Instagram accounts to follow

Naturally, the list could be endless. There isn’t one that could encapsulate all the non-profit organisations, collectives, activists, artists or photo journalists, among others, capturing the protests spreading across the United States, from New Orleans to Los Angeles, to Minnesota and New York City. These past days, people have been compiling lists of black-owned businesses, Black talent to hire in journalism, arts and culture, or black-led organisations to donate to. It’s easy to feel lost with the information overload, so don’t worry, this is just one of the dozens of lists aiming to contribute to the improvement of the situation. Act now, speak out, donate, denounce, inform and educate yourself, and don’t miss out on a key moment that’s shaping contemporary history and the future through one of the most defining tools of our era: social media.

As said, the list could be endless. On this list, we mention ten photographers ranging from documentary to photo journalism, to fashion and art. For a longer list of black photographers, please head to @hsakag and check her IG highlight stories (Hire and Hire 2), @samantha_xu’s list on Google Docs (link in her bio) or @riancjohnson’s IG post.

@michaelamccoyphotography: Michael A McCoy is a renowned photographer who’s been featured multiple times in media like The New York Times and Time. Currently based in Washington, DC, he’s documenting the protests in front of the White House.

@mark.c: Marc Clennon is based in NYC and usually works on fashion photography, having shot for Gucci and Dapper Dan or Complex. He’s now shooting the protests in NYC – one of his pictures of the protesters in front of the Trump Tower has gone massively viral these days.

@newslave: based in NYC but currently in Minneapolis, Andre Charles is portraying the massive protests in the city where George Floyd was murdered. Expect striking, poignant images of fire and violence as well as community, empathy and solidarity.

@byalexishunley: self-described as a “black queer female photographer” on her IG bio, Alexis Hunley’s work moves between fashion, documentary and personal projects. Although it’s usually very colourful, the LA-based artist has decided to shoot the city’s protests in black and white, making them more timeless and visually stronger.

@demetrius.freeman: NYC-based Demetrius Freeman covers many stories for media outlets like the New York Times or Bloomberg, including political events with Elizabeth Warren and Donald Trump, or portraying other politicians, businessmen, elite sports players, etc. Currently, he’s documenting the protests in New York City.

@mylesloftin: a talent on the rise, 22-year-old Myles Loftin was listed by Forbes one of the thirty most influential creatives in its list 30 Under 30. Since the protests started, his IG feed is no longer a window to his artistic work. Instead, he’s sharing political images and he’s also working on an ongoing list of black-owned businesses, which you can find on a link in his IG bio.

@kamunika: Alexis Chabala started his photo series The Influence Project to celebrate pioneers and contemporary artists of funk, soul, R&B, afrobeat and hip-hop. Throughout the years, the now London-based artist has photographed the likes of Lauryn Hill, Jorja Smith, Bill Withers and Erykah Badu, among many others. As he’s based in Europe, he can’t cover the daily protests, however, his work is a celebration of black excellence you shouldn’t miss.

@tylersphotos: Tyler Mitchell is one of the most promising artists in the international scene. Being just 25 years old, he made headlines when he became the first-ever black photographer to shoot a cover of Vogue USA – starring Beyoncé. Since then, he’s shot more covers, fashion brand campaigns and lookbooks, and held exhibitions at renowned institutions like the International Center of Photography in NYC. Since the protests started, he’s been sharing useful lists, organisations to donate to, and advice for his followers.

@patiencezalanga: based in Minneapolis, Patience Zalanga is a documentary photographer capturing the world around her. She’s covered rallies, the Covid-19 crisis and, obviously, she’s been very proactive in portraying the protests happening in the city that ‘started it all’.

@jameshabazz: icon photographer Jamel Shabazz has been capturing black folks since the 1980s. From the crack epidemic that destroyed black communities in New York City in the 1980s to the war on drugs and gun violence in Chicago, he’s done it all.

@opalayo: Opal Tometi is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter. The Nigerian-American activist is an author, strategist and community-organizer, and is also one of the leading voices of the movement to achieve equality for Black people in the US and around the world.

@ihartericka: self-defined as “sex educator, racial/social/gender disruptor, writer, breast cancer survivor and model”, Ericka Hart is educating her 337k Instagram followers one post at a time. She also offers webinars and online courses about gender and racial and social justice, while also hosting a podcast series.

