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Spotlight Summer 22: Ebony Brown The Celebrity Stylist

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Have you ever wondered why your styling career is not working out? Or better still, have you ever wanted to hear of a real-life story of “from grass to grace”? Having been born and brought up in Detroit, Ebony Brown is a Celebrity stylist who has had tremendous challenges before eventually having a breakthrough in her career and life. Her life hasn’t been a walk in the park as she had to step over crackheads to go to school and stand in food stamp lines just like any ordinary African-American girl. Ebony didn’t grow up in Hollywood or have any entertainment connections, and at some point, in life, her parents were on drugs and later within the federal prison system. She is indeed a force to reckon with as she stood against all these odds to be the admirable industrious woman she is today. She didn’t give up on her dreams, and her resilience and determination helped her rough up all the challenges and eventually move to New York to become a songwriter. As a writer, Ebony Brown excelled hugely. Her success is unsurprising given that she has been writing since she was a child and was even published when she was only five years old. Ebony’s passion is truly admirable.

In the words of Lupita Nyong’o, “No matter where you are from, your dreams are valid.” Ebony’s dream was indeed valid as she came a long way before starting to see the fruits of her labor. Her successes are hard-earned, and the efforts that she has put in place to propel her career to greater heights are unsurmountable. For a lady, Ebony is a strong proponent in the respective industry, and her passion for whatever she puts her mind to is unquestionable. While in New York working with artists, the execs would ask her to style the clients, but she turned the offer down for three years. Realizing that she might be sitting on her blessings, she pursued fashion styling. This was the start of her success in the fashion styling industry. As a costume designer, her first client became Faith Evans, a woman she was writing songs with as a songwriter. After realizing that all the fashion industry needed was passion, resilience, hard work, and commitment, she later joined The Costume Design Union and even started working with world-class brands like McDonald’s, Nike, Adidas, Ford, just to mention a few.

One may think that Ebony’s struggles ended when she had a breakthrough in the songwriting and fashion designing industry. Far from it, Ebony Brown had to deal with pay inequalities between black and white stylists. Even amid a racially charged society, Ebony fought hard to get better pay. Her resilience and push for better pay finally paid off when she started getting better pay. While gaining popularity in the fashion styling and design industry is complex without proper connection, Ebony Brown is living proof that it is possible to pursue dreams and become among the most successful people only seen on tv. Ebony’s works speak for themselves. She has had some significant accomplishments, including being notified by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the songs that she had written with Faith and had Notorious B.I.G listed. Ebony’s success has seen her work for Beyonce’s mother, Mrs. Tina Knowles Lawson. She’s also worked with notable personalities in the entertainment world like Halsey, Faith Evans, Camilla Cabello, Nicole Scherzinger, Britney Spears, Miguel, Young Thug, Kanye West, Sanaa Lathan, Syd the Kid, Kali Hawk, Maya Lynne Robinson, and George Lopez.

To inspire young and talented fashion stylists, Ebony came up with an online course known as the Celebrity Style Academy (CSA). With CSA, Ebony aims at teaching young vision-oriented individuals the do and don’ts in the fashion styling industry as well as helping others grow to the levels that she has produced. Ebony’s online course under CSA also aims at teaching young talented stylists how to earn themselves a promising working career in the industry and become among the best. In the words of Ebony, “It is never too late to start pursuing goals in life. “The struggles that Ebony Brown has gone through will be instrumental in shaping the thinking of young talented stylists to be resilient and committed to their goals in life. Ebony’s online course will bridge the gap between poverty and success for young talented fashion stylists and designers. Her commitment to changing the fashion industry shows the kind of person, a leader, and a role model. Coming up with something is one thing, but working hard to make that dream and vision into a reality can be the hardest thing to endure. Ebony continuously presents new creations, updates, and detailed work through her websites, www.ebonybrownstyle.com and www.fashionbyfearless.com. Furthermore, any and all updates of Ebony’s life can be seen by the masses on her bolstering and invigorating Instagram handle, @ebonybrownstyle. Ebony’s story is truly an inspiration to fashion stylists or songwriters and other young entrepreneurs in different industries.

It is evident that a person’s background does not define who they become in life but the little effort they put in to endure challenges and become successful. Each person belongs. The story of Ebony is a trustworthy source of inspiration to young talented stylists. Ebony’s success can hugely be attributed to the fact that she never took no for an answer and never gave up on all her aspirations in life. Anyone can become all that they aspire to become. Ebony’s success journey is admirable and inspiring because no matter where one comes from, all dreams are valid.

Michelle has been a part of the journey ever since Bigtime Daily started. As a strong learner and passionate writer, she contributes her editing skills for the news agency. She also jots down intellectual pieces from categories such as science and health.

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Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

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Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful. 

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.

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