20 Editors and Writers to Follow on Twitter

The creation of social media sites has allowed anyone to weigh in on the day’s most pressing news, trends and cultural issues. However, the Twitterverse seems to pay closer attention when journalists chime in, deeming these comments more noteworthy than the usual rants and trending topic onslaughts. Many turn to magazine editors and writers alike for a unique perspective on current events, advice and personal mantras. BlackEnterprise.com follows many of these thought leaders and media mavericks, and we suggest you press follow, too. –Janel Martinez


Amy DuBois Barnett (@amydbarnett)
Showing aspiring success seekers how to get theirs and triumph in all facets of life, the author of Get Yours! How To Have Everything You Ever Dreamed Of And More and current editor-in-chief of Ebony magazine divulges bits and pieces of her personal and professional life through her active timeline. It’s not short of social commentary, as well as eye-catching RTs from your favorite celebs.


Alfred Edmond, Jr. (@AlfredEdmondJr)
BE is proud to have this social media ninja on staff. The senior vice president and editor-at-large of Black Enterprise keeps his followers informed on the latest–whether that’s what’s new on BlackEnterprise.com or what will be discussed on his next panel. As an award-winning journalist, Edmond is frequently called upon to weigh in on business matters and economic trends on major networks, such as CNN and MSNBC. He’s the host of the Urban Business Roundtable on WVON1690 and “Money Matters on the Doug Banks Radio Show,” as well as appears regularly on PBS’s Nightly Business Report.


Aliya S. King (@aliyasking)

• The East Orange, NJ native has penned articles for various publications, including America, Vibe, Vibe Vixen, Giant, Black Enterprise and Teen People, to name a few, and held editorial positions at Billboard and The Source. But the award-winning scribe gained recent nationwide recognition for her Vibe article, “The Mean Girls of Morehouse,” unveiling the transgender/gay community at the prestigious HBCU. This three-time author’s tweets highlight new writing ventures, her day-to-day and useful tips for burgeoning writers.

• Dr. Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1)
• In addition to providing commentary on national media outlets such as MSNBC, Fox News, BET, and NPR, the founder of the Your Black World Coalition stands at the head of the class, teaching students at Syracuse University. Follow the finance and investment guru as he shares pertinent links and useful tips.

dream hampton (@dreamhampton313)

• The 20-year industry veteran has written for a bevy of publications, including Essence, Harper’s Bazaar, The Detroit News, and the Village Voice, as well as co-authored two books with Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter–Decoded and the unreleased Black Book . Tune into hampton’s tweets for her insightful social commentary, next speaking engagements, links to her Tumblr account, and to learn more about her interactions with her “awesome daughter.”

Michaela Angela Davis (@MADvision)

• A well-known figure in the fashion and hip-hop community, the last EIC of Honey magazine in print form tweets a perfect mix of political and social commentary, as well as motivational musings. She’s one to watch or, shall we say, follow. You stand to learn a thing or two from her over 20-year repertoire of notable glossies (think, Essence, Vibe and Vanity Fair) to commentary gigs on shows such as CNN, Fox’s Bill O’Reilly Show and MTV.

Touré (@ToureX)

• Referred to as “a one-man media conglomerate” by The Daily Beast‘s editor Tina Brown, the pop culture commentator has his hands in various media works, from penning articles for Rolling Stone, where the scribe has been a long-time contributing editor, to contributing to MSNBC and hosting the Fuse’s Hip Hop Shop. His TL is not short of tell-it-like-it is commentary. Touré is expecting the release of his fourth book, Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? on September 13.

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox (@themoneycoach)

• The BlackEnterprise.com columnist, dubbed “the money coach,” is a personal finance expert who serves up financial news, helpful links and sound advice in 140 characters or less. She’s been seen on ABC News, CNN, NBC and Oprah. Spending time following her is a wise investment.

Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ)

• Prior to joining the Washington Post as an editorial writer, Capehart was employed at the New York Daily News and Bloomerberg News, even working with New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg as a policy advisor. The New Jersey native takes his political and environmental expertise from the newsroom to his Twitter account.

Danyel Smith (@danamo)
• The seasoned journalist and author has a resounding presence on various social media platforms, from Twitter and Facebook to Tumblr and Foursquare, allowing fans and colleagues to see what goes on in her day-to-day. As EIC of Billboard, expect to see links to the music trade mag’s latest content. Did we mention she’s an avid NBA and MLB fan, too? If you’re following Smith now you’ll see she’s down with #teamCELTICS.

Helena Andrews (@helena_andrews)

• The sassy writer is the brains behind Bitch Is the New Black, a memoir that chronicles her life up to the age of 28. The same snarky and at times vulgar verbiage evident in her book, can be found on the Washington D.C. resident’s timeline–it’s the type of word play that keeps viewers coming back for more. She’s written for various publications including Glamour and The New York Times and sites such as Politico and TheRoot. She’s currently working on the film adaption of her book.

Emil Wilbekin (@EmilWilbekin)

• His work at publications such as Vibe, Giant, Paper and Complex has placed the journalist and social commentator in a league of his own. Wilbekin’s 12-year tenure at Vibe brought the magazine the 2002 National Magazine Award for General Excellence, not to mention his latest role as managing editor of Essence.com garnering the Website notable attention and bringing in the Outstanding Digital Journalism Multimedia Award. Follow the lifestyle and culture guru to see what he’s jamming to, young movers and shakers to watch, and comments on what’s new.

Jeff Johnson (@JeffsNation)

• The author of Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I Am and well-known commentator for the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner
  Morning Show, Johnson broadcasts his political take on the latest events, but does so while encouraging his followers to think critically about their media consumption. It’s not all politics with The Root.com, CNN.com and The Huffington Post contributor, chiming in from time to time with uplifting messages. He’s the winner of the 2008 NABJ Salute to Excellence Award for his BET series on the crisis in Darfur.

Demetria Irwin (@Love_Is_Dope)

• When the New York City-based freelancer isn’t writing, she’s volunteering her time at Girls Write Now (GWN), a non-profit located in NYC that pairs young women with seasoned writers for mentorship and assistance crafting their skills. She’s also senior editor over at MadameNoire.com. The self-described night owl is constantly on the move, but you’ll have to #follow to see what’s next on her agenda.