A definition of social media that gets thrown a lot is that it’s a ‘double-edged sword’. And rightfully, so. On one end you have a vast network of like-minded people showcasing support and new possibilities, and on the other, a dark hole that if wandered carelessly might suck you in until further notice. However, during our Teen Vogue Summit, Express Yourself: Creativity Through Social Media panel, we got to speak with three creatives who are reinventing that infamous definition and proving that no matter where you are in your creative journey there’s a community waiting for you with open arms that will help you celebrate and embrace your unapologetic self. Cue Mónica Hernández, Alexandra Cuerdo, and Lili Higgins.
Hernández expresses herself and how she engages with the body, religion, and representation via her paintings (previously she was part of VSCO’s Make It Anyway campaign), Cuerdo is a filmmaker and the recipient of the 2019 VSCO Voices Artist Grant for her work with the queer Asian community in New York (not to mention her film ULAM: Main Dish is the first Filipino documentary on Hulu!) and Higgins, at only 19, has shared her bold, kaleidoscopic images lens of life at Wisconsin to the world. Three different artistic mediums that have taken them from being islands to being part of a larger community in which social media plays a vital role. However, all three of them have found how to use it to their advantage and propel themselves, their mental health, and their community.
As creators, they’re always putting themselves (and their work) out there, exposing themselves to criticism and burn out, but Hernández has a friendly reminder when it comes to maintaining her mental health and practicing self-care: “I have to remember that I am more than my work. Yes, it is such a big part of me, but if I have a bad day or a bad week or a bad month, when I’m not making the work I want to make or I’m not just making any work at all, I can’t allow that to really affect me. Because if I’m in it for the long haul, and I’m in it for the rest of your life, there are going to be dry periods, there are going to be periods that I’m not making work, I just have to pace myself and be kind to myself.”