Flex Mami, a podcaster and social media influencer, joins the hosts to discuss personal branding, performative authenticity, increasing diversity in businesses, and the other side of tokenism. They also touch on privacy issues, the struggle between authenticity and performing authenticity online, the experience of racism and microaggressions, and the impact on the speaker's identity.
Flex Mami got her stage name 'Flex' during a roundtable discussion with friends and it stuck, despite her initial doubts about its coolness.
Flex Mami believes that authenticity online is flawed because social media itself is contrived and allows individuals to curate their content, reflecting different expectations and perceptions of 'authenticity'.
Deep dives
The Origin of Flex Mommie
Flex Mommie explains how she came up with her stage name when she started DJing at 19. She shares that 'Flex' was chosen during a roundtable discussion with friends, and it was a popular word at the time. Although she initially considered changing it due to its lack of coolness, the name stuck, and she has been known as Flex Mommie ever since.
Authenticity vs. Performative Authenticity
Flex Mommie discusses the challenges of being authentic online. She highlights that social media itself is contrived and, therefore, inauthentic by nature, as it allows individuals to curate their content and image. While people expect authenticity, she believes that the concept itself is flawed because online content is always crafted and tailored. Flex also notes that the definition of 'authenticity' can vary depending on the audience's expectations and perceptions.
The Illusion of Diversity in Media
Flex Mommie talks about the lack of genuine diversity in the media industry. She reveals that even though more brands are attempting to showcase diversity, the preparations behind the scenes often fall short. Flex shares personal experiences of working on shoots where there were no makeup artists or hairstylists who could cater to her needs, or where the clothes did not fit properly. She cautions against tokenism, explaining that being hired solely to check a diversity box can be disheartening and perpetuate false narratives about progress.