In a quest to bridge the gap and empower Black freelancers, MJ Cunningham and Lillian Jackson embarked on a journey that led to the creation of Afrofreelancer. This platform serves as a pivotal connection point for Black freelancers to find rewarding opportunities.
The Birth of Afrofreelancer:
Launched in September 2020, Afrofreelancer offers a platform where freelancers can craft their profiles to showcase their skills and talents, subsequently connecting with career prospects. Simultaneously, businesses can post projects and find freelancers who match their requirements. Afrofreelancer supports freelancers across nine major categories, spanning programming, writing, digital marketing, and financial services, among others. Users can seamlessly navigate through Afrofreelancer’s database, whether they’re searching by location, freelancer profiles, categories, or projects.
MJ Cunningham explained the driving force behind Afrofreelancer, stating, “We wanted [to build] a community of Black Freelancers where if someone was starting a business, they could find everything they needed in one stop.” Their vision encompassed a comprehensive network of professionals covering graphic design, website development, bookkeeping, social media management, and more, all with a focus on serving the Black community. Recognizing that such a platform was missing, they decided to create it themselves.
Filling a Vital Niche:
Both Cunningham and Jackson had their individual businesses before uniting to launch Afrofreelancer. Cunningham operated Let’s Make Cents, a finance and human resources firm, while Jackson co-founded Brown Skin Brunchin’, an event series.
Cunningham had faced difficulties in finding Black freelancers when