It’s Black History Month and I wanted to share some Fat, Black influencers and creators who have shaped how I see Fat liberation. Mind you, we need Fat and Black voices all the time—they are pioneers and the vanguard of body liberation. I wanted to highlight a few you may not be familiar with so that you can fill your feeds and your TBR lists with their work ASAP, for every month of the year.
Sonya Renee Taylor
Sonya Renee Taylor is the New York Times Bestselling author of The Body Is Not An Apology which is also the name of the movement she founded. If you are just starting out in your body liberation journey, The Body Is Not An Apology book is a must-read.
Leah Vernon
Leah Vernon, known as @lvernon2000 on Instagram, is a fat, Black content creator who is unashamedly her full self. Her fashion videos and her takedowns of those who body shame her make her a delightful and powerful influencer. Her memoir—Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim—is available wherever books are sold.
Tigress Osborn
Tigress Osborn is the executive director of NAAFA, the National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of fat people and the liberation of people in all marginalized bodies. She is fighting for laws against size discrimination and for companies to have more size-inclusive practices. You can follow her work through her Instagram
and through her work at NAAFA.org. She was extensively quoted in this article by Newsweek on the pathologizing of fat bodies.
Da’Shaun L. Harris
Da’Shaun L. Harris is a fat, Black activist and the author of Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness, available through PenguinRandomHouse and wherever you find books. Their work is a deep look at how anti-fatness is actually anti-blackness, as the title implies. Definitely recommend their book and following them on Instagram.
Ronald Young, Jr.
Known as @ohitsbigron on Instagram, Ronald Young, Jr. is a fat, Black podcaster and producer. His podcast Weight For It is available wherever you listen! He is a delight and a great host as he processes what life is like in fat, Black body. (It was named one of the best podcasts of the year in 2023 by the New York Times!) He also will have \a short film debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025. Visit his website for more info on where to find his work.
I’m always looking to explore and amplify Fat, Black voices! Please let me know who you are into these days!
Sincerely,
Amanda Martinez Beck
Great list!!
Thanks for this!