Content creator Golloria took a step back from social media earlier this year, but now she's back and feeling more resilient than ever.
The beauty influencer, known for her TikToks reviewing the color inclusivity of brands, opens up on this week's episode of the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk" about returning from a recent hiatus feeling confident and recharged.
Golloria announced she was taking a break from social media and content creation in September, after experiencing disparaging negativity and racism online.
"I knew I needed to take that break," Golloria shares on "Nice Talk." "I knew that absorbing that much hatred and bigotry at the masses that I was, was not healthy for my psyche."
Though the TikTok star, originally from South Sudan and now based in Texas, knew it meant "missing out" on income from her videos for a time, she saw her break as "a form of resistance."
"Taking a break was me taking my power back because there is only so much you can do," says Golloria.
"Rest is a form of resistance and a beautiful one, at that, and if I can't prioritize myself now, I'll never be able to prioritize myself later, and the whole entire goal of this will never be accomplished if I don't take care of me and me first," she says. "I feel like, as Black women, we sometimes feel like we are constantly having to put on the cape, we're constantly having to fight, we're constantly having to advocate for everything and everybody but ourselves."
"At the end of the day, it is tiring, and it's exhausting, and Black women do not always have to be at the forefront of every goddamn movement," she continues. "We can rest. And whenever we rest, we rest, and when we choose to rise, we rise."
After taking time to focus on her mental health by reading, journaling, going to therapy, and exercising, Golloria resumed sharing content in November, which she described as being "really liberating."
She says, "It was liberating because it showed me that I am indeed resilient. I am resilient to the point where it's like, 'Girl, it's okay if you don't want to be resilient.' Not every day is resiliency, but just to see me come back as strong as I did, and know that I did it the right way, know that I did it with taking care of myself first, and making sure that this was my decision and my decision only, I'm proud of myself."
Golloria also reveals on "Nice Talk" whether she would ever launch her own beauty brand. When asked if that was in the cards, she says, "I would."
"It's in the works," the content creator admits, but said the plan is for two to three years out. "It's definitely something that I want to do. I will definitely be prioritizing dark-skinned women first and everybody else second."
For more about her plans, as well as how Golloria's navigated brand partnerships while growing her platform, how she thinks makeup companies can do better, and more, listen to this week's installment of "Nice Talk." The episode is out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
