Btw I referenced you in this piece and because I’m still new here wasn’t sure the protocol around tagging ppl in-post, did not want to be annoying so chose against it. But happy to update if you prefer to be tagged since that pieces is tryna do some lil numbers.
Substack needs to explore different metrics beyond just paid follower counts. It is so outdated! If we don't enable paid subscriptions, we will not appear on these lists. It is shocking and not fair for people who have no interest in paywalling their work! I found this out a couple of months ago.
Featuring the same (mostly white) authors also means there is a lot of uniformity and predictability in what Substack promotes - I noticed it immediately when joining the platform. I sincerely hope that they tackle this because I want to read different voices and not be an echo chamber. Thank you for shedding light on this so well!
Thank you for writing this! I was literally just hoping on to find your note on this to include in a post and love to see this as an entire post. I teach a class on fashion and digital media and would like to share this with them--young people often miss how digital platforms are reproducing longstanding inequalities.
This was a really great read about something I've been noticing recently. It is very unfortunate how hard it is to find diversity amongst the top names shared and I feel that everyone is clamoring to be miniature versions of them, which is making things feel so...similar.
We need to see voices from around the world. I’m tired of seeing the world and culture at large from an European and American POV. America has the least interesting culture - why are we not hearing voices from South America, South Asia, or The East. We need a world view not just an American view
i think substack thinks they fixed the entire problem just by featuring writers of color in their 'weekly stack' email today including your post. lol smdh. nice try guys.
!! haha you're the first one featured too 🎉 i had to investigate as to how i even get these lol. weekly stack is an email sent if you subscribe to substack reads https://read.substack.com/about
Thank you for writing this, Chandra. I continue to consume (and enjoy) content by some of the writers you highlight here. But I’m also questioning my consumption habits and the Relatable Aesthetic (which tends to be very American, very white, and not especially relatable). https://danaleighlyons.substack.com/p/how-to-be-relatable-online
Ty for reading and yes I agree! I often wonder how I know what I like, you know; like what truly is my taste vs the funnel of influence (often white aesthetics) promoted to me by the western billionaire class that owns media.
Yep, thank you for writing so eloquently about this issue. What I've done is consciously ignore the top lists and check out the writers that writers of colour follow and interact with. This has helped to broaden my scope beyond the typical voices
When the American publishing industry's employee composition is 75+% white, college educated women then you're trying to counter a huge, inherent long-term bias. But I'm not sure, especially within omitted groups like 'Fiction', you could argue that writers have 'made it'. Income and job opportunities are falling and a full-time writing gig is a distant dream for most, no matter who you are or what your story is. The latest wave of technological disruption in the industry has only just got started, and guess who'll be 'grateful' for those low-paid outsourced editing jobs? It's the same old story and I can't see the economic dynamics changing.
Thank you for talking about this. It is very sad and disappointing. Merely having this discussion is one step towards a more inclusive environment here.
"We’re here to talk about a trend that exists no matter the platform, when it’s launched, or core user and audience demographics. And that’s centering whiteness and white voices." I want to cry and hide now, ughhh!! Thank you for expressing this..
Substack has a huge problem with promoting the same “big” names over and over and over…and they are almost all white.
Thanks for writing this!
Thank you for reading! X
White and American I'd say. Well written Chandra, let's change the game. I am dying to see Ochuko in the Top of Substack
Me too, love Ochuko’s writing; ty for reading!
just seeing this. one day!
Btw I referenced you in this piece and because I’m still new here wasn’t sure the protocol around tagging ppl in-post, did not want to be annoying so chose against it. But happy to update if you prefer to be tagged since that pieces is tryna do some lil numbers.
would love to be tagged but its fine that you didnt :) I'm glad you wrote this piece. I think about it. a lot
Updated! x
Substack needs to explore different metrics beyond just paid follower counts. It is so outdated! If we don't enable paid subscriptions, we will not appear on these lists. It is shocking and not fair for people who have no interest in paywalling their work! I found this out a couple of months ago.
Featuring the same (mostly white) authors also means there is a lot of uniformity and predictability in what Substack promotes - I noticed it immediately when joining the platform. I sincerely hope that they tackle this because I want to read different voices and not be an echo chamber. Thank you for shedding light on this so well!
Thank you for writing this! I was literally just hoping on to find your note on this to include in a post and love to see this as an entire post. I teach a class on fashion and digital media and would like to share this with them--young people often miss how digital platforms are reproducing longstanding inequalities.
Please do share, ahhh that makes me so happy. Would love to hear how your students respond!
I will let you know! My class is turning into reading substacks! so much good writing and research here
OMG Chandra would be an ICONIC guest lecturer! (Also, how can we petition to get Ziwe to lead substack?)
This was a really great read about something I've been noticing recently. It is very unfortunate how hard it is to find diversity amongst the top names shared and I feel that everyone is clamoring to be miniature versions of them, which is making things feel so...similar.
We need to see voices from around the world. I’m tired of seeing the world and culture at large from an European and American POV. America has the least interesting culture - why are we not hearing voices from South America, South Asia, or The East. We need a world view not just an American view
THANK YOU for bringing this to the fore. I’m extra motivated now to get my brown voice out there 🙃
i think substack thinks they fixed the entire problem just by featuring writers of color in their 'weekly stack' email today including your post. lol smdh. nice try guys.
What’s the weekly stack? Didn’t even know I was featured lol
!! haha you're the first one featured too 🎉 i had to investigate as to how i even get these lol. weekly stack is an email sent if you subscribe to substack reads https://read.substack.com/about
Ahhh ok, I need to subscribe then and well YAY lol!
Thank you for writing this, Chandra. I continue to consume (and enjoy) content by some of the writers you highlight here. But I’m also questioning my consumption habits and the Relatable Aesthetic (which tends to be very American, very white, and not especially relatable). https://danaleighlyons.substack.com/p/how-to-be-relatable-online
Ty for reading and yes I agree! I often wonder how I know what I like, you know; like what truly is my taste vs the funnel of influence (often white aesthetics) promoted to me by the western billionaire class that owns media.
Yep, thank you for writing so eloquently about this issue. What I've done is consciously ignore the top lists and check out the writers that writers of colour follow and interact with. This has helped to broaden my scope beyond the typical voices
Clock it!!!
When the American publishing industry's employee composition is 75+% white, college educated women then you're trying to counter a huge, inherent long-term bias. But I'm not sure, especially within omitted groups like 'Fiction', you could argue that writers have 'made it'. Income and job opportunities are falling and a full-time writing gig is a distant dream for most, no matter who you are or what your story is. The latest wave of technological disruption in the industry has only just got started, and guess who'll be 'grateful' for those low-paid outsourced editing jobs? It's the same old story and I can't see the economic dynamics changing.
I said this many weeks ago. It’s like the internet never changes.
https://substack.com/@sherisa/note/c-65441621?r=7p2p2&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Thank you for talking about this. It is very sad and disappointing. Merely having this discussion is one step towards a more inclusive environment here.
"We’re here to talk about a trend that exists no matter the platform, when it’s launched, or core user and audience demographics. And that’s centering whiteness and white voices." I want to cry and hide now, ughhh!! Thank you for expressing this..