During the month of February, BRTW ensemble members are selecting personal Black heroes to highlight everyday. These heroes may have spoken the magic words that first made them see their Black beauty, the people who inspired them to become artists, or even the person who taught them how to make proper mixed greens.

Q. How do you maneuver your respective industry as a black woman?

A. I trust in myself, very deeply. I trust in my talent, as well as my message. – Quinta Brunson

As a regular consumer and creator of digital media, I am lightweight obsessed with BuzzFeed, not only because of the content they create but because of their amazing squad of young creatives from various backgrounds. Quinta Brunson, a regular in BuzzFeed media is a producer, writer, director, and actor for BuzzFeed as well as a stand-up comic.

Quinta’s talent shines through in an industry that is most often dominated by older white men, and she’s not afraid to keep it 100% with BuzzFeed IRL. As a young Black producer, performer, and writer in NYC, I know it’s difficult to navigate the entertainment industry. Positions are certainly not handed out; opportunities are few and far between, and much of what you can accomplish boils down to who you know and how you can benefit people with power. To see a young Black woman’s voice shine through with such alarming honesty and clarity inspires me to continually create and encourage work that is not explicitly welcome.

Check out Quinta’s series ‘Broke’ keeping it real about stretching a $20 when you have broke ass roommates to feed.

– Heather Harvey Co-founder & Ensemble Member