Snapchat has announced a mentor program to support content creators from the Black community. As part of the scheme, 25 creators will receive $10,000 a month for a year to fund their projects -- a helping hand that many other social networks have also established to help Black influencers break through.
With its new program, called The Black Creator Accelerator, Snapchat wants to help improve the representation of Black creators on the platform. "Black creators face unique systemic barriers across the creator industry -- from disparities in compensation and attribution, to toxic experiences and more. We believe one of the ways we can help remove some of those barriers is to provide mentorship and financial resources to emerging Black creators in the early stages of their professional career," said Snapchat.
Last December, a study conducted by the influencer marketing agency MSL revealed that the pay gap between white influencers and Black influencers in the United States could stand at 35%.
For a chance to benefit from Snapchat's assistance, hopefuls must complete an online application, open through August 12, 2022. Successful participants will be announced in early September, said parent company Snap.
In addition to financial assistance of $10,000 per month for 12 months, applicants will be able to draw on the skills of industry mentors, as well as advice and training. Snap previously announced measures to help minority creators with its 523 programhttps://dailyup.etxstudio.com/articles/rn/fr/news_2274644/high-tech/snap-veut-aider-les-createurs-issus-de-minorites-avec-ce-nouveau-programme.
To be selected, creators will be evaluated on their "unique voices," as well as their alignment with Snap's values and their career vision, without focusing on their number of followers or brand collaborations. They will also be able to test and give feedback on new features and options on the social network, or attend various webinars. In partnership with Google Pixel, UNCMMN and Westbrook Media, the program will even give a Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphone to participating creators, The Verge reports.
Beyond the philanthropic dimension, the program is a real opportunity for Snap: "Over the past two years, over 50% of leads or hosts in Snap Originals have identified as BIPOC or LGBTQIA+," the firm notes.
Many social networks have set up similar support programs for creators in the Black community. YouTube, for example, set up the YouTube Black Voices fund, first announced in 2020, while Meta invested $25 million to launch a program for Black creators in the US that same year. In 2021, TikTok launched its program for Black creators, in order to support emerging Black creators and artists on the platform. Even Twitch launched its own scholarships. These various initiatives multiplied following the "Black Lives Matter" movement and are still as relevant as ever today.
