Phoenix (AP) — Kisha Gulley was kicked out of the Facebook group for mothers with autistic children after a controversy that felt racial. She repeatedly clashed with a white-dominated group seeking help as a new mother.
So Afloratina Garry started her parenting blog and social media account. It’s now her source of income.
The multi-billion dollar world of sleep training guides, toddler activity ideas, breastfeeding tips, and everything in parenting has traditionally been overwhelmingly white. Parenting book covers are mainly characterized by a white face. Until recently, so-called mama influencers, where brands choose to promote their products, were also mostly white.
This left a hole in colored women, especially new mothers, who struggled to find culturally relevant parenting advice and products.
Increasingly, they are having problems with their own hands.
“If you can’t find it, you’ll have to start creating it yourself. I knew I wasn’t the only one asking these questions,” said Gary, who lives in Phoenix.
When she learned that her eldest son had autism, Garry digged deep into any resource that might help her family. And while there was a lot of information there, there were small but important questions that many experts couldn’t answer.
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For example, how can she comb her son’s thick textured hair without causing sensory problems? What is a good sunscreen to use on dark skin that leaves no white residue?
It was for her that a few white women culminated in a Facebook group when they felt bored and rude to a black mother who was seeking advice on how to talk to her family about diagnosing autism in her child. It was a frustrating time. Women did not understand that, in some color communities, older generations tended to feel anxious about autism and think that the problem resulted in behavior and discipline. Garry protected his mom and was kicked out of the group.
She quickly increased her presence on social media and now makes a living from it, earning more than her 15 years as a flight attendant, she said.
For Stacy Ferguson, the need for a diverse parenting voice has been in her mind for years. She had a hard time finding online forums and communities that resonated with her experience as a black mother.
Ferguson, a trained lawyer who is now a business owner, co-founded Blogalicious with two other women 12 years ago. Organizations and annual meetings helped women in color monetize and grow their blogs.
The first Blogalicious conference was attended by 177 people. By the time Ferguson decided to close in 2017, 500 people attended each year.
“The room really had such a magical feeling, and what really surprised us was that many brands were really interested in coming to see our community.” Ferguson said.
Over the years, mommy bloggers have evolved into Instagram influencers. The carefully curated images include tips on how to put your baby to sleep and how to feed your baby yourself. Influencers often promote products that their mother finds useful.
The trend started primarily with white women and the brands that sought them. According to Ferguson, the current situation is much more diversified and brands are more deliberate in reaching diverse parents.
But it doesn’t solve the problem. According to Ferguson, marketing budgets are much more limited for multicultural targets than for general advertising. Traditionally, white women have been paid to market to the general public. This means that white mothers can make far more money by marketing to an audience of all ethnicities and races than, for example, women who market specifically to Latin mothers.
“It’s still that old-fashioned way of looking at marketing,” Ferguson said. “Brands and agencies that understand (the need for diversification) are advancing. The problem is that there are still many things that are behind.”
There is no consensus on how much a brand or company spends on advertising or sponsoring through mom’s influencers, but some marketing professionals say they cost billions of dollars each year.
Rally Kia Gouris, a marketing professor at Pace University’s Rubin Business School, said the brand is catching up with the Latin American and black markets.
Chiagouris said that the world of child-rearing influencers has been dominated by white women because they have dominated the world in the past, but more and more Latin-American, black, and Asian-American women are joining the field. He said he was watching.
“It’s like a chicken or the egg situation. Marketers want to spend money on Latin influencers, but you have to find them. You think Not as many, “Chiagouris said.
Jacqueline Hernandez Lewis of Long Island, NY started blogging nine years ago as a law student and military wife looking for a community.
After she became a mom, 33-year-old Hernandez Lewis wanted to find a place where Latina and other colored moms felt empowered. When she returned to work after her first child, she struggled to adapt and wanted to find a way to spend more time at home while earning income. She now has three little things.
Hernandez Lewis has won $ 25 from the first sponsored post. Currently, she earns anywhere between $ 700 and $ 3,000 per post while working full-time.
Her recent Instagram post features an ad for a series of Spanish books republished by Disney Books. For popular brands of baby wipes. And for Poise to make a pad that can be used by postpartum women.
For Hernandez Lewis, it’s important for women of color to have and be represented in an online community, but it’s just as important to enjoy the benefits of buying power.
“We deserve to be represented on the business side. Some brands aren’t as comprehensive as you might think, but many brands are shifting and becoming more comprehensive,” says Hernandez Lewis. .. ———
Galván covers issues affecting Latin Americans in the United States for AP’s racial and ethnic teams. Follow her on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/astridgalvan..
This story was first published on November 1, 2021. Updated November 3, 2021 to clarify that Stacey Ferguson is a co-founder of Blogalicious.
Copyright 2021 AP communication. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
A woman with color growth as a mom’s influencer | Lifestyle
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