10 Minutes With Afrobella: Contributor to Vogue Black

Ferocia caught up with the amazing beauty and fashion blogger Afrobella , who just announced today that she will be an official contributor to the Vogue Black site! Here’s what she had to say:

Ferocia: Coutura and I are so excited for you!

Afrobella: It is crazy! I didn’t know when [the Vogue editor] was going to put my first post up. But, yesterday I was reading The Cut and all of those comments and all of that stuff. And I wanted so bad to say something, but I was like I’m not going to say anything until my name is up and until my bio is up. They haven’t even put the bios up yet! They’re going to put the bios up this weekend I guess. It’s been interesting.

Ferocia: So, is the site based in NY?

Afrobella: No! It’s in Italy.

Ferocia: So these people are actually in Italy doing this site, right?

Afrobella: Yeah. The one that I’ve been communicating with is definitely in Italy.

Ferocia: How did you meet him?

Afrobella: He reached out to me in November.

Ferocia: Wow!

Afrobella: I got an e-mail. That was it.

Ferocia: Wow! So you just got an e-mail and now you’re like fabulous fashionista in Vogue…

Afrobella: [laughing] I mean, it’s weird because my blog is very different from a lot of other blogs, so I’m like it’s not really all beauty and it’s not really all fashion. But, they were looking for strong writing and strong content.

Ferocia: Did they give you a topic to write about or can you just write about whatever you want?

Afrobella: I can write about whatever I want to write about pretty much. [The editor] approached me and was like we would like to contribute to the site. What are your ideas? He actually asked me to write a list of who I thought were the best black beauty bloggers that her should reach out to. So, I gave him that list, but I don’t know if he’s reached out to anybody. It’s kind of awkward to be like “Hey! Did you get an e-mail from…” I didn’t really know what to do about that. I’ll see if he plans on adding to the roster because I think that they should. To me, this is just the beginning.

Ferocia: Yes, I agree. I like that it’s very organic and that they actually did research before reaching out to you.

Afrobella: They’re working on it and it’s been an education on both sides. It’s been interesting.

Ferocia: That’s so awesome! What excites you most about this opportunity?

Afrobella: I mean, honestly, this is crazy. It’s Vogue! It’s like Vogue is respecting black bloggers?! Like what?! Did hell freeze over today? I know it snowed last night but I was like damn, you know? It’s just crazy. I’ve been seeing people complaining about it all the time. Like, The Cut, for example. I respect them and I love what they do, but where are they giving tribute or props to black bloggers? I haven’t seen any of that. And that’s what I’m most excited about is that finally a mainstream fashion publication recognizes that black bloggers are here and we’re interested in beauty and we’re interested in fashion and we are a market worth respecting. Finally! And it’s not even in America! It’s across the world. But, it’s the beginning of something kind of awesome and I’m so proud.

Ferocia: You plan on still keeping your blog, right?

Afrobella: Nu ugh! I’m not giving [my blog] up! That’s my baby!

Ferocia: How long have you had your blog?

Afrobella: Since 2006. This year will be my fourth blogaversy! It’s crazy. More than anything else, it’s proof that hard work does pay off. Hard work and taking that time and all of the things that I’ve done…because they’re times where I’ve been discouraged and there are times that I’ve been like I can’t do this blog anymore….I’m not making enough money off of it…what am I doing? I quit my job. I’m doing this full time now. When I made that decision, it was really terrifying because of all of those things that they say about the economy and stuff, but it’s actually working!

Ferocia: Honestly though, I think that all of that stuff that they say about the economy is just a scape goat. Because you know I used to work at a magazine and got laid off, but when I was working there, that’s why Coutura and I started this blog because we didn’t have the creative outlet to say and write the things that we really wanted to write about. So, even if you have a full time job and you’re still not doing creatively what you want to do, then I don’t think that you should hide behind that, you know?

Afrobella: Nope.

Ferocia: And now that we’re both laid off, we have more time to blog now!

Afrobella: Yeah, that’s great!

Ferocia: I also think that black people as a whole, we don’t support each other enough.

Afrobella: Nope. And I have to say that especially in the beauty and fashion world. But I do have to say that there is a sisterhood and brotherhood of black bloggers once you get out of beauty and fashion. Which is unfortunate and I hope that it changes and I certainly do my best to be inclusive and to be everything, but I mean, it’s crazy. I get more love and more support from hip hop bloggers and people that are not even in the arena of stuff that I write about. There are some beauty bloggers that are my girls forever and ever and that have been supportive of me from day one, but I see alot of newer black beauty blogs and stuff starting up and it’s kind of…not competitive, but it’s like we’re all on our own page; when we should be together and we should be showing each other that love and support that we’re not getting.

Ferocia: Yep! So true and I agree with you.

Afrobella: We are living in interesting times. With this whole [Vogue Black] thing, it’s kind of like now what? There are so many of us who are here and there are so many of us doing so many different things and complementing each other and I hope that this is not going to be a one time thing. I can’t speak to the future plans of what it will be and I can’t speak to my future plans for my blog, but I am honored to be here at the beginning of it and I hope that it just brings bigger and more awesome things for all of us.