by Jeroslyn JoVonn
October 4, 2024
Kerry Washington invests her money and celebrity to support a Black-owned social media platform
Kerry Washington is investing her money and celebrity to support a Black-owned social media platform started by a former Twitter employee.
The Emmy-winning actress was announced as the newest investor of Spill, the emerging Twitter alternative Alphonzo Terrell launched after being laid off by the company two years ago, TechCrunch reports. As an active user of Spill, where she has hosted “Tea Parties” — the platform’s term for live video chats — to engage with users on topics like voter registration, Washington felt it was a natural step to invest in the startup tech company.
“In a digital world where marginalized groups, especially Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA folks, rarely feel prioritized, Spill stands out,” Washington said in a statement. “I’m proud to be part of this community as both a user and an investor.”
Washington is thoughtful about the companies she selects for early-stage investments. The Scandal star has previously been an angel investor in ventures like the direct-to-consumer teeth-aligner startup Byte, the celebrity-focused fundraising platform Omaze, the now-closed women’s co-working space The Wing, and the SMS-based marketing platform Community.
Not just one to throw her money behind a brand and walk away, Terrell shares how involved Washington is as an investor.
“She’s incredibly accessible and knowledgeable, especially around these topics and is not scared in any way, shape, or form about really engaging with people directly,” Terrell shared. “I think it really does represent the kind of environment we want to cultivate on Spill … We’re all human here, too. Let’s connect.”
Washington’s investment coincides with Spill’s second anniversary and its growing success, highlighted by the popular Spades feature. Users are now spending over 30 minutes on the app to complete games, signaling a steady improvement in user retention.
“It’s partner-based, so it’s inherently very social,” Terrell said. “This was a suggestion from the community because it’s always played at Black barbecues and things like that, and family gatherings.”
Additional successes include a 400% increase in average ad spend per campaign on Spill. The platform will surpass one million dollars in annualized revenue next year.
“Multicultural ad spending has increased 5-10% [per year]over the last seven years. It’s going to be a $45 billion a year business in just the United States this year,” Terrell said. “We had some entertainment partners that were running some test campaigns, and since that time, we’ve had … a lot of brands coming back for multiple campaigns.”
Elsewhere, Spill aims to remain a voice for marginalized communities. Washington’s investment was announced shortly after users mourned the passing of Marcellus Williams, a Black man who spent over 20 years on death row for a murder he claimed he did not commit, with no DNA or forensic evidence against him. Despite objections from three U.S. Supreme Court justices, their concerns were ultimately dismissed, and the execution—described by the NAACP as a lynching—proceeded on Sept. 24.
“The execution yesterday … really underscored the need for just like, community, like people around you to support you so that you’re not isolated,” Terrell said. “You don’t carry this stuff alone. I think everybody needs that wherever you can find it.”
