Emma Reidy is an artist and writer who is currently studying Design History at the Royal College of Art in London. Originally from the Suburbs of New Hampshire, Emma's sense of art and style has come a long way since struggling to assimilate to her high school's mandatory dress code. Now, through years of study and practicing sustainable fashion, @emmrdy finds herself primed and ready to make a real impact in the world of art.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd cried out that he couldn't breathe, and the people heard his cries.

Christian Johnson is an incredibly talented photographer and cinematographer based out of Brooklyn, NY. His work embodies such raw emotion and detail that any given spectator might view the same picture in 2 different ways, depending on the day and how they feel. In that mysterious phenomenon lies the true art in his creations: the power he grants to the viewer. You might ask, "how can a still image be subjective?," and to that, we don't pretend to know or understand. All we know is that Christian's photos are very satisfying to look at, and that they seem to evolve over time.

We're unbelievably lucky to have built a community of creators from all walks of life—all shapes and sizes, with different interests, from all over the world. And in times like this, we owe it to each of you to make it unequivocally clear where we stand. Black lives matter, Black voices must be amplified, and we all must do everything in our power to ensure that Vocal is a platform where Black creators can feel safe and secure trusting us with their stories.

Arlee Maxwell has been a writer for as long as she can remember, but has only recently found her true voice. That newfound voice is one of honesty--no matter how brutal the truth is, ambition--no matter how high the obstacles in front of her may seem, and fearlessness--both in the endeavors she explores and the life she creates.

I’ve spent the last four years of my life living and breathing Vocal—I was there when the very first creator signed up for a free account, and watched as over 600,000 creators followed suit. As Head of Vocal's Business Intelligence team, which oversees strategy and data science, my role is to study all of these interactions within our ecosystem to better understand what makes Vocal tick:

Hmm... How exactly can we describe Kat King? Well, she's a fantastic writer for starters; but, beyond that, Kat is thoughtful, open-minded and driven to make a difference. Whether that be through her unique style of storytelling, her years of service in the United States Military, or her humanitarian outlook on the world, we just consider ourselves lucky that Kat found a safe place to explore and document her work on Vocal.

Dr. Babb is about as selfless as they come. As a mother of 4, devoted wife, active community member, and primary care physician, we often wonder how she has enough time to churn out such thoughtful, deep content. Whatever her secret is, we sure hope she keeps it coming. Megan's dedication as a primary care physician transfers beautifully to text. She invites her readers under her wing as she confronts the hard-hitting injustices found in America's health care system. She's earnest, fact-driven, and personable—it's almost as if you can hear her voice as you read her stories.

You’re familiar with the saying, “if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Similarly, if a creator has a wonderful, engaging story to tell, but no one’s there to read it, have they actually told it?

As a creator, there are so many ways you can foster a sense of community—even during a global pandemic full of sheltering in place and social distancing. Here's how you can support fellow artists, connect with fans, and help your local community online.

As a creator, it's important to treat our creative muscles like we would any other muscles. We have to exercise them to strengthen them. We have to create. We have to write, sketch, paint, sing, act, dance, and express ourselves. Even when we don't want to.

If you find yourself struggling during these uncertain times, you are not alone. Millions of people are finding themselves in need of assistance, many for the first time. While there are ways to earn extra income online - even during a pandemic - these are not always enough to cover a household's worth of expenses. Even a household of one.