Do we all secretly loathe social media?

I recently told one of my friends that I’m mostly interested in growing my social media following so I can gain more professional opportunities then deactivate my accounts. They thought I was being weird, but I was mostly being serious. I recognize that social media metrics are often considered in media when it comes to job opportunities. AND it can be a great way to share work and learn about new opportunities. But for many journalists, especially women of color in the industry, the trolling and harassment eventually starts to outweigh the communal aspects of social media.

In the age of social media, some reporters have successfully become online personalities. Influencers, even. It’s easy to forget that everyone has their own definition of success and it’s totally fine to not be interested in virality.

“Drivers License” ONLY

I’ve learned that the youth are against the 😂 emoji and side parts for reasons I’ve yet to understand but the one thing we can all agree on is the fact that Olivia Rodrigo wrote her angsty teenage heart out.

The shuttering of Curbed ATL last year left a hole in local media coverage so I’m really happy that Josh Green is back with Urbanize Atlanta.

“In the Dream House” by Carmen Maria Machado

I’ve adored Carmen Maria Machado’s writing since reading “Her Body and Other Parties” a few years ago. I finally read her 2019 memoir In the Dream House last week and it was as stunning and devastating and I suspected it would be. With the book, Machado seeks to create a record of queer intimate partner violence in a way that she feels has been lacking from our public discourse. Anyone who has dealt with abuse can relate to the familiar exhaustion within these stories, though.

It’s Andra Day Season by Angelica Jade Bastién for The Zoe Report

Angelica is easily one of my favorite film and TV critics. This profile of Andra Day ahead of her starring in The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu) is masterfully crafted.

The Mirage of the Black Middle Class by Anne Helen Peterson for Vox

Anyone who grew up both Black and middle class will read this article and think “Duh!” It’s still a good read to remember this importance of intersectionality.

Chloe Bailey Is Doing More Than “Tearing Up” by Darian Symoné Harvin for Beauty IRL

A reminder to let Black women explore their sexuality and mind your business.