Spelman College is charting a new path of excellence as the first Historically Black College and University to partner with Spotify for its NextGen program, which is designed to create curriculum and opportunities for audio storytelling on college campuses. On March 20, 2023, students flocked to the campus Wellness Center for Spotify Creator Day, an afternoon of special programming for student creators.
M'Kenzie Lumas-Harmon, C'2025, is one of the many student creators who participated in Spotify's activities. The art major says she attended for the opportunity to learn the ropes of podcasting from industry professionals.
I was able to walk away with a few gems that will help me as I continue on my creative journey," said LumasHarmon. "But I think the most important one that resonated with me was to be myself and create for myself before creating for others. That's what really helps to make your content, as a creator, real and authentic."
In addition to creating for herself, Lumas-Harmon serves the College as part of the TikTok Advisory Board and Social Media Influencers Team under Spelman's Admissions Office. She is also a social media intern for TrueBlue 1881 and is a member of the Morehouse Business Association's Marketing Club. Spotify's Creator Day brought social media influencers Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion, hosts of Spotify podcast, "We Said What We Said," to campus to share their experiences as podcasters and answer students' questions.
Lumas-Harmon was one of the first students to speak to the duo. She asked how they balance creating on social media and their mental health. "Being a young content creator, it gets overwhelming sometimes, and I've always struggled with this issue," said Lumas-Harmon.
"The comment sections can be brutal. They were very helpful and engaging when they
shared their insight and experience. I'd say it was amazing and enlightening to be able to attend and have them speak directly on a question that I had.
Lumas-Harmon plans to pursue a career in entertainment, specifically marketing management or social media content creation. For now, she's working on developing her personal social media brand, which focuses on hair, lifestyle and content that highlights Black culture.