@rachel.cargle: Rachel Elizabeth Cargle is a prolific author and activist writing books, interviews and articles on various publishing houses and media outlets. She’s also a public academic and lecturer, and has raised $250,000 to give black women and girls access to mental health care through the LoveLand Foundation and other initiatives.

@littlemissflint: since an extremely young age, Mari Copeny has been vocal about issues deeply rooted in the United States, like ecocide, racism and other forms of discrimination. She lives in Flint, famous for its water crisis, and is now naturally getting involved in the protests for equality – which she has been defending for years.

@attorneycrump: Benjamin Crump is a high-profile attorney, and he’ll be the one taking care of the case of George Floyd. Previously, he served other cases involving black people murdered at the hands of policemen and plain racists, and has grown in popularity due to his quest for justice in the endemically racist American justice system.

@ibramxk: Ibram X. Kendi is one of US’s foremost historians and leading antiracist voices. Founding Director of The Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University in Washington, DC, he’s also a professor, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and journalist at The Atlantic.

@aaron___philip: black, trans and disabled; fashion model Aaron Philip has been breaking a lot of boundaries within the fashion industry these past years. Although her IG bio states ‘not a model, just an activist,’ it’s hard to not classify her as such when she’s accomplished so much and has been vocal about racial, gender and ableist discrimination from the beginning of her successful career.

@blairimani: Blair Amadeus Imani is a historian, author as well as podcast co-host, tackling issues such as race, gender and sexual orientation discrimination throughout the history of the United States. With 135k followers on Instagram and a viral TED Talk titled Queer and Muslim: Nothing to Reconcile, her powerful voice is resonating more and more.

@laylafsaad: she’s founded the Good Ancestor Academy (giving classes on personal leadership and antiracism), wrote the book Me & White Supremacy, and is also a podcast host. Layla F. Saad is an author, teacher and speaker writing as well for newspapers such as The Guardian who talks about topics of race, identity, leadership, personal transformation and social change.

Again, the list is endless, so we’re just including a few of them. Most of them are based in the US as the protests are happening there, however, black communities and people of colour are discriminated in every corner of the world, so you should check on your local/national organisations and find ways to help them.

@blklivesmatter: ok, this is an obvious one. But sometimes, the most obvious is still necessary. There isn’t much we can say that you don’t know already, so just follow the account in case you don’t yet and support the global network as much as you can.

@naac: Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the US’s first and largest grassroots-based civil rights organization, whose mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

@colorofchange: “We design campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward,” reads the largest online racial justice organization’s IG bio, whose active campaigns include Justice for Breanna Taylor or kicking Trump off Twitter.

@audrelordeproject: based in NYC, this community organizing centre has the longest and most inclusive acronym ever: LGBTSTGNC, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color.

@showingupforracialjustice: this non-profit organization believes in resourcing organizing led by people of color, and maintaining strong accountability relationships with organizers and communities of color as central part of their theory of change.

@shoppeblack: Shoppe Black, founded by economic activist Tony O. Lawson and former curator Shantrelle P. Lewis, is a trusted source about black-owned businesses. On their website, they post articles and interviews with entrepreneurs and business owners, thus helping them spread the word.

@proactiveopenarms: founded in Barcelona, Spain this non-profit organisation has been unfortunately under government fire because of its bravery. Its aim is to help African immigrants crossing the Mediterranean to get safely to Europe and not die in the middle of the sea, which happens too often. As the world focuses on the US, it’s also essential to look at other racial injustices happening to black people in other parts of the world. And since the ‘refugee crisis’, the Mediterranean has been a massive hotspot for them to happen.

Black Mental Health Matters: as images of black people getting beaten by police officers keep appearing on social media and media outlets, it’s extremely important to take care of mental health. These images can induce and trigger trauma, so if you’re in need of psychological help, you can check out the various resources available online – from the black emotional and mental health crisis hotline to the Boris Henson Foundation.

Array 101: ok, this one isn’t on Instagram, but you should definitely check it out. Created by director Ava DuVernay, Array 101 is an online education platform to dig deeper into her films’ social themes – like her praised When They See Us series on Netflix.