Afro Influencers is becoming one of the most popular agencies in Europe working to promote Italy’s Black Community.
Founded by Moustapha Thiam, an IT analyst from Bergamo, Afro Influencers is the first Afro Agency in Italy and reportedly the first of its kind in Europe.
“I created this to make our voice heard,” Thiam, who is also an actor and comedian known as Musty TV, told The Guardian. “Italy was a difficult place to grow up, as there was always this ignorant perception. Things have got better, but still today it is difficult to find work, as prejudices still exist. But we don’t want to play the victims of racism – we are self-deprecating, and the idea is to try to bring about change.”
Afro Influencers was started in May 2020 during a time when George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer sparked protests around the world, including in Italy.
He said the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement has made companies confront their lack of representation and focus more on sponsoring Black influencers.
“BLM helped to entice big companies to also invest in the black community,” he said. “The companies understood they needed to change their message and be more inclusive.”
Afro Influencers is a team of nine of the most-followed Tiktokkers, Instagrammers, and YouTubers in Italy. The team aims to help other influencers achieve their goals of working in the entertainment industry, and its reach is going beyond just Italy.
After launching at Milan’s Piazza del Duomo last summer, the agency has received a ton of requests to join the team from other Black influencers across Europe, including the UK, France, and Spain.
“I would like to create a big Europe-wide group,” Thiam adds.
He says his next step is to open Afro House, a collaborating space in Milan for the Afro Influencers team. Some of its social media stars include Xanax 404, C.Black, King Nigg, and Topher & Betta.
To learn more information, follow Afro Influencers on Instagram or by visiting its website.
