The Power of the "Pin"

We were tasked with creating a knowledge sharing/tracking project, which involved using Web 2.0 tools to curate, promote, and track a collection of materials. We essentially became curators of the collection and could include our own original content or existing content from other sources. I was an avid Pinterest user prior to this project. There is a plethora of content available on Pinterest, so I thought it would be the ideal tool to use for this project.

What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a social network that allows users to visually share and discover new interests by posting (known as "pinning" on Pinterest) images or videos to their own or others' boards (i.e. a collection of "pins," usually with a common theme) and browsing what other users have pinned. (http://www.infront.com/blogs/the-infront-blog/2014/1/20/what-is-pinterest-and-how-does-it-work)

The Powerful Content Curation Tool You're Not Using

Black Girl Magic
I chose to curate a Pinterest board focused on content that changes the visual and narrative depiction of Black girls and women. As a Black woman, it is difficult to see how we are often negatively portrayed in mass media. I thought it would be impactful to curate content that could be used to motivate Black girls and women, but content that could also be used to help provide a different perception and appreciation for the uniqueness that Black girls and women bring to the fabric of our society. One of the biggest challenges we face is simply providing Black girls with an opportunity to see something different to understand that they can be different. 

Check out the trailer for the "Black Girls Unscripted" documentary:

Pinning in Action

I employed a number of strategies to draw people to my Black Girl Magic Pinterest board. I added the URL for the board to my Facebook and Twitter profiles. I also created a widget for the board and added it to my blog (check it out on the right -->). I also decided to invite others to collaborate on the board in an effort to add even more content to the board and have others help promote the board. Ultimately, 12 people accepted invitations to collaborate to the board and accounted for 82 pins to the Black Girl Magic Pinterest board. This was a true to testament to the phrase: "There is power in numbers." Even though this board was created as part of a course project, I sincerely hope it will continue to be used in the future to empower Black girls and Black women everywhere!