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WANDE'S WORLD: One of our featured bloggers

SELF EXPRESSION, individuality and creative freedom are just a few reasons why many launch online blogs. From fashion and music to news and culture, blogs give the opportunity for an individual or a group of individuals to share their views with the rest of the world through the internet.

This month celebrates National Blog Posting Month, where bloggers both experienced and new are encouraged to upload a blog post everyday for the whole month of November. The Voice has selected blogs written by writers who celebrate their culture, including fashion, beauty, music and politics.

Beauty Pulse London

“Black. Beautiful. British. Proud” is the tag-line for Natalie Clue’s beauty blog, Beauty Pulse London. Featured in Black Hair, Stylist and Pride magazine, Natalie has become some-what of an expert in the black, British beauty scene. Natalie is also founder of Keziah CONNECTIONS, an organisation for the professional, enterprising women of colour with a passion for all things beauty.

MsAfrobella

MsAfropolitan is written by Minna Salami and aims to give a woman’s take on African and global society. The blog features topics that concern African women, opinion pieces and personal stories about the African feminism, Afropolitanism, popular culture, politics and lifestyle. The 35-year-old, London blogger said: “People of African heritage need to be encouraged to write, and to perceive that our ideas matter. It is up to us to challenge negative stereotypes about Africans and to encourage progressive advancements. Blogging is one way to contribute to thought leadership by documenting our stories and ideas.”

Just Call Me Shoena

Sheena Isokariari started blogging in 2011. Over the last two years, Sheena has used her blog to celebrate her passion for fashion and style. Sheena said: “I started the blog because I wanted an outlet to express myself and my passions. I wanted to show that you can look beautiful and stylish without spending too much money.” Since blogging, Sheena has gone on to use her blog as an online portfolio which has presented her with job opportunities.

Wande’s World

Launched in 2010, Wande’s World has received over 1 million views since it began and receives an average of 120,000 monthly hits. The Londoner, who blogs about food, fashion beauty and travel also produces vlogs (video blogs) on YouTube. Wande said: “As I started blogging at a time where there weren’t very much people of colour online, it was refreshing to see that my readers and viewers would buy products based on what it looked like on me because I was the closest in skin colour for them to identify with. I think more and more people of colour should blog, so we can educate each other as we are at a time where information sharing is becoming freely available especially with the aid of the internet.”

Cocoa Diaries

Keysha Davis, 40, is currently the editor of Black Hair magazine, but her blog is not restricted to the realms of hair and beauty. Keysha said: “I started blogging in 2008. I was working as an entertainment editor and was frustrated by the indifference shown towards Black British creatives in the mainstream media. At the time there was a plethora of blogs centred on African American popular culture, but not so many focused on the Black British contribution, so I knew that had to be my niche. I definitely advocate the need for more black voices within the blogosphere. Sadly, our mainstream media is still very much lacking in diversity, which means our voices often go unheard, stories unread and our trailblazers aren't championed.”