black creatives
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Creativity and Craftsmanship: Celebrating Kuumba, the Sixth Night of Kwanzaa
Black-owned businesses breathe creativity. The sixth day of Kwanzaa, Kuumba, represents creativity and is a time for celebrating the radical Blackness that comes from multiple countries and cultures across different platforms. The following Black-owned businesses show their creative instincts in their hand-made and hand-picked products that represent the beauty of Blackness and cultural backgrounds. …
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Need a Creative Spark? The Cast and Crew of Pixar's Soul Got You, Boo
This year has done a number on us all in various ways. The “spare time” we’ve been afforded during the lockdown has also made more room for extra existential thoughts. Cue Pixar’s first film with a Black lead character, Soul, which explores the possibilities of the meaning of life. The synopsis for Soul, per a…
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The Root Presents It's Lit! Goes Black to the Future With Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham
Remember zines? Okay, maybe we’re dating ourselves, but younger versions of The Root’s Editor-in-Chief Danielle Belton and I (Managing Editor of The Glow Up, Maiysha Kai) were early fans of the format, maybe even producing a few zines of our own. (Okay, that definitely happened). Historically, zines organize various creators and mediums around a single…
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Announcing Blacktag, a Platform for Black Creation, Curation and Consumption; Issa Rae and Common Among Partners
In the midst of tragedy, hardships and frustrations that came with the 2020 global pandemic, creators have been pushed to well…be creative in order to survive in this economy. Virtual content is key this year (as all of us who telework and spend a lot of time on Zoom can attest), so naturally, that applies…
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All Black Everything: Zendaya Leverages the Power of Black Creatives for InStyle's September Cover
Don’t just talk about it; be about it. That’s the subtext of Zendaya’s stunning September 2020 cover story for InStyle, creative-directed by Zendaya’s longtime stylist Law Roach (a 2019 Root 100 honoree) and photographed by Ahmad Barber and Donte Maurice of AB+DM Studio, who also joined forces with Roach to capture Kerry Washington in a…
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Lena Waithe Discusses the Power of Creatives of Color and Black Queer Representation on Television
Writer, showrunner and actress Lena Waithe spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about a host of topics in a brand new feature released Monday, including the need to support the ideas of creatives of color, as well as Black queer representation on television. The 36-year-old creator of The Chi, Queen & Slim and Twenties discussed the…
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Exclusive: Tracy Clayton Is the New Host of Podcast Going Through It; Guests Include Tamron Hall, Ilhan Omar, Mara Brock Akil and More
If you’ve followed Tracy Clayton online throughout the years, you’ve probably noticed her endearing and comforting humor. She most certainly transitioned that online charm over into the podcast world, hosting Another Round (which debuted in 2015) and most recently, Netflix’s Strong Black Legends. Hell, Beyoncé enjoys her, too. Next up for Clayton? Well, she’s the…
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Creator of Dear White People Says Show's Growing Popularity Feels Like a 'Weird Consolation Prize'
According to data from Parrot Analytics obtained by The Root, viewership for Netflix’s series When They See Us and Dear White People jumped 329 percent during the recent uptick in Black Lives Matter protests. Justin Simien, the creator of Dear White People, says that although he’s thrilled to see interest in his work, he has…
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TikTok Users Are Showing Off Their Editing Skills During Self-Isolation—and These Videos Make the Cut
If there’s one thing black folks can do well, it’s make a way out of no way. Every day we sink deeper into the stay-at-home-ordered abyss, it feels like we’re trapped. Thankfully, this bizarre era of self-isolation has produced some creative content. Whether it’s the comedians or the dancers, the growing crossover popularity of TikTok…