#as in w multiple outfits and its weird being this productive

[aro-aizawa]

sudden bursts of inspiration is always so fkn weird

[sheminecrafts]

Blavity has a big opportunity with Black millennials, despite struggling to fit the VC formula

Black Lives Matter may be the largest movement in U.S. history, according to four different polls cited recently by the New York Times that suggest anywhere from 15 million to 26 million people in the U.S. have participated in demonstrations over the death of George Floyd and others since Floyd’s death in late May.

Blavity, a six-year-old, L.A.-based media company that’s focused on Black culture, could hardly be better positioned to help outraged Americans better understand what’s really been going on. Blavity founder Morgan DeBaun says the outfit receives at least a handful of videos each week that feature egregious acts against Black Americans, and the same has been true since DeBaun, working at the time at Intuit, founded the company in 2014 after unarmed, 18-year-old Michael Brown was gunned down by a police office in her native Missouri.

Blavity tells the stories that the mainstream media has largely been missing, but that’s only part of the story. The company has also become a go-to destination for a growing number of Black millennials interested in fresh takes on culture and politics; in Black Hollywood and travel (via two other properties it runs); and in its sizable networking events, one of which attracted 10,000 people last year.

Last week, we talked with DeBaun about Blavity — which has raised a comparatively conservative $11 million to date, including from GV, Comcast Ventures, and Plexo Capital — to learn more about how the company seizes this moment, and whether investors see the opportunity. Our chat has been edited for length and clarity (you can hear the full discussion here).

TC: You started Blavity in part to address a need you were feeling to connect with others after Michael Brown’s death. What were you reading at the time?

MD: The unfortunate answer is I wasn’t reading anything. I hadn’t really felt the need to stay connected to local or regional or Black issues until I moved out of my community and found myself wondering [from California], what is going on.

Historically in the Black community, we’ve had our own networks and platforms and brands: the African American newspapers in various cities, Essence, Jet, Ebony, and more recently, The Root. [But] a significant amount of media publications are still focused on entertainment and Hollywood and not necessarily on news. And so there was a huge gap of information that I felt wanting to understand.

This was before Twitter really became a source of information and truth for so many people, so there was a gap of information from what I saw happening on the ground in St. Louis and in text messages and as part of an email list with friends who were on the ground, and what I saw in the mainstream media. And to me, that was a huge miss, because we needed to be connected at that point more than ever so we could help impact change.

TC: There’s a lot of social injustice covered by Blavity. Two of the most popular stories on the site as we speak are about Sacramento police officer who placed a plastic bag on a 12-year-old’s head, and a cop who was arrested and charged after tasing a pregnant woman on her stomach. Are these stories central to making Blavity a resource to its readers?

MD: We tend to be a reflection of the pulse of the reality and the Black experience, and we do share stories and news that people might not find other places. I get the question more recently about: Does this time feel different? Are we covering different things? And unfortunately, the answer is that we’ve been covering these stories weekly since Michael Brown happened. It’s been a critical part of our publication and ethos to ensure that we’re sharing the stories of our community and bringing light to the injustices that are happening.

We also share joy and happiness and celebrations and moments of great accomplishments and local stories of heroes. But certainly right now, we’re making sure that we’re doing our diligence and covering the stories that are very important for this moment in time.

TC: You recently told Forbes that advertisers and marketers do not want to spend money next to Black death and violence. You have to cover these stories because it’s core to what you do, but it’s a double-edged sword for you, it sounds like.

MD: Blavity as an organization has five different brands. So we have a diversified revenue stream where we don’t just rely on display advertising against our news business, because if we did, we would wind up very much similar to what we’ve seen happen [to other struggling media companies]. There was a time when our Facebook page was even blocked because [stories] have gotten flagged as being too violent. And it’s like, well yeah, violence against Black bodies is real. It’s the truth; it’s real news.

So we do have this weird kind of balance that we strike in terms of really making sure that we’re telling the truth and that we are pushing back against our clients, our advertisers, and even Facebook to ensure that Blavity can continue to distribute content. But overall, the news business isn’t our highest revenue-generating business. It’s our conference business and our display ads business across all of our brands, some of which are lifestyle brands.

