Social media has become a powerful tool for storytelling, education, and connection. Through it, Black women share their experiences, redefine beauty standards, and inspire entire communities to live more fully and authentically. The 21Ninety Awards celebrate the women leading that charge. This year, the Content Creator of the Year category honors the digital storytellers who transform their platforms into spaces of empowerment, creativity, and care. Whether they’re sharing everyday wisdom, amplifying wellness, or reminding us to love ourselves out loud, these creators prove that influence can be both intentional and deeply human.
First Place: Justine (@JustinesCameraRoll_)

Justine, known online as Justine’s Camera Roll, is a content creator, storyteller, and digital educator who helps aspiring creators elevate their visual content, strategize growth, and navigate social media as a business.
Justine’s journey didn’t begin as a viral sensation. She first dabbled in YouTube as a teenager, creating vlogs, transitions, editing for herself, archiving memories. But it was during a season of transition (and tech layoffs) that she leaned into social media with intention. She made a video early on that racked up nearly a million views. That helped her realize she could hit monetization thresholds quickly. She began to treat content as less of a passion project and more of a viable business.
What sets Justine apart is her balance of heart and structure. On top of posting aesthetically pleasing videos and photos, she teaches how to create, how to turn content into revenue, and how to build systems so creativity doesn’t burn you out. She often shares both her wins and her missteps, modeling vulnerability as leadership.
“I think I’ve always had a desire to help women,” she shared with 21Ninety. “I’m really passionate about education and opportunity… What actually motivates me is knowing that other people are benefiting from the information I’m providing or the mistakes I’m making.”
Through her content tutorials, behind-the-scenes insights, and honesty about the creator grind, Justine is creating pathways for Black women to enter content creation confidently.
Second Place: Taliyah Joelle (@taliyah.joelle)
Taliyah Joelle is a fitness educator, content creator, and coach who blends scientific training principles and personal transformation to empower Black women in movement, wellness, and confidence.
Taliyah’s foundation is rich. She graduated near the top of her class at Hampton University, studying Kinesiology. Her early fitness journey was messy and emotional. In high school, she fell into unhealthy practices. However, in college, she leaned into science, anatomy, training, nutrition theory, and holistic health. After graduation, a viral Instagram video gained 10,000 followers in one week. That video validated her move into the creator space.
While many fitness creators rely on trends or aesthetic ideals, Taliyah anchors her content in evidence, structure, and real-life context. She launched @bodiedbytna alongside her best friend. She also coaches virtually, sharing personalized programming, nutrition guidance, and attainable fitness goals.
Taliyah’s content resonates especially because she meets women where they are, such as those intimidated by exercise, unsure of nutrition, or burned out by extreme rhetoric. Her work normalizes consistency, growth, and compassionate discipline.
Third Place: Black Girl Blue World (@blackgirlblueworld)

Gabby, the face behind Black Girl Blue World, is a diver, travel host, and content creator. She documents her underwater journeys, global escapes, and the powerful intersections of Blackness, exploration, and nature. Black Girl Blue World presents a rare, beautiful look into a Black woman exploring oceans. She dives deep on a literal and metaphorical level, and reveals shimmering ecosystems through her lens. Gabby’s journey began with a single dive that changed everything.
“After I went scuba diving for the first time and experienced the magic of the underwater world, it became my mission to tell as many people as I could about what I saw down there,” she shared with 21Ninety. “Scuba diving healed me in so many indescribable ways, and I knew that it would do the same for others who may not have thought to try it.”
Gabby’s content is rooted in vulnerability and purpose. In one viral clip, she surfaced in tears, explaining how diving helped heal her internal wounds and gave her space to process grief. Gabby’s travel stories are emotional, spiritual and restorative. She also hosts diving trips, partners with marine brands, and speaks to representation in adventure and environmental spaces where Black women are often unseen. Gabby’s feed invites others to reimagine what is possible, what spaces we can claim, and how we weave rest, wonder, and healing into adventure
About the Awards
This year’s Content Creator of the Year winners prove that Black female creators are not monolithic. They are diverse in genre, purpose, and voice. Yet they share a commitment to community, education, and cultural impact. Their work reminds the world that representation matters in the making, not only in the finished product.
This year, 21Ninety elevated our awards format. We have shifted from product-based recognition to honoring people who are shaping beauty, wellness, and lifestyle culture from the inside out. Our new approach centers changemakers, community builders, and creative voices. Winners are chosen for their audience impact, their ability to foster space and connection, and their commitment to representation. Above all, they embody 21Ninety’s mission to uplift Black women through beauty, lifestyle, and wellness.