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00:00This is a very important conversation that we are going to highlight to talk about how
00:10to inspire the impact that TikTok has within our community and of course beyond our community.
00:16So let me introduce the panel that is coming up, the hashtag Black TikTok Creator Community
00:21Manager at TikTok, that is Alexi Gurma, and TikTok creators Ariana Taylor, I believe you
00:27can call her Ari, and James Henry coming to the stage now.
00:32Hello Essence Fest.
00:36I am Alexi Gurma and I manage the Black Creator Community at TikTok.
00:42I work with Black creators daily to ensure they feel supported and have all of the educational
00:47tools and resources to succeed on the platform.
00:51I also work to elevate them and one of the ways I do this is by amplifying their voices
00:57on the at Black TikTok account.
01:00This is a space that is dedicated to highlighting and celebrating Black creators.
01:06They are the heart and soul of TikTok and where culture starts.
01:11They are responsible for starting so many of the trends that you know and love that have
01:16transcended into mainstream media.
01:19And it is my goal to shine a light on them, giving them credit where credit is due.
01:26So please give it up for Ari and James.
01:31That's all right.
01:33Yay!
01:34What's up?
01:35What's up?
01:36What's up, y'all?
01:37Thank you guys so much for being here today.
01:40Ari has created some of the hottest dance trends on the platform with one of those being the
01:48homecoming in 20 dance.
01:50And James is known for his lighthearted comedy skits that entertain millions of followers.
01:57So thank you guys.
01:58I'm excited to have a convo with you today.
02:04So Black creators are really what makes TikTok so special and we want to make sure that you
02:10all succeed and achieve your goals and we are here to support you.
02:15Ari, what was your number one goal when you joined TikTok and how did you achieve that?
02:21I wanted to inspire millions, man.
02:24I love being me and I love showing and sharing y'all what I can do to a song and make a challenge
02:31and I just really enjoy it like I'm having fun.
02:36I love that you started your account and that was your first goal off the bat and you really
02:40are bringing us so much joy.
02:42The homecoming in 20 dance literally was everywhere.
02:47That dance was so hot.
02:49When you originated that dance, did you think it would blow up the way it did?
02:54I mean, I had a little feeling because it was just too smooth not to go like up because
03:01I was like, I wanted to do a mixture with choreo and TikTok dancing.
03:08So I executed it well and it went up.
03:11So I was like, okay, okay, cool.
03:12Yeah.
03:13Yes, girl.
03:14Even I was trying to do that dance, but I wasn't so well at it.
03:18And James, how about you?
03:20How have you found success on TikTok?
03:23And did you have any goals when you first started your account?
03:25When I first started, I think my main goal was to really find what my niche was and to
03:30make sure that my content really authentically spoke to myself because the last thing I wanted
03:35to do was really blow up from anything that was something other than myself because then
03:40you're forced to do that literally until you choose to maybe switch into like a whole other field.
03:45So that was really my success was finding my like me, finding my power, finding what I was good
03:51at, which was comedy, making people laugh, finding the funny moments in like our everyday life
03:56that everyone can like relate to in a way.
03:59And I think that really like let me explore and expand to different parts of the globe.
04:06That's beautiful.
04:07I love that you're able to shine through your passion.
04:11And James, you also starred in TikTok's first ever live musical for you, Paige.
04:17Was that a goal of yours?
04:19So that was actually okay.
04:22It's funny.
04:22My goal was to be in film and TV.
04:25I never really had a goal to be on Broadway, but I knew that I could do like music one day.
04:31Maybe I could like sing like a musical, you know, but like, so when that happened, I was really like,
04:36okay, well, this is sort of still in the realm of acting, which I still do and I love to do.
04:41And it was a surprising moment, a little, you know, I was apprehensive.
04:44I was like, okay, should I do this?
04:45Is it going to be out of my comfort zone?
04:47But it was something that I knew I had to do because I was nervous about doing it.
04:51Something that I live by is always doing something that scares you every day.
04:55And that sort of like propels you.
04:58It takes out of you.
04:59It takes you out of your comfort zone and lets you grow, you know?
05:02Do it afraid.
05:03Do it afraid.