We also have an ad network that we don’t advertise publicly much, but essentially, we run ads and sales operations for other publishers of color who maybe don’t have the scale to necessarily have their own sales team and ad tech and engineers and things of that nature. We’re fighting for deals against a Vice or a Refinery 29 that also have ad networks, so we wanted to make sure that we could also win those deals and we needed that huge inventory and [that business has] allowed us the flexibility to reinvest [in the rest of the business].

TC: I understand that you’re also starting a paid-for membership-only professional network.

MD: We have an exciting announcement that’ll come out in a few weeks about a new platform that will specifically be a place for young Black professionals to come together to have discussions to learn; to get jobs, because that’s one of our core competencies through [our conference business]; but most importantly, to have discussions around the issues and topics that are trending and that matter. We already do daily conversations through Facebook Live and YouTube and Instagram Live. So we’re trying to build a place where we can have a more private space for those conversations that feels safe and also is a place where people can connect on a deeper level.

TC: Have you noticed a real change in Silicon Valley in the last month or so among investors? Are you seeing interest from firms that previously hadn’t reached out to you?

MD: There are a lot of VCs that perhaps are paying attention, but the bias is so deep that I don’t even think they know how to get out. It.

Have I seen more requests for conversations? Yes. Do I think that that’s going to result in more investments and wires and checks? No. I’m very skeptical of this kind of like performative ‘we care’ flag. The most important metric of success for VCs are returns on their investments. [Venture money] is not a donation; it’s not charity. [VCs look for companies that] meet the metrics of success. And my metrics may be different because I’ve been chronically underfunded despite how much we’ve done.

TC: Can you elaborate?

I think the argument that [later-stage] investors make is, ‘Well, there are just not that many Series A Series B companies to invest in. [But] there are enough companies to invest in, that have your revenue criteria and your goal criteria in terms of a potential exit, but that may not call themselves startups. They may look different. And so you need to do more work to go get them.

There are certainly a lot more people raising funds and having really success in terms of raising their first fund, or that are now on their second fund as a result of this [focus on diversity] and that’s very encouraging and that’s really going to help the seed- and early-stage founders.

I wish I was a founder right now who was raising a seed [round], because I could raise $10 million, there’s so much money going around.

TC: It’s incredible that you could be at a disadvantage because you’re now running a real business with multiple properties, particularly given the opportunity ahead. As you’ve mentioned in the past, there will be a majority minority population in this country in 10 years or so. Are you developing products for other communities, including the Afro-Latino community?

MD: We’ve thought a lot about the sub communities that have huge audiences, are growing quickly, but perhaps don’t have a space or a place to connect. And originally, one of our ideas was to build out our tech platform, then change the UI to accommodate all these [ideas] and become a true house with brands that serve people and communities on a niche level — so Gen Z, Black, LGBT,  Afro Latina, for the many Caribbean folks who are in the U.S. and Nigerian Americans; there are so many sub communities within the diaspora.

What we realized is that the overhead and operations of doing that over and over would not be a good idea and that we should figure out how to a build the operations side instead. That’s why we invested in our own ad network, because we can say, ‘Hey, creator in Brooklyn who’s amazing, you have a million monthly unique visitors, which is better than half the publications out there. You don’t have ad sales team. Let’s partner with each other.’ That was the first solution.

The second is this social networking platform that we’ve built. Part of the frustration and tension I felt when I started the company was feeling like there was no one like me. I couldn’t find other Black women who wanted to build a huge company and change the world and do it through tech. There was no one walking around Mountain View who looked like that, and I didn’t know where to go. We want to solve that through technology and through a platform that makes it easy for people to find each other. Hopefully then, once people are more connected, they can build their own companies and come up with their own organizations.

from iraidajzsmmwtv https://ift.tt/3faFzfc via IFTTT

[romancevsreality-blog]

vanderpump rules, season five, episode eighteen: ARE WE DONE YET?

