Shavone Charles

Shavone Charles, known mononymously as SHAVONE. (stylized in all caps)[1] is an American business executive, musician, activist and entrepreneur in the technology industry. SHAVONE. is currently the Director of Consumer Communications at VSCO, photo-editing app and social platform.

SHAVONE.
SHAVONE. at Forbes interview with Goldie Chan
Born
Shavone Rebecca Charles

San Diego, California, U.S.
Other namesShavone C.
Alma materUniversity of California, Merced
Occupation
  • Business Executive
  • Musician
  • Entrepreneur of Technology and Creative Industries
  • Director of Communications of VSCO
Years active2008-present
Organization
  • VSCO
  • Magic In Her Melanin
  • Future of Creatives
Known forActivism in Tech and Creative Industries
Notable work
  • 4C
    1. CelebrateBlackCreatives multimedia campaign
    2. BlackGirlMagic Spotify Instagram #BlackGirlMagic partnership
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • flute
Associated acts
  • 1500 Or Nothin
  • MyGuyMars
Websitewww.shavonec.com

As a multi-hyphenate creative and classically-trained musician born and raised in San Diego, California, SHAVONE. began poetry, songwriting and instrumentation on piano and flute during her early childhood. SHAVONE. performed and played the flute in various competitive music competitions and symphonic concerts. In early 2019, SHAVONE. recently released musical projects in 2019,"SITH" by premiered by Dazed & Confused Magazine and "4C" premiered by 'Billboard. Forbes honored SHAVONE. on the coveted 30 Under 30 Marketing & Advertising list. EBONY Magazine has also honored SHAVONE. as a leading innovator, alongside Virgil Abloh on their annual POWER 100 list.

As the first African-American woman to ever be hired onto both Twitter and Instagram’s communications teams, SHAVONE. has been highly active in aiding people of color in tech spaces throughout her career. During her tenure at Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco, she helped found Blackbird, Twitter's first employee resource group for African American employees.

SHAVONE. publicly announced Magic in Her Melanin in early 2019, her creative collective and in-house agency that bridges the gap between creatives of color and the tech industry. As the previous Head of Global Music and Youth Culture Communications at Instagram, SHAVONE. helped create Instagram's first-ever Black History Month program in 2018, which reached more than 19 million on Instagram and featured a series of first-time initiatives, including a #BlackGirlMagic partnership with Spotify and the launch of the #CelebrateBlackCreatives program.

Early life

SHAVONE. was born Shavone Rebecca Charles in San Diego, California. Her background as a musician and poet began with multi-instrumentalists in her family, namely her brother Jewel Wilson and Trinidadian uncle Terrance who both played the flute and saxophone. [2] In addition to SHAVONE.’s formal training in music, her hip-hop, Caribbean, and funk-infused Trinidadian household critically shaped her style in music. SHAVONE. enrolled in band and music theory at La Mesa Dale Elementary School and went on as a competitive flautist through middle school and high school.[3] In 2012, SHAVONE. graduated from University of California, Merced, with her Bachelor's degree in literature.[4]

Career

In college, SHAVONE.'s interest in technology started during her internship with Google where she acted as a student ambassador. As a liaison between Google and the University of California, Merced student body, it was her job to share new educational products, hold seminars for students to learn about new apps, and speak to them about open internship opportunities.[5] After graduating from the University of California, Merced in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in literature, SHAVONE. started her post-college career at Twitter in San Francisco headquarters.[3]

Over a three-year span, SHAVONE. began as the communications intern to create her own role and title, spearheading all of Twitter's global music and culture communications as the Head of Global Music & Culture Communications. SHAVONE. was both the youngest person on the team and the first-ever African American woman to be hired onto the communications team at Twitter.[6][3] While at Twitter, SHAVONE. created and led strategic global public relations programs overseeing partner collaboration, data strategy, and communications across music, fashion, and media across Twitter’s core platforms, including Twitter, Periscope and Vine. At Twitter, SHAVONE. established her niche career focus on culture-focused communications and social marketing, business partnerships and data analysis with a close lens on music, online communities, and youth culture.[7][3] In June 2014, SHAVONE. helped found Blackbirds, Twitter’s first-ever employee resource group for African-American employees in an effort to create safe, inclusive spaces for people of color in tech and increase access for underrepresented youth.[3]

