YOUTUBE COMMITS $100 MILLION TO AMPLIFY BLACK CREATORS

YouTube announced a multi-year $100 million fund dedicated “to amplifying and developing the voices of Black creators and artists and their stories”.

Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, detailed in a blog post that the company plans to help and protect black communities on the platform. The fund will support the creation of new YouTube Original programming and help with the development of black artists. “We’re committed to doing better as a platform to center and amplify Black voices and perspectives,” Wojcicki said in the blog post.

One example of the type of content YouTube would like to elevate on the platform will premiere this Saturday, June 13. The platform will host a live stream fundraising event produced by YouTube Originals (YTO), "Bear Witness, Take Action". The YTO will bring together creators, artists, influential public figures and prominent activist voices for roundtable discussions and musical performances, with donations benefiting the Equal Justice Initiative.

“Through the month of June, our Spotlight channel will highlight racial justice issues, including the latest perspectives from the Black community on YouTube alongside historical content, educational videos, and protest coverage. This content showcases incredibly important stories about the centuries-long fight for equity,”  Wojcicki explained.

Several tech companies have made similar commitments following the death of George Floyd. On Thursday, Apple launched a $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative. YouTube’s parent company, Google, promised to fund $12 million to various organizations fighting systemic racism, while Amazon and Facebook both pledged to donate $10 million each to groups working on racial and social justice.