We’re finally back from New Orleans, where Tom and Jax are relaying all the information from the bachelor/ette party. Tom Sandoval is wearing a baseball cap and I want to burn it, it’s not a good look for him. But you know what was, apparently? Dressing up as a woman. Lisa comments that he made a very good-looking woman, and I guess that’s true depending on what your definition of “good looking” is. My definition of “good looking” is Tyra Banks in 1996, but whatever, Lisa. Boost Tom’s ego if you can. Meanwhile, Ariana and Scheana are just straight horrified about what happened with Katie and Tom at the bachelorette party - Ariana remains the voice of reason when she reminds us that choosing to bottle all of your issues usually ends with a nasty, foul, rotten bottle of problems.

Katie and Lisa are meeting, and I’m mostly distracted because Lisa’s holding the fluffiest dog I’ve ever seen in my life and I want nothing more than this dog at this moment. They’re preparing for the annual Sexy Unique Restaurant photoshoot, and the theme this year is “indulgence”, which isn’t a theme. Katie refuses to take any accountability for her actions in her and Tom’s argument because she’s a fucking adult, and maintains that Tom was the one fighting with everyone. Lisa’s nervous for the two of them because the wedding is just two weeks away and they’ve gotta lock this shit down. Let’s be real - these two need to postpone this wedding and go into therapy before they even start considering it, but Bravo production and their own personal vanity will never let that happen in a million years.

Kristen and Stassi go to lunch with their dogs, and Kristen teaches us all how to game the system and getting an emotional support dog. Kristen’s there to help Stassi write her OkCupid profile, which just proves she’s going down the wrong route from the get-go. Stassi, you’re famous. You have enough of a social media following to be on Raya, why aren’t you doing that? Or The League? Or Literally Anything Other Than OkCupid? Then again, I met my ex-boyfriend on OkCupid, so I can’t really talk. Stassi’s instructed to write something about herself other than “I’m on television,” and Kristen suggests “Brunch, dogs, wine, ranch.”

Because of course. Of course, ranch1.

Katie and Tom head over to Villa Rosa to meet with Queen Vanderpump, when suddenly a man in a tuxedo arrives to invite Lisa to be Katie and Tom’s wedding officiant. Aren’t they getting married in two weeks? Who waits this long to pick an officiant? Katie and Tom are awkwardly sheepish about it, and Lisa’s like, “yo - you guys couldn’t get through three days without fighting, how am I supposed to take you seriously?” You’re not, Lisa. She wants them to really consider if getting married is a good idea. Katie’s crying. They talk it out, but it’s mostly bullshit. Katie’s not even sure why they were fighting in New Orleans, and that’s critical - they’re clearly fundamentally not suited for each other to the point where they fight just to fight now. What I find particularly gross about this narrative 180 is that it almost normalizes the level of rancor Tom and Katie displayed toward one another for the bulk of this season. Is your relationship TERRIBLE? Are you and your partner verbally and emotionally abusing each other on a regular basis? If you just sit and have one little chat, it'll be all better in no time. It's that easy! I find it so distasteful.

The gang’s headed all down to the beach, and everyone’s ready for a beach day! Stassi and Scheana discuss Stassi’s date the previous night that she spent mostly making out, and her date tonight.2 Katie and Tom tell the gang about Lisa basically rejecting their request to officiate their wedding. The two of them have a cute cuddly moment on the beach and we’re expected to think everything’s okay with them. So after months of watching Tom and Katie fighting, being terrible to each other and generally showing viewers what not to do in a relationship, are we actually supposed to believe that one conversation with Lisa fixed everything? I understand it's a TV show and there has to be a storyline but shiiiiit, I kept rolling my eyes when they continuously referenced that magical conversation with Lisa fixing everything.

Lisa brings Ariana to meet her bedazzled horse, and Ariana is just… salivating. Even I’m jealous, and I’m allergic to horses. Lisa and Ariana wax poetic about their lives, and Ariana admits to not wanting children, something that horrifies Lisa. I don’t get this idea that some people have that one day you’re just going to wake up and want something you’ve never wanted before. Ariana’s not interested in marriage or babies - let her live.