05:04Do it afraid.
05:04And succeed and fail.
05:06And if you fail, do it again.
05:07You'll probably learn what you messed up on the first time and do it better the second time, you know?
05:12I'm gonna, that is a new note to me.
05:15That's a gem that you just dropped.
05:17And then on TikTok, you both have built such a large, solid community.
05:23How are you guys able to engage your fans and do you have a strategy to connect with them?
05:28Let's start with you, Ari.
05:30Well, I mostly look at the comments and then I'll respond to the feedback and everything.
05:35But mostly when I see, when I'm out and I have my community like come see me, we'll make videos too.
05:42Like I like making videos with my audience too.
05:44They're family to me.
05:45So I'm like, let's have fun too.
05:47That's amazing that you actually create videos with them.
05:50So they'll see you on the street and you'll make a video with them?
05:53Yeah, I was at Six Flags and like three people came up to me and then one of the,
05:58one of her child wanted to make a TikTok with me.
06:01So she did one of my old challenges that I had made.
06:03And she was like, oh, you know how to do this one still?
06:05And I was like, yeah, let's do it.
06:07That's so fun.
06:08I love that.
06:09And what about you, James?
06:12Um, I think I really started to really engage with my
06:15audience more when I consider them family.
06:17You know, I think when you're first starting out in the creative field,
06:21you always, it kind of feels awkward saying, oh, my fans or, you know,
06:25because you're like, I'm not like a, I'm not like, you know, Kim Kardashian, you know, yet.
06:30But so I think when you make them feel like family and you actually consider them family,
06:36you create a community that really rides with you, you know,
06:40and then they want to see you do well.
06:42They want to see you grow and they will really support you on your journey,
06:45which can go on for however long you really want that to go on for.
06:49Yeah.
06:49That's beautiful that you have found a family at TikTok.
06:53And so black creators as yourself are responsible for creating so many trends on the platform.
06:59And that takes so many or so much innovation and creativity.
07:03How do you keep up with that?
07:07Go ahead, Ari.
07:10I'm just me.
07:11Like, I like to be me.
07:13I like to share what I can do and what I could put up with and how I can dance to a beat.
07:18I like to catch the ad-libs.
07:19I like to catch every beat.
07:21Like, this is just naturally, like, what I like to do.
07:24And it's just how I keep up with me, you know?
07:28Yeah.
07:28When you create a trend, because you have created so many,
07:32is there a process that you use when you create a trend?
07:35I try to be relevant, like, to stay relevant to what dance moves people like,
07:40because I'm very observant on TikTok.
07:42So I like to see what people like, what type of dance moves they like.
07:46So I'll put it together.
07:48And old dances, or I see they want something different.
07:51I'm like, okay, I'll put a new move in there then.
07:54Okay.
07:54So I'm very observant on the app.
07:56So I'll take in feedback and process that and deliver it like that.
08:00Yeah.
08:00That's so smart.
08:01I love that approach.
08:03And James, how do you keep up with trends and leveraging
08:06them to inspire your own authenticity?
08:10So I think one thing that has always kind of been my form of, like,
08:14doing content is making sure that my content is original, as original as possible.
08:19And it's always a challenge to sort of incorporate a trend,
08:21because you don't want to feel like you're pulling from their idea.
08:24But you still want to stay current.
08:26You still want to stay in the now.
08:29So I always try to find, like, a twist to it, you know?
08:32Whenever I see something, like, is really about to pop off, I'm like, okay,
08:34well, how can I do this that makes it feel like me,
08:37and not like something where I'm just, like, copying what they're doing?
08:40It's more about, like, making sure that you feel and incorporate your own style
08:45into the trend, because that way more trends start from that.
08:48And more creators are like, oh, wait, like,
08:50we don't have to do the same dance.
08:52Maybe I can add my own thing to it.
08:53Yeah, like, that's the point about TikTok.
08:55Unique, creativity.
08:57You know, you're supposed to explore and expand the idea
09:00that someone else started with.
09:01It's you're stitching along the journey.
09:03Yes, that's amazing that you guys can hop on these trends,
09:07but still stay authentic to yourselves.
