As we all commit to doing the work of anti-racism, we must commit to educating ourselves, to learn from and listen to our non-white friends and peers. I’ve been trying to diversify my Instagram feed for a while now, to see more of the world from the comfort of my home, and to be a more aware and informed citizen of the world. What began as maybe a small obsession with other people’s travel photos, has morphed into a larger passion for learning from people different from me from around the world. I want to normalize all bodies, all colors, all types of people, and the best way to do that is through regular exposure to the unfamiliar.
My Instagram feed is full of travelers, bibliophiles, creators, yogis, parents, feminists, and folks living a healthier life than me. They inspire me with their experiences, teach me about things I need to know, and make me more curious about the world. Below is a short list of some of my favorite accounts from people of color that I find inspiring, fun, enlightening, entertaining, and worldview-expanding. I hope you will get as much pleasure from adding them to your feed as I have.
@observerpix
If you love audio dramas, you’re going to want to follow this short film and podcast production company started by a former coworker of mine, Faith (also on IG as @fbeemcee). She’s a talented editor and writer, feline lover, mother of twins, and a generally awesome person.
@creativitywithkay
Based in Qatar, this travel blogger focuses on “🛩 Creating Travel & Culture content for Muslim Families”, posting people-free travel images that should be in a magazine.
@hereweeread
If you want to learn more about diverse books to raise culturally curious kids, this is a great place to start. Your wallet may not thank you, however, since you’ll want to buy all of them, so perhaps invest in a library card so your family can enjoy all of the recommended reads.
@oneikatraveller
Well-known Black Canadian travel blogger who you may have seen on the Travel channel, Oneika has the most beautiful photos and always looks stunning. Her (white) husband and she just had a baby, so now her biracial daughter makes appearances in her vibrant posts.
@everydayafrica
I started following this account to become more familiar with the unfamiliar and to learn about the diverse continent of Africa, and I am so glad I did because the photos are informative, full of life, and captivating. This account is run by many “Photographers living and working in Africa, finding the extreme not nearly as prevalent as the familiar, the everyday.” Highly recommend if you want to continue to grow your worldview.
@wander.lustful
A Black female travel photographer I stumbled upon through the Girls Love Travel group on Facebook. Her photos are so full of life and color, each one inviting you to step into the story that it captured. Don’t follow if you don’t want instant wanderlust!
@exploringlegacy
I’ve been following this amazing family since they began their bold adventure in early 2018. Born in Jamaica, the parents took DNA tests to learn about their genealogy, and found that they had ancestry links to 31 populations around the world. So they conceived a 13-month journey to 16 countries so their family could learn more about the places their ancestors are from, and they’ve been documenting the whole thing. It’s been such a joy to follow along! (And I’m hoping they write a memoir soon!)
@lauraiz
Famous for the hilarious, creative, and detailed costumes that she’d dress her oldest daughter up in while she napped, this Asian American lifestyle blogger has become one of my favorite friendly faces in the parenting IG world, posting about life with two young kids. She continues to do nap time costumes with her youngest, and blogging about motherhood.
@mahoganybooks
The “DC Bookstore specializing in books written for, by or about people of the African Diaspora”, this account will inspire you to read more Black authors and also buy books from a small business (or if your bank account protests, get them from your local library).
@theslumflower
A British Nigerian fashion blogger focused on body positivity and learning to love yourself and be alone with yourself. She founded the #saggyboobsmatter campaign to challenge societal beauty standards.
@kidfriendly.meals
A registered dietician who specializes in baby led weaning (BLW) and raising healthy kids. Her main posts follow a similar aesthetic to other kid nutrionisits/dieticians on IG (clean, simple, comparative images to give you easy visual references and an quick way to grasp ideas) but her stories provide more topic specific posts on Asian food, potty training, reading, her toddler’s room, and her faith.
@maneetchauhan
You may know her as a Chopped judge, but Nashvillians know her as the fun, fierce force behind four of the city’s best restaurants. (Chauhan’s Ale Masala House, Chaatable, Mockingbird, and Tansuo). I love how open she is in sharing her life and travels, giving sneak peeks into her restaurant empire and hamming it up for the camera. She doesn’t take herself too seriously but does take food seriously, and damn is it delicious.
@thewanderfullist
An Asian travel blogger who posts the most inviting photos of her adventures around Asia and the US. Each one makes me want to book a plane ticket ASAP. The colors, the food, the beautiful nature. This is another account that will give you insta-wanderlust.
These are just a handful of the inspiring and brilliant POC content creators out there. I know that we all already deal with information overload and scroll past hundreds of social media posts a day, but I think that if we all try to be more purposeful with our social media habits, we can do a lot for ourselves through education and exposure and, as a result, do more for our fellow citizens.
What if we all committed to doing the work, to uplifting creatives of color, and diversifying our social feeds? What if we stepped out of our comfort zones and followed someone we’ve never heard of?
I want to know about the kickass POC accounts that YOU follow!
Is there a travel blogger or book reviewer that rocks your world? Is there an account that has opened your eyes to or changed your mind about something? Which accounts teach, inspire and uplift you?
Let’s amplify Black voices and voices of color, share the love, and learn from one another!
Love @MoodyAsAMother
She’s always motivating me to keep hustling!
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