Stassi wants to look skinny af on her blind date with a guy with “The Greatest Instagram Account [She’d] Ever Seen”3 and Kristen, looking the best she has this season, comes over to help. And by “help”, I mean shame Stassi into not wearing Spanx and helping her come up with a “kit” comprised of Adderall, Plan B, and condoms. Stassi looks great for her date, though.

Tom Sandoval, Best Friend Ever, is treating Jax, Tom Schwartz, and Peter all to spray tans. How kind of him, am I right? Tom and Katie finally had sex, and Jax is terrified of getting spray tanned, but not afraid of officiating Tom and Katie’s wedding. Considering Jax was at the very first wedding to ever exist in the world ever, I don’t see how this is a bad ide- wait. It’s Jax. It’s a terrible fucking idea.

Back over at Fig & Olive, Stassi’s met with David! They’re drinking Sancerre, which is shocking, because Stassi’s well established as a pinot grigio girl. It’s clear from the get-go they’re on different paths - he asks her if she’s interested in hiking, Stassi’s like “hell no,” (Point: Stassi). He works in technology solutions and wakes up at 7 AM daily, which has Stassi straight SHOOK. She doesn’t wake up before noon and she thinks that’s why she’s single. This guy is nice as hell, which is rare for Stassi. She’s mostly glad he’s not a murderer, but he’s still not murdery enough for her. I would watch a Stassi dating spinoff.

It’s the Sexy Unique Restaurant Photoshoot! Everyone’s getting dolled up as if doing a photoshoot half-naked is normal for a job to do! There’s a fake pig with an apple in its mouth and grapes! Tom Schwartz is there, and he doesn’t even WORK there. Tom Sandoval brought multiple outfits because he likes to be prepared. Tom Sandoval is literally my favorite person on earth. He can be dramatic and vain but also wonderful. The girls have to pose in front of the pig and Scheana pretends to have cake in her mouth.

Meanwhile, Stassi and Kristen are still pretending like they have a valid reason to be on this show by going to lunch, where Kristen is freaking out about the fake suckling pig she was sent a photo of by Scheana. It’s hilariously desperate. Stassi admits to not having chemistry with her date and wanting an older dude. I can get behind that - I’ve had a plethora of shitty dates. Kristen has a problem with Lisa Vanderpump sticking her nose into Katie’s business, but we’ve seen what Kristen can do when she sticks her nose where it doesn’t belong. Lisa’s better than you, Kristen, get over it.

This just makes it really apparent how much this show needs James and Lala, god damn it.

Lisa poses with the boys of Sexy Unique Restaurant Plus Tom for a photograph wearing a clip-on hair piece and looking like a sixteen-year-old girl going to homecoming. Meanwhile, Scheana and Katie are sitting outside talking, and Katie’s asking Scheana for advice re: rehearsal dinners and speeches and whatnot. Scheana feels left out and feels like she hasn’t been included in the wedding planning. Whatever. They’re all boarding the Titanic with Tom and Katie, one by one.

Ariana gets naked and covered in grapes with Tom Sandoval, and god damn, Ariana is gorgeous. Basically, each couple gets their time in the grapey sun - Tom and Katie, Ariana and Tom, Jax and Brittany. There’s some weird tension between Jax and Brittany because he won’t tell her she looks beautiful. They then basically try to do the Sexy Unique Restaurant version of The Last Supper. Why you even need a photoshoot, I don’t understand.

Oh, and then Lisa Vanderpump agrees to officiate Tom and Katie’s wedding.

Next Week: LALAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stassi poses nude. James is back too, barf, with his vocal fry girlfriend. Jax and Tom invite Tom Schwartz’s brother to the wedding? And we’re headed up for Tom and Katie’s nuptials.

See you soon for The Bachelor!

Stassi is right as hell when she says “I might as well be a basic bitch.” WHO CALLS RANCH A DESCRIPTIVE TERM? ↩︎

I love the shade to Scheana’s marriage that’s becoming a constant thing on this show. ↩︎

Is this a standard people are trying to achieve? ↩︎