Spotify’s NextGen initiative is an ongoing program designed to train, resource, and support the next generation of storytellers in response to the growing podcast culture. This year, Spotify aims to partner with college campuses, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) worldwide. Recently, Spotify hosted “Pass the Mic: A Conversation” with their first HBCU partner, Spelman College. The panel was led by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford and featured three young Black women—Clark Peoples, Lynae Vanee, and Jaz Turner—who are making strides in the media industry as content creators.
During the panel, it was announced that, in addition to scholarships and programming, a new state-of-the-art podcast studio would be established on campus. Attendees welcomed the panelists as they shared what inspires their creativity and how they maintain resilience and consistency in the content creation world.
The panel began with the creators discussing how they started their content creation journeys.
“My start as a content creator began when I picked up my phone one day and started vlogging my day in New York City. From there, the rest is kind of history. My videos just blew up, and now this is my full-time job,” Clark told GU.
Lynae described her transition from an initial interest in psychology, graduating with a master’s in African American Studies, and teaching high school students to becoming a content creator. She credited her teaching experience with helping her produce engaging content for her audience.
“I learned a lot while discussing world events and how they connect to us. Everything we do is political, whether it’s beauty content or lifestyle content. We were not meant to be this free; we were not meant to have these voices. That’s how I got started with the parking lot,” Lynae told GU.
Jaz discussed her educational background as an English major, her time in law school, and her eventual pivot to business school. Through this journey, she learned the importance of self-healing and using her voice to build community as a content creator.
“It was through a lot of self-healing, a lot of self-love, a lot of yoga and meditation, and figuring out what works best for me. I downloaded TikTok, started uploading on my own, and built a community. I began sharing what I learned from the hardest parts of my life, and I was very happy to find that others were going through similar experiences. I honestly just ran with it,” Jaz told GU.
The panelists were then asked how they cultivated their authentic voices amidst the competitive social media landscape. Jaz began to explain her transformation from creating aesthetic content to connecting with her audience on a deeper level.
“When I started talking, I felt like my community provided me with a safe space. The way I was able to grow the fastest was through my vulnerability, and I would argue that is what applies to whatever you do in life. It was the moment I became a little vulnerable with my audience that they could relate to me, feeling like I was an authentic friend in both their heads and real life. By sharing my story, I found similar people and built my community. Ultimately, I would argue that my entire platform is based on authenticity and vulnerability,” Jaz told GU.
Lynae highlighted her journey to finding her community by reaching out to different platforms for support. She gained significant visibility when T.I. reposted her content about the Capitol riot on January 6th.
“Just knowing that eventually my community would find me—and it happened a lot faster than I planned—has been critical in maintaining that authentic voice. That involves discernment and integrity. It’s about knowing what to speak about,” Lynae told GU.
Clark echoed the sentiments of her fellow panelists, emphasizing the importance of showcasing various aspects of herself through her content.
“I’ve received so many varied opportunities and built a great community because I talk about anything and everything that is important to me,” Clark told GU.
The panel continued, addressing how to remain vulnerable while protecting their brands and mental health. Jaz shared her experiences dealing with viewers outside her typical audience.
“My approach is to be private but not secretive. I’m big on being private, not secretive. It requires a lot of discernment because when you do lifestyle content, you tend to share your entire life,” Jaz told GU.
Lynae reiterated the ongoing process of using discernment when engaging with audiences that may not resonate with the content.
“I turn off my phone and step away from the comments. That’s a hard thing to do because you always want to protect your integrity and stop false narratives. If it’s not within my control, I let it be,” Lynae told GU.
The panelists were asked to reflect on their responsibility in managing the content they produce through social media.
“I believe in Jesus, and that’s the only person I am responsible to. When you have such a large audience, you have to follow something. The best leaders are followers. I don’t try to hop on trends or bandwagon what other creators might be saying. I have to be beholden to what I am called to speak on in that moment. That’s my only responsibility—stepping back, looking at the bigger picture, and making an educated decision,” Lynae told GU.
Jaz then shared her experiences on YouTube, realizing that, given the positive feedback she received, she had a higher responsibility to discuss topics on which she had perspective. She emphasized the importance of following content creators who resonate with your ideal lifestyle, as this helps clarify the strategies needed for engaging with your potential audience.
The panelists recounted the moment they understood that their content would impact their future success.
“The most consistent and inspired I felt as a content creator was during that first year when I was doing my legal internship. I was going on a date every week and taking you all to school with me. That first year of creating content felt cool; I was building a community of other college students who enjoyed it. Then, about six months after my first video, I stopped my internship, signed with management, and went full-time with content creation. That was just trusting God, like, okay, I’m going to take this leap of faith,” Clark told GU.
As the panel concluded, the panelists shared advice for future content creators.
“One thing I would recommend is to be audacious. Be audacious with your content; don’t apologize for it. Learn from other content creators. Study other content creators. Treat this as a passion project and go full force with it. You have to believe in yourself because your story and your journey are so important to someone out there,” Jaz told GU.