09:10And TikTok has also been known for educational content.
09:16It is a hub for sharing ideas and information.
09:19Ari, so many people on the platform have become better dancers because of your content.
09:26When you create content that not only shows off your dance skills,
09:31but how do you create content that not only shows off your dance skills,
09:34but also teaches others as well?
09:37I think it's more about the delivery of the dance.
09:40Like he said, that you can see someone do a dance and then you do it your own way.
09:45So somebody can go 100% doing a dance and then I'll hit it 50%.
09:49And then people will be like, oh, that move was actually easier than I thought.
09:53So basically, yeah, I do it in a simpler, smoother way that people can easily catch on and be like,
10:00look, it's not that hard, you know, you just do a little two step and like this, you feel me?
10:06Yeah.
10:06And then James, do you have approach towards creating educational content?
10:12How do you like keep the mix of having it be education, but still comedic?
10:18So like, I feel like there's a fine line between education and comedy.
10:22And mostly because comedy, you know, you don't want to take anything too seriously.
10:25That's the point of comedy.
10:26You are able to laugh at yourself.
10:27You're able to laugh at like the bigger joke, the elephant in the room.
10:30So in educational purposes and the way I've been able to incorporate it in my content is more so
10:36making sure I guess I bring my culture into it.
10:39Because a lot of like, I think I've also heard from people that they were also able to understand
10:45how like the culture of like maybe that they didn't grow up in and why certain things are funny
10:51or why like, you know, the little inside jokes that you wouldn't get if you weren't raised in a household
10:57that is like, you know, Caribbean, which is where I grew up.
11:00And I'm able to kind of bring people in on this and say, yeah, this is what we laugh about.
11:04This is why we found this funny.
11:06So now, you know, I guess I'm connecting that, you know, and sort of like disappearing
11:13like that little outside layer where people feel like they're on the outside of it
11:17and bringing people in on the joke.
11:19I love that. And if there's one thing you would want people to take away and like
11:25learn from your content, what would it be?
11:27Oh, learn from my content.
11:30I mean, I guess the main thing is really be yourself, you know, find your you and embrace who you are.
11:38There are like everyone else is taken.
11:40This is what I've heard before.
11:41You know, this quote that I live by everyone else is taken be yourself.
11:44And that is the truest thing I've ever heard.
11:46Because when you walk into a room, your presence shows up.
11:50You show up.
11:50You don't want to go into the room saying feeling like, oh, you know, whoever you were
11:55raised to think that you should be is how you are because then you're not authentic.
11:59And that shows.
12:00I've been in rooms with people where like they you can tell they don't know who they are
12:05because they've been taught to be who they think they should be.
12:09And then you then when you feel like people who know who they are, you feel the authentic
12:13presence and you like gravitate towards them.
12:15Yeah.
12:15And I think that has really helped me elevate my content and my platform is being myself and
12:20being okay with myself.
12:22The good, the bad, the ugly.
12:23This is me.
12:24You know?
12:25Yeah.
12:25I definitely take that away from your content.
12:28And what about you, Ari?
12:30Yeah.
12:30The energy speaks for itself.
12:32I want people to learn to be themselves and let their creative light shine through.
12:37I want them to look at my video and be like, okay, I want, I want to do it my way.
12:41You know what I mean?
12:42And again, with style, with everything, like I want to be you, find you and then embrace
12:49it, please.
12:51It's the beautiful.
12:52It's the most beautiful thing I've ever, ever experienced.
12:55Oh, that's beautiful.
12:57And the, your followers, they really do feel that.
13:00Yes.
13:01Yes.
13:02So we have been listening to all of you, and we know that you all want more tools to
13:08credit originators.
13:10And just last month, TikTok had a huge announcement.
13:14We now have more crediting tools.
13:16You now, thank you.
13:18Woo.
13:20This is a huge deal, y'all.
13:22Very important.
13:25Yes, we have been listening and working very hard, and you now have the ability to directly
13:30tag mention and credit a video right there in your description.
13:35And this will be rolling out to more of you in the coming weeks.
13:39Ari, we all know that you have created so many trends, and you were actually the first
13:46originator featured in TikTok's originator series.
