“Smarties, you know what’s up!”: curating a community and cultivating pleasure as a social justice influencer

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the Instagram postings of Blair Imani, an influencer who blends lifestyle content with social justice advocacy. Through an analysis of popular posts and follower engagement, I argue that Imani’s primary work is not to raise awareness. Instead, she cultivates a community of “Smarties,” tied together by a comforting style, positive emotions, and the shared pleasure of being an enlightened insider. This analysis indicates how the ostensibly positive account of a social justice influencer is another element of algorithmically polarized social media, where communities are formed and pleasure is derived via condemnation of presumed others.

KEYWORDS:

• Instagram
• influencers
• social justice
• aesthetic style
• affect
• intersectionality
• Muslim
• LGBTQ
• race

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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42 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “#SmarterInSeconds: Pride Month!” Instagram video, May 20, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CPg1HDCjvSa/.

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50 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “Happy Women’s History Month,” Instagram photo, March 1, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CL4conJpeF0/.

51 Imani, “Happy Women’s History.”

52 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “I made a mistake this week!” Instagram photo, March 11, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CMTYEu6pwB1/.

53 michelles_book_nook, March 31, 2021, comment on Imani, “#SmarterInSeconds: Transgender.”

54 Caledesignco, March 13, 2021, comment on Imani, “I made a mistake this week!”

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59 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “Dear Religious leaders, *clears throat* THE POPE,” Instagram photo, March 20, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CMpgxMaHys7/.

60 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “Ramadan is a sacred time,” Instagram photo, April 15, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CNs6kUvnPfz/.

61 Reade, “Keeping It Raw,” 549.

62 Syrinaxoxo, March 20, 2021, comment on Imani, “Dear Religious leaders.”

63 Rebeccurls, March 20, 2021, comment on Imani, “Dear Religious leaders.”

64 Aqueersearchforfaith, March 20, 2021, comment on Imani, “Dear Religious leaders.”

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66 Cmcdougie, April 15, 2021, comment on Imani, “Ramadan is a sacred time.”

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69 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “#SmarterInSeconds: Rainbow Washing also known as pink washing,” Instagram video, May 25, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUUnE0j28N/.

70 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “Smarties, you know what’s up,” Instagram photo, December 22, 2020, link unavailable.

71 Blair Imani, [@blairimani], “Pride Month is not just for “out” LGBTQ+ people,” Instagram photo, May 31, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CPj9z5-DCNO/.

72 small_magicman, April 12, 2021, comment on Imani, “#SmarterInSeconds: Transgender.”

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