My Life as a Digital Damsel (Issue #1)

This week’s theme is the internet - exploring life as a mid-90’s baby building a platform in a digital world.

Hi friends,

Welcome to Sincerely, Celisia!! Today marks a lot of firsts - my first weekly newsletter, the first issue under the Sincerely, Celisia umbrella, and my first newsletter sent through the Substack platform. With this inaugural edition, I’m so excited to officially introduce you to this project I’ve been scheming up for months. 

Wait, Celisia! What is this?? What can I expect??

This is Sincerely, Celisia, my new weekly newsletter, an aesthetic cross between an early-aughts high school diary and the 2010’s Tumblr era. Each week I will share updates from my life, personal reflections, and curated recommendations, usually surrounding a theme. The newsletter takes the sentiment of passing notes in middle school and elevates it to reflect a more mature, 2023 version of myself in my late 20’s. If you were already subscribed to my seasonal newsletter, you can expect something similar to those dispatches, just with more frequency and a more intentional, fun aesthetic and format.

On Substack?? Does this mean I need to pay for it now??

Nope! My weekly newsletter will remain free. That said, there are paid subscription options if you’d like to help financially support the creation and sustainability of Sincerely, Celisia (plus you’ll get some awesome surprise bonuses in the future)!! Thank you so much to those of you who are able to support me in this way. This newsletter is free to read but not free to make, so it truly means a lot! 

Okay but why a newsletter? 

As you might know, I first gained a following on Instagram in the summer of 2020. The murder of George Floyd was a catalyzing experience for me as a young Black woman living in Minneapolis and I realized that folks really resonated with the messages I had to share about my lived experiences, about history and systems, about racial and social justice. Quickly my platform grew, and since then, to be completely transparent, it’s been difficult to know what to do with it. The pressure to constantly post, to turn my experiences into content, to comment on and educate about genuinely traumatizing topics, led to countless bouts of burnout. 

I recognize that there are many ways for me to share my life and interests with those who care about me. And as a consumer myself, I’ve developed a deep love of newsletters. I love receiving weekly notes from my favorite creators, it just always feels so much more personal and intimate. So that’s why I want to show up weekly here, for you. Sincerely, Celisia will be a more authentic way for me to carve out my own little corner of the internet. Not just because I find it so much more true to who I am, but also because I know that if you’re here, you’re here for me -- not just for the racial justice education that so many of my summer 2020 followers (who have honestly since unfollowed me) felt entitled to. Thank you for being here. I’m so excited to go on this journey together.

And one last thing! I’ve started a Substack chat thread for us all to get to know each other better. Click the link below to join the subscriber chat + introduce yourself! I’ll respond personally to everybody. :)

And now onto the good stuff!!

A round-up of things to watch, read, and listen to as you head into the weekend.

*Indicates a gift link. I know how frustrating paywalls are! When possible, I’ll try to offer gift links through my subscriptions to support access to high-quality journalism.

• The Atlantic: The Internet of the 2010s Ended Today by Charlie Warzel

  • BuzzFeed News is ending! This piece, written by a former BuzzFeed staffer, reflects on his experience working for the company during its mid-2010’s peak of cultural relevancy, and meditates on the ways the platform defined an entire era of digital journalism.

• ProPublica: A Scammer Who Tricks Instagram Into Banning Influencers Has Never Been Identified. We May Have Found Him by Craig Silverman and Bianca Fortis

  • A shocking investigation into the scams and real identity of OBN, an anonymous internet user who has made hundreds of thousands of dollars from manipulating Meta + Instagram to ban and unban celebrities + influencers. 

• Buzzfeed: The Age of Penopticontent: What Happens When You Become Viral Content Without Your Consent by Clarissa-Jan Lin

  • In a world where anyone can record a video and share it on the internet to millions of viewers, this piece explores what it really means to go viral without your knowledge or consent.

• The New York Times: YouTube Made Emma Chamberlain a Star. Now She’s Leaving it Behind by David Marchese *

  • Before this piece, I’d been relatively unfamiliar with Emma Chamberlain and her teenage rise to YouTube stardom, but I was still fascinated by this interview. A great meditation on balancing success with mental health, YouTube celebrities, and whether creators can remain relatable after being catapulted into fame.

• The Atlantic: The Influencer Industry Is Having an Existential Crisis by Kaitlyn Tiffany

  • As more people turn influencing into their full-time job, the rapidly growing industry is facing the same labor rights questions as most work environments. A fantastic deep-dive into the responsibility of social media apps and the future of the creator economy + workforce.

• Podcast: Rehash

  • My business manager + bestie Olivia has been raving about this podcast since it came out! Rehash is a “podcast about the social media phenomenons that strike a nerve in our culture, only to be quickly forgotten – but we think are due for a revisiting.” Their critical deep dives cover everything from internet tropes like “girlbosses” and “himbos”, to infamous internet controversies like “West Elm Caleb” and “Bad Art Friend.” Check it out!

