Leaving Retail, Blocking Out Gossip & Working To Uplift Black Content Creators: Estare Shares All

In a candid interview with Awallprintss, Esther Areola, professionally known as Estare, spoke about her passion to 'give back' and pass on the baton and why it's important for her to be transparent with her 330,000 strong followers and have uncomfortable - but equally important - conversations.

Black content creators continue to lead the way in online spaces such as Instagram - from memes, dances to the way in which they have utilised the app for digital activism and campaigning on important issues.

But for far too long - these same creators have often been cast to the side, not credited and even paid less by advertisers and brands. A report published last year by the communications company MSL and educational organization The Influencer League stated that the pay gap between Black and white content creators was 35%.

And 59% of Black influencers also reported that posting about race issues negatively impacted them financially. Instagram, however, aims to help change things for the community.

The social media giant has teamed up with LGBTQ+ youth worker Tanya Compas, GUAP co-founder Ibrahim Kamara, leading lifestyle content creator Esther Areola and DJ, presenter Henrie Kwushue to launch Black Perspectives’ - a new programme designed to champion the future of young Black talent from 15 March to June 2022.

The initiative aims to challenge the status quo by empowering and championing the future of Black, creative talent across various industries, including fashion, LGBTQ+, entertainment and media.

We spoke to Estare about her own journey as a creator, setting boundaries, whether the industry is too saturated and why it's important for her to 'give back' through this initiative

AWP: Thanks for joining us Estare - first things first - did you know that you'd grow to be this big social media guru and become a 'role model' to some?

Estare: No, I was just doing it because I genuinely love creating content and I've always been quite a creative person. When I used to work these [retail] jobs back in the day, I used to go into work and just feel like, I didn't belong there and eventually I took the plunge and I said you know what 'I'm not applying for anymore retail jobs, I'm just gonna do content creation full time.'

Of course, it was a tough journey as I had to make a lot of sacrifices and it was such a new industry at the time. It wasn't even considered an industry [back then] and there was no such thing as influencers. So I didn't start making content thinking that I'm gonna grow a following or that I'm gonna get all these opportunities. I just thought I'm doing something because I genuinely love it.

I tell people when they ask me 'how can I be a content creator? do it because you love creating content and that will essentially drive influence or bring in followers. But that [followers] shouldn't be the main goal of why you do things, do it because you love it.

AWP: What are some of the challenges you've experienced as a creator?

Estare: Not to sound like I haven't faced any challenges but I think I've always had the mindset that, if you're focused on what you do, and you're really good at what you do, then you will get your flowers - they will come to you.

I've had challenges but I look at them as learning curves, I always take them as 'okay, that was an L. What am I going to do to change that so it doesn't happen the next time? And what am I going to learn from this?

But there was one time when I was working on a campaign and they were like 'oh, please don't talk about how much you're getting paid' and at the time I thought 'well why would I do that anyway' but now I understand it was obviously because of the pay gap.

I think this is why this initiative [with Instagram] is so great, because we can sit here and have these open conversations, and be very honest with one another about the realities of being an influencer.

AWP: Having these uncomfortable conversations is definitely important but how do you manage the negativity?

Estare: I used to have a timer on my phone that gave me a certain number of hours on social media a day and I think I got used to it because once the timer went off I would say 'okay, your time's up, boom, you need to put your phone down.'

I did that especially during lockdown and I think that really did help me kind of cultivate a habit that I've continued until now. I'm also all about connecting in real life as well, I want to be able to meet up with people and speak to people [face to face]. I'm also always making sure I set time aside for myself.

Another thing about people sliding into your DMS or saying crazy things is these people don't know you personally - they only see a profile and create this narrative about you which may be false and they take away the human side of things.

Tanya Compas, Ibrahim Kamara, Esther Areola and Henrie Kwushue

They forget that you have emotions, and you have feelings, and they just kind of see it as this person looks great all the time so she can never be hurt. But I think once you cultivate a good habit of setting a time to be on and off these apps and making sure you're only engaging with positive accounts that make you feel good then that will help.

I've made it a thing not to follow any gossip pages because I don't want to see them talking about about somebody else because if that was me, it would be harmful. I don't care if it's a super mega millionaire celebrity, that's probably never gonna see it, that's still a human being.

AWP: You've achieved so much in such a short space of time but dare I ask - what's next?

Estare: I have so many conversations with friends and family. I'm super close with my family, especially my sister as we have such a great relationship and we talk about everything. Although she's in her mid 40s - we are really close and I always sit there and I'm like if people could hear this conversation we're having - how touching or how inspiring could it be. So that's where I got the idea of my next project from.

AWP: Okay so I think we get the gist of your next move and we think that kind of project would really benefit the community of women that follow you. But my next question is - what do you tell young Black people that are afraid to get into influencing because the industry is too saturated?

Estare: It's not too late and it's never too late. As a black creator being at the helm of trends to inspire and entertain - now is the perfect time. I think seeing it as too late is being 'boxed in'. But if a young boy said I don't want to be a doctor, because there are so many doctors, it's gonna be a problem.

So - similarly with content creation - we need people who bring fresh content and fresh information. I find it really difficult to explain what's in my head but I can show you if I create something. So we need more people like that, who have so much more to give and so much more to share with the world.

Bring what you have and show what you've got and of course do it with passion and do it with the intent that you want to reach somebody that may never meet you in person and just be yourself.

That's one thing I always say to my son - don't feel like you need to be anybody else because the reason why you're special is because you are you and you have your own background, your knowledge, your creativity, your experiences, and that all makes you who you are.

More about the program: 2022’s Black Perspectives programme:

Tanya Compas: ERASURE kicks off from April 20th 2022 Tanya wants to help Black LGBTQ+ creative youth tell their stories unapologetically, and in doing so, will be able to forge a career simply by being themselves. The youth worker and founder of Exist Loudly is hosting a two-day boot camp which will challenge stereotypical LGBTQ+ tropes and help participants kickstart their creative careers.

Ibrahim Kamara: #TheBrief kicks off from April 27th 2022

Ibrahim, co-Founder of GUAP, the UK’s first-ever video magazine, will mentor five creators as they produce a full campaign from a brief. They’ll be asked to deliver editorial, video and images in response to the themes of “Legacy” and “Community” - which Ibrahim has personally chosen in honour of his late father.

Henrie Kwushue: Free Game kicks off from May 16th 2022

The entertainment world can be tough to break into, and even more so when you’re a young Black creative trying to score your first gig. How does it work? What do you actually get paid? In this IG content series launching in May, presenter and DJ Henrie will be putting the industry’s names in the hot seat, answering all those burning questions that have never been answered – until now.

Estare: The Creator Quest takes place on June 6th 2022 Lifestyle influencer Esther Areola - known to her followers as Estare - has created a series of challenges for five emerging fashion and beauty creators, to see if they can respond to a real brand brief. Estare will be joined by a panel of leading creators who will assess what it takes to turn a side hustle into a full-time career.

Follow #BlackPerspectives on Instagram and find out how you can get involved in our lead creators’ initiatives