(WXYZ) — Chanel Nelson is a social worker by day and a content creator by night.
"It kind of turned from a passion project into a side business," she said.
Nelson runs Vibes Detroit, an Instagram and TikTok page with tens of thousands of followers. On her account, she shows people hidden gems and hot spots around metro Detroit.
"What's up my Detroit, fam... hey guys check out this West Bloomfield find," she tells her followers.
Nelson is one of a growing number of black content creators in the area highlighting new and seasoned shops. Another local content creator is Chris Kyle. He's the man behind Enjoy Motor City.
"I have a ton of followers who are from all over, and they say man you make Detroit look so lit," he said.
And it's a priority for Kyle, a man with several companies of his own, to expose his audience to black-owned businesses.
"A lot of times we are overlooked. A lot of times we lack that exposure, so if you have a platform I think it's just my duty," he said.
It's a symbiotic relationship. Local businesses spend less money on traditional advertisement and they can reach a large targeted audience.
Nelson highlighted Vibe Ride Detroit on her social media pages and within hours she saw the impact.
"Being able to see that within 24 or 72 hours of having an influx of people coming to the door, that's what we want."
She also highlighted Nacho Grill, "and they actually sold out two hours before closing," she said.
Kyle has similar testimonials and says as long as he has his phone and a voice he will use it to amplify his city and his people.
"Be a blessing. Use your platform to do good. Help strangers and it always returns back."