Featuring someone I’m obsessed with (talking about what they’re obsessed with).

Dani is one of my *favorite* online creators, and has been a huge inspiration to me throughout my career. She’s a Systems and Efficiency Expert and creator of The Daily Page Planner, which is how I first discovered her work and started following her on Instagram. She’ll help you get energized and focused without the toxicity of hustle culture or wellness cults. I’ve purchased virtually all of her products and courses, and recently invested in her Digital Photo Cleanup course which I really need to help organize my digital clutter!! What I love about Dani is that her resources are not just effective, they’re also built with a knowledge of systems and barriers which shapes her work to be applicable and practical for folks of all backgrounds and lifestyles. You can connect with Dani at Thyme-is-Honey.com and @Thyme_is_Honey on Instagram.

And now onto Dani’s obsessions…

Note: While all recommendations are for things Dani personally uses and enjoys, affiliate links will be preceded by an asterisk (*). Purchasing through these links will directly support Dani and her amazing work with a small commission from your purchase.

*The Nordic Theory of Everything - I’m a native Minnesota currently living in Denmark, and I’m fascinated (and sometimes perplexed) by the differences between the US and the Nordic Region. I read this book last summer, and honestly think about it daily. It’s a fun, entertaining analysis written by a Finnish woman who moves to the US.

*Exfoliating Gloves - I’m all about removing the bullsh*t and overwhelm when it comes to self-care and wellness. I know “dry brushing” is all the rage with the Holistic Life Girlies, but these exfoliating shower gloves are the multi-tasking, time-saving wellness hack that we all want and need. Hear me out: get yourself a great bar soap that smells incredible and use these gloves to soap yourself up head to toe in the shower. Massage each limb upward moving toward your heart. In just a few minutes you’ve massaged, cleansed, exfoliated, helped stimulate lymphatic drainage AND you can use it as a shaving cream if you desire. Five birds, one stone. Doing this the past year has truly transformed my skin. Thank me later!

Microsoft To-Do - As a systems and efficiency expert I have tried every productivity tool in existence and yet for the past ten+ years I’ve relied consistently on the power of Microsoft To Do for organizing projects and tasks. A lot of productivity tools end up overwhelming us, and the simple checklist format of To Do compliments all my other systems. Here’s a short video tutorial that walks you through how I use it.

*Gideon Neck Massager - I got this $16 neck massager off Amazon 8 years ago and I’m not sure how I’d survive without it. If you have “tech neck” you definitely need this. It gets into that area right at the base of your scull where tension headaches live. Here’s a really embarrassing video I made circa 2017 where I practically profess my love for it.

The Atlantic: The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake - It wasn’t easy for me to pick just one article to share with you, but when asked what article I think about frequently, this was the clear answer. It’s from 2020, and three years later I still find myself thinking about and recommending it. It examines the emergence of the “nuclear” family and the problems it has caused for society.

Thyme Transformation - My signature group course will help streamline and optimize your digital systems for days that are more intentional and productive. You can learn more and get started right away by enrolling here.

Playlists from my music library to yours.

In the spirit of today’s theme, I’ve compiled some of my favorite technology-themed songs. From wifi and instant messaging to robots and machines, take a musical journey through an ever-changing world shaped by technology. 

Things to try + share in the group chat.

Note: Links preceeded by an asterisk (*) are affiliate links that allow me collect a small commission when you purchase something I’ve recommended. That said, I can promise that I’ll only ever share items I truly love. Buying through these links are one way to support me and my small biz. ❤️

• This Spaghetti Pomodoro recipe from Meredith Hayden (@WishboneKitchen) is in heavy rotation at my house. Hayden’s recipe grew in popularity through her successful TikTok account, and she says it is her go-to recipe when she’s feeling anxious and overstimulated. Next time you’re looking for a low-effort yet still delicious dinner, give it a try!

• Black Girls Code is an incredible organization “training thousands of girls to lead, innovate and create in science, tech, engineering, and math.” They have 15 chapters across the U.S. and offer a variety of events throughout the year. You can learn more and support their work here.

• *This Cat Scratch Laptop has been on my cat’s wish list for weeks now. It comes with a scratch pad keyboard and a fluffy “mouse” that is shaped like an actual mouse. My cats say I can write this off as a business expense, but I’m pretty sure that’s just a ploy to secure more toys.

And there you have it! The inaugural edition of Sincerely, Celisia. Thank you again for being here. I am beyond excited to start this newsletter journey, and I know I couldn’t do it without you. So what’d you think? Let me know your thoughts on this new format + frequency! Can’t wait to hear from you, and connect again next Friday.

Want to stay connected between now and next Friday? Don’t be a stranger!! Make sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok. Know someone who you think would like Sincerely, Celisia? It would mean the world if you could help spread the word by sharing this newsletter through the button below!! <3