13:51What did that experience mean to you, and how do you feel this type of campaign will
13:56help originators?
13:58It was so much fun.
13:59Like, it was my first little recognition, little experiment.
14:03Like, I was so excited to do it.
14:05It is definitely good for starting out with the recognition for creators as well.
14:10Yes, I loved seeing you on there.
14:13And for those of you who don't know, the showbiz list is a list that highlights TikTok creators
14:20that are redefining the entertainment industry.
14:23And TikTok has social campaigns and also showbiz lists that highlight originators.
14:30James, you were recently highlighted through hosting role at the keynote at VidCon, which
14:37is huge. VidCon is the largest conference for creators.
14:41What did that experience mean to you?
14:43Man, that was a full circle moment, you know.
14:46As I spoke about during the keynote in my intro, literally, I'd say five or six years ago, I was
14:52trying to sneak into VidCon, trying to get in here, try to like learn from these creators.
14:56Like, how do I get in? Like, how do you guys do it?
14:59To then, you know, five years later, I'm literally on the main keynote with the biggest sponsor of VidCon
15:06introducing the COO of TikTok. And that was a full circle moment for me because I just never
15:11thought that would have happened, you know. So I just feel so grateful for that.
15:16It really does say, like, no matter when it is, just start and keep believing in yourself.
15:22Even when you're not making money from it, keep doing it. One day you will make money.
15:26It might take a little minute like mine did, but the money will come in. I guarantee you that.
15:30Same, same.
15:33And you are an amazing host, truly shining up there.
15:37Thank you, thank you.
15:38Can you both speak to how important a culture of credit is for protecting Black creators and
15:46creators of color? Ari?
15:48There is so, like, so many Black creators that are so creative, and I,
15:54the recognition is so important for Black, for us, because, like, you know, we, we're so creative.
16:04So it's, it's, it's more of an inspiration to get recognized and get credited like that.
16:11You know, it's, it's easy to, you just tag them, tag the credibility, you know.
16:15What about you, James?
16:18I think it's a huge thing because even, like, when I first started, there were so many trends
16:23that have been started by Black creators that got, you know, that blew up because
16:29non-Black creators did it. And it really does discourage Black creators to not want to be
16:34on the platforms, not want to think outside the box and create these trends. Because, you know,
16:39I think Black people really do shape the culture of a lot of the backbone of what happens on the
16:44forefront of these platforms. So now that Black people are probably, are finally being recognized
16:49and being able to be tagged and credited, I think we're going to be seeing more Black creators feel
16:54like, okay, I won't get, like, the sore end of the stick. I'm not going to make a trend and then
16:58someone else get it. Now I'm actually going to be able to, people can, can see me. This is my work.
17:03This is what I thought about, you know. And look, ideas are hard to come by. After years of being in
17:09this business, it is like, you know, it's, you have to really, like, set aside time to brainstorm.
17:15So to be creative and over and over and over again and original is something that I feel like
17:22is one of, like, the main things to be recognized for. Yes. And do you guys have any tips for those
17:30that want to be better at credit, crediting originators? Use the new feature. Use the new feature.
17:40Tag us. Yeah, I say, like, use the new feature. Definitely. That's the best way. Thank you guys
17:47for literally making that. And also maybe stitch their videos or, you know, include them in your
17:52caption or tag them in the video and put it in your comments. Say, hey, I did not make this. Someone else did.
17:59I put in my twist on it. Or collaborate with them. There are so many ways you can credit people.
18:04You know, I get it. It's hard to create content and ideas are scarce,
18:09but I think everybody has a creative bone in their body. You heard it here. Y'all better use those tips.
18:17Very, very important. So what we can all take away from today is that black creators
18:27are responsible not only from trends that impact TikTok, but have transcended into mainstream media
18:35and have taken on culture beyond. And TikTok would be nothing without all of you. And we
18:43are overjoyed to have you on the platform. And building a culture of credit is imperative,
18:50not only for the creator economy, but for TikTok as a whole. Thank you all so much for being here.
18:56Thank you guys. Thank you all. And thank you all too. Enjoy Rest of Essence Fest.
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