Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Twenty-five Black Snapchat creators will receive funding, mentorship, and other resources through a one-year accelerator program, the company announced today. The program follows similar efforts at other major platforms to provide support to emerging creators from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.
“Black creators face unique systemic barriers across the creator industry — from disparities in compensation and attribution, to toxic experiences and more,” Snap says. “We believe one of the ways we can help remove some of those barriers is to provide mentorship and financial resources to emerging Black creators in the early stages of their professional career.”
The resources Snap says it will offer selected applicants range from monthly stipends and mentoring to early access to product updates.
First, Snap will give each participant $10,000 per month for 12 months “to support the applicants’ creative endeavors.” They’ll also get an upgrade to Snapchat Star status, be invited to provide feedback on new Snapchat features, and receive a Google Pixel 7 Pro.
Snap is the latest tech company to launch programs for underrepresented groups of creators in recent years, committing money and other resources while acknowledging the barriers they might face in their work. Earlier this year, YouTube announced it had selected grantees for its #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund — a continuation of a 2020 promise to spend $100 million to “amplify” Black creators over the course of three years.
“The launch of this accelerator program is part of our broader, ongoing efforts to ensure that content on our platform reflects the diversity of Snapchatters and their interests,” the company says.
The program is in partnership with Google Pixel, UNCMMN, and Westbrook Media and is part of Snap’s 523 program, “designed to support and spotlight small, minority-owned content companies and creatives that traditionally lack access and resources.”
Applications for Snapchat’s program are open through August 12th, and creators will be selected by early September.