*Supermodel and anti-racism activist Naomi Campbell is teaming up with Studio71 to build and diversify her digital content portfolio.
According to Variety, the partnership will allow Campbell to grow content via ad sales, channel optimization, and brand partnerships across social media and video sharing platforms. On Facebook she has 1.9 million followers, on Twitter she has over $700k and on YouTube, Naomi has 440,000 subscribers, where she hosts an interview series “No Filter with Naomi.” Guests have included Rev. Al Sharpton, Opal Tometi, co-founder of Black Lives Matter and Anna Wintour.
“I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Studio71 as I further develop projects in the media space and look forward to sharing my creative ideas with the masses in the very near future,” Campbell said in a statement.
“Naomi is doing something really special that she’s not done before. She understands the importance of content and has assumed a responsibility to connect with her audience in a meaningful and authentic way, like only she can,” Joseph Marchese, SVP and co-head of talent at Studio71, said in a statement.
READ MORE: Naomi Campbell Never Enjoyed Being the ‘Token’ Black in Fashion Industry [WATCH]
All the episodes of #NoFilterWithNaomi are available on my @YouTube channel. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them. https://t.co/21c7dhmXtm
— Naomi Campbell (@NaomiCampbell) May 2, 2020
Campbell recently dished with Andy Cohen remotely on “Watch What Happens Live” and addressed Anna Wintour’s statement to Vogue staff about not doing enough to elevate diverse voices.
Wintour noted in the memo: “I want to say plainly that I know Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers and other creators. We have made mistakes too, publishing images or stories that have been hurtful or intolerant. I take full responsibility for those mistakes.”
When asked her opinion about the statement, Campbell said, “I think things are about to change, don’t you?” she asked Cohen. “Things are about to change.”
“Everyone used to think that you liked being the token Black person in the room,” she added. “It’s absolutely the opposite. I never did.”
Wintour acknowledged, “It can’t be easy to be a Black employee at Vogue, and there are too few of you. I know that it is not enough to say we will do better, but we will — and please know that I value your voices and responses as we move forward.”
She pledged, “On a corporate level, work is being done to support organizations in a real way. These actions will be announced as soon as possible. I am arranging ways we can discuss these issues together candidly, but in the meantime, I welcome your thoughts or reactions.”
Campbell explained to Cohen that change needs to begin top-down.
“It needs to change from the boardroom to the seat. It needs to go right from the top through,” she said. “I’ve been saying this for years, and so I’m truly grateful and happy finally this is happening.”
“The way that it’s had to come out, for people to lose their lives, it’s very sad and my condolences to each and every one of those victims…parents of those people that have gone,” Campbell said of the rising racial tension over the police killing of Black people. “This had to happen. This change had to happen.”
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