to continuing these discussions while having fun along the way.”

Facebook investment into diverse creators and communities has exceeded and is an ongoing commitment where they want everyone to grow together.

Issa Rae has collaborated with LaLa Anthony, Angelica Nwandu, and Thembi Banks for a Horror-Comedy

There’s something scary going on in ‘The Shade Room.’ Issa Rae and LaLa Anthony are executive producing an upcoming horror comedy for Universal Pictures called Juju.

Issa Rae’s partner Deniese Davis will also help produce Juju, with HooRae’s SVP Development Sara Rastogi.

Writer, producer, and director, Thembi Banks, who has been a director on Rae’s Insecure, Frankie Shaw’s SMILF and a Sundance alum, will be making her directorial debut in the film.

The movie picture will be based on an original concept by Angelica Nwandu, the founder of Instagram-based page, The Shade Room, and a Sundance fellow, who will write the script. This is not Nwandu’s first time writing. She wrote the 2018 movie Night Comes On.

Nwandu previously told Marie Claire in 2019, “I’m OK with [recognition] as long as it’s related to business and talent—if it’s about my writing and my business, that’s fine—but I don’t want it to be about my personality on the red carpet,”

An official release date for ‘Juju’ has not been released yet. However, with the talent behind this project, ‘Juju’ will be a must watch.

Naomi Osaka will be the inspiration for a Japanese comic book character

Three-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka will be featured in a new Manga comic-book series called “Unrivaled Naomi Tenka-ichi,” with “Tenka-ichi” meaning “world number one” in Japanese for Nakayoshi magazine. The magazine is aimed at teenage girls and will be set to premiere late December on the 28th.

The project will be produced with the help of Osaka’s older sister, Mari, who will be illustrating the comic book series. The sisters are no stranger to working together. Mari has previously drawn an illustration of Naomi for the June issue of Japan’s GQ and another for Esquire that was released in July. The sisters also worked on charity face masks together.

“Growing up reading manga/watching anime was something that bonded me and my sister immensely so this is really exciting for both of us,” tweeted Naomi Osaka. The cartoon depicts a doe-eyed Osaka with pink and purple hair, wearing a yellow visor.

The character portrays Osaka’s signature large pearl earrings and the pearl necklace she often wears for matches. Be sure to snag her special edition magazine late December.