Content creators, influencers, social media personalities — as someone who’s active in the digital space, you’re probably familiar with these terms or identify with them, but have you ever considered yourself an educator?
Beyond documenting their lives, posting poolside selfies, or offering hours of entertainment online, a new wave of creators are taking to platforms like TikTok and Instagram to teach their communities on a variety of subjects. From how to make a crowd-wowing dessert, to explaining the latest trends that are dominating the fashion industry, the following creators are producing excellent content on topics you’ve always wanted to learn more about. Take notes from The Leap’s creators of the month.
Otis Jones
With over 5 million likes, Otis Jones’ TikTok account is a great resource for anyone looking to learn American Sign Language (ASL). Created to help educate hearing people about how to communicate with the Deaf community, each of his videos serves as a mini sign language lesson about a different topic, including everyday greetings, health-related vocabulary, and even zodiac signs. Off the bite-sized video app, Jones also offers ASL classes over Zoom for keen students.
Nasim Lahbichi
Need some inspiration for your dinner party this weekend? Look no further than Nasim Lahbichi‘s mouth-watering recipes on TikTok. The New York-based creator, who began posting food content on the app when the pandemic hit in 2020, is known for his vibrant home-cooked meal ideas that mostly require only humble ingredients. From easy summer salads that you can make under 15 minutes, to dishes that pay tribute to Lahbichi’s Puerto Rican-Moroccan heritage, his recipe videos will convince you that cooking for yourself — and for a table of friends and loved ones — can actually be easy and fun.
Barbiana Liu
When you’re just starting out as a freelance designer, it can be tough and stressful at times. Barbiana Liu has been there, and she’s helping her peers learn and grow by speaking about her own freelance journey on TikTok. The self-taught brand designer and founder of Leche Studio often shares tips for getting clients, tools for managing projects and payments, and even ideas for battling creative blocks on her account. If you need help with drafting your first contract, Liu has also created a handy guide and template that you may find helpful.
Agus Panzoni
Are you a style enthusiast who craves content on fashion, and wants to see more than just fit pics on your feed? You’ll want to tune into @thealgorythm’s TikTok. Former WGSN trend forecaster Agus Panzoni has built a community of over 250,000 followers on the app by publishing informational videos about various emerging subcultures and trends. From dissecting fashion’s obsession with ’80s nostalgia and “fetishcore,” to discussing the rise of NFTs in pop culture, her videos will teach you a thing or two about what’s new in the industry.
Nyasia Rudolph
Speaking of fashion, are you an aspiring stylist looking to kickstart your career? NYC-based image consultant Nyasia Rudolph is here to help you break into the industry by sharing the best tips and tricks she’s learned over the years. In her TikTok videos, she breaks down the essentials you’ll need in a styling kit, how to pull looks from designers and showrooms, as well as how you can get your photoshoots published. It’s another amazing example of freelancers helping freelancers — we love to see it.
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