In Fall 2015, her work at Twitter catapulted her into a new realm of visibility and influence, leading her to head up Global Music, Youth Culture & Consumer Communications as Instagram's first-ever L.A. hire. [8][9][7] [6] SHAVONE. helped create Instagram’s first-ever Black History Month program in 2018 including #BlackGirlMagic partnership with Spotify and the launch of the #CelebrateBlackCreatives program.[6] In 2018, SHAVONE. was honored as a leading innovator by the Ebony Power 100 alongside the likes of Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Virgil Abloh, and Rodney Williams. [6] SHAVONE. ideated an incredible track record of social marketing and digital collaborations with musical artists and celebrities including Drake, Paul McCartney, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Janet Jackson, Prince, Adele, Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott, Britney Spears, Pharrell, and others.

In March 2019, SHAVONE. was named Forbes 30 under 30 Influential People in Marketing and Advertising for breaking barriers and creating inclusive spaces for creatives of color in the tech industry.[6] In December 2019, SHAVONE. was named as the new Director of Consumer Communications at VSCO.[10]

Artistry and Influences

SHAVONE.'s artistry and identity are both closely rooted in streetwear culture, fashion and community. SHAVONE. was surrounded by streetwear growing up in San Diego and was always into it because to her, "it wasn’t a trend, it was a way of life". When asked about her influences on her style, SHAVONE. said, “I’ve always viewed my clothes and outward appearance as a form of self-expression — really as an extension of my voice”. Streetwear, in particular, has always been a key part of my cultural fabric and upbringing with my dad being very heavy into vintage sportswear, everyday fashion and sneakers,” she says. Adding that “growing up with two older brothers I was very into all of the unconventional things that girls weren’t supposed to be interested in including gaming, music (as a rapper and classically trained flutist), Dragon Ball Z, sneakers and basketball.[8] When asked about her influences on her style, SHAVONE. said, “I’ve always viewed my clothes and outward appearance as a form of self-expression — really as an extension of my voice."[8]

Streetwear, in particular, has always been a key part of my cultural fabric and upbringing with my dad being very heavy into vintage sportswear, everyday fashion and sneakers,” she says. Adding that “growing up with two older brothers I was very into all of the unconventional things that girls weren’t supposed to be interested in including gaming, music (as a rapper and classically trained flutist), Dragon Ball Z, sneakers and basketball.”[2]

Shortly after being chosen as one of Forbes 30 Under 30, SHAVONE. released her freestyle "SITH", rapping over Kanye and Pusha T's "Number On The Board" single. Playing on her love for Star Wars, SHAVONE. paired her video visuals with the depth and breadth of Blackness and royalty, highlighted in the lyrics, wardrobe, and set design.[6]

On March 26, 2019, SHAVONE. released her single "4C" an ode to blackness and 4C hair featuring local NY influencers ranging from celebrity Brooklyn-based salon hairstylist Susy Oludule to African-American Muslim author and activist, Blair Imani.[11][2]


Discography

Singles

References
  1. ,"SHAVONE". Spotify. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  2. Mowatt, Robyn (August 13, 2019). "BAEWATCH: SHAVONE CHARLES". HYPEBAE.com.
  3. Martinez, Lala (January 5, 2018). "Meet Shavone Charles, the millennial bringing #Blackgirlmagic to Silicon Valley". RollingOut.
  4. Ortiz, Brenda (November 7, 2017). "Shavone Charles is First Alum Chosen for Commencement Keynote". UC Merced News.
  5. Leonard, James (October 26, 2015). "Love of Music Continues to Drive Alum's Career in Social Media". UC Merced News.
  6. Long, Tia (February 27, 2019). "SHAVONE. Is Stepping Out of Tech and Into Her Own". PAPER MAGAZINE.
  7. Fluker, Dominique (June 22, 2018). "How Shavone Charles Created Her Dream Job In Tech". FORBES.
  8. Chan, Goldie (March 2019). "From Instagram To Founder: Shavone Charles Is Shaping The Future For Next-Gen Creatives". ForbesCareers.
  9. "Shavone Charles". Thinking Digital.
  10. Bradley, Diana (December 16, 2019). "VSCO hires Instagram alum Shavone Charles as consumer comms director". PR Week.
  11. Espinoza, Joshua (March 28, 2019). "Shavone Celebrates Black Girl Magic in New "4C" Video". Complex.
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