Google is hosting a two-day Residency Programme in Nairobi to celebrate and up-skill young African creatives who identify as Alternative or Non-Mainstream.
The Alternative Movement, colloquially known as the ‘Alté Movement’, traces its roots to Lagos, Nigeria, where young Africans embrace the idea of being misfits or non-conformists.
The movement champions unconventional self-expression in all aspects of life but mainly through Music, Fashion and Visual Arts.
Alternative youth culture is rarely recognised in mainstream media, therefore creators have turned to YouTube to connect with their audiences because there are no barriers to entry.
Speaking during the Residency, Sharon Machira, Communication and Public Affairs Manager for Google Kenya said:
“On a personal level, I actually identify as an alternative but within the corporate context. So it’s exciting to see that the movement has permeated into corporate, political and social spaces such as YouTube.”
The aim of the residency is to celebrate and amplify the impact of the Alté movement in Africa and the world.
“We also want to showcase how products like YouTube Shorts can help drive the culture forward,” added Sharon.
"Though it started in Nigeria it has strongly taken root across the continent."
Recent Google Search trends from across Africa show an increase in `Alté related searches from 2020, with questions like ‘What is alté?’, ‘Who is an alté?’ and ‘How to dress Alté? being the most searched alté-related questions.
The Residency runs from Tuesday, June 28 to Thursday, June 30, 2022, and will help them learn how to better connect with their audiences and move the culture forward through platforms like YouTube and YouTubeShorts.
The program will see the first batch of 25 young Alté creatives from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana, and South Africa attend the Residency and be equipped with entrepreneurial skills on how they can enhance the visibility of their brands.
Google has also invited Alté creatives that have global brands such as Tsepo The Jeans Maker to give career talks to the young creative entrepreneurs on how to further build and monetise their brands.
