5 Influencers Who Are Creating Social Change For The Better 

Social media platforms mean that everyone can have a voice, no matter what their background. This means that issues are brought into the spotlight which may previously have gone undiscussed.

At each&everyone, we know the value of influencers. Through the relationships that influencers build with their followers, they can educate and spread awareness about important issues. By doing this, they are using their influence to create real and lasting social change. There are so many influencers making a positive change, that it would be impossible to name them all. So these are just five influencers who are creating social change for the better.

Jess Quinn

Instagram can be a pretty toxic place, sometimes. Frequently seeing perfectly photoshopped images of beautiful people living perfect lives isn’t great for our well-being. Studies have shown that Instagram is the platform most likely to cause young people to feel depressed and lonely. It’s not just Instagram, though. Increasingly, more and more of us are holding ourselves to impossible standards of beauty and achievement. Then, when we don’t meet those standards, we berate ourselves. 

Jess Quinn one of our first influencers creating social change! Jess is a model and media personality. She had bone cancer when she was nine years old, which led to the amputation of her leg. She draws on this experience to create content designed to uplift and encourages us to achieve anything with a positive attitude. 

With every post she creates, Jess encourages people to love themselves just as they are and empathise with other people who might have a different life experience from their own. 

Jameela Jamil

You may recognize Jameela from her role as Tahani in the hit comedy series, The Good Place. However, you may not know that she is a self-described ‘feminist in progress,’ fighting tirelessly for equality and against the objectification of women. She has been open about her mental health problems and how mainstream media have victimized her and other women.

Jameela has created a podcast called ‘i-weigh’, which provides a platform for marginalized people to discuss important issues and champion radical inclusivity and mental health. Each episode of the podcast ends with the guest talking about what they weigh. On i-weigh, what you weigh doesn’t have anything to do with weight, though. Instead, what you weigh is the issue that you find the most important. The podcast is doing its bit to teach the message that looks, and weight is by no means the most important things about a person.

Her Instagram account empowers her followers by sharing images that illustrate the reality of life, instead of the perfect shiny images we see every day. For example, this post shows off Jameelas wobbly underarm, celebrating the idea of embracing our bodies as they are and not becoming obsessed with looking a certain way.

Valencia De’ La Clay

Valencia De’ La Clay is the teacher that we all wish we’d had in middle school. 

Based in Baltimore, and committed to activism by empowering her students and giving them a voice. She steadfastly believes in the potential of every one of her students and never leaves anyone behind.

What’s more is that she posts her lessons to her Instagram account, giving other educators and parents a glimpse of a different way of doing things.

By sharing her message of empowerment, she is levelling the playing field and making it possible for groups who have been marginalized in the past to succeed.

Jamie Raines

Jamie is a trans YouTuber who is well known for making videos documenting his experiences to help other trans people. 

He has created videos documenting his top surgery, bottom surgery, and what it’s like being married to a cis-gendered, heterosexual woman. No subject is off-limits on Jamie’s YouTube channel, making it a valuable source of information and support for people who are trans and wondering what to expect, and for anyone who wants to provide good support for a trans person in their life.

Jamie also uses his platform to call out instances of transphobia on other social media profiles and in the media more generally. Calling out transphobia is crucial because it means people are held to account for the content they create, and it helps people understand why some of the things they are doing and saying could be harmful to the trans community.

By helping people better understand the trans experience, Jamie uses his platform to help create acceptance for trans people.

The Angry Therapist

The Angry Therapist is John Kim, a therapist with a radical new approach.

He uses his platform to be completely open and candid about the struggles he has been through himself. Something which is usually a no-no for therapists. However, he is committed to the idea that it is beneficial above all else to be authentic and present, breaking down the traditional divide between patients and therapists.

His account is a mixture of posts about his everyday life and the things that he struggles with and inspirational ideas designed to steer you towards the life you want to be living.

A lot of therapists and coaches use Instagram as a place to showcase the perfect lives that they now have, in the hope that their followers will aspire to have that kind of life too. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but The Angry Therapist provides a warts and all refreshing approach.

Although their messages are different, and the communities they resonate with might not always overlap, each of these influencers profoundly impacts the world.

Why it is important for creators to use their influence to create social change

With the power of Influence comes the responsibility of using it the right way. It’s easy for creators to have a platform in which they promote products and share their lifestyle. But it’s important for them to also use their platform for positive change, and to raise awareness of social issues. Which is why we like to recognise Influencers creating social change!

At each and everyone, we believe in the power of influencers. We know that they can communicate important messages to their audience in a way that resonates. We analyse Influencers to ensure they align with the brand and reach audiences in a meaningful way.

If you would like to talk to us about what kind of influencer could be right for your brand, please get in touch, we’d love to talk to you.