They pledged. They promised. They scrambled together to fill our Instagram feeds with new DEI Initiatives, black square avatars, and heartfelt CEO-penned letters. Recently, leaked documents from a certain social media giant show Blacktag highlighted in a deck about 2022 creator monetization strategies. Even more recently, a slew of Black creator programs seem to have appeared out of thin air. It’s clear that Blacktag is no longer just a sliver of inspiration: we’re the whole moodboard. Media giants, with what seems like infinite bankroll, have taken our mission, bar-for-bar, and are initiating their own platforms, creative grants, programs, lists etc. targeted to “reach” Black people as a means to “fulfill” their 2020 promises. Don’t get us wrong. We’re not against media giants writing checks Black creators deserve. Black Art is Black Money. We just know not everyone’s motivation is as pure as ours. Blacktag, at its core, is just thirteen dedicated Black creatives who believe in building something that will impact not only this generation but the future of our community. We’re using innovation to expand and elevate Black wealth, Black stories, and Black voices. So thank you for believing in what we’re doing and spreading the word as we work to scale and expand. We’re cooking up big things for 2022 and can’t wait to share this journey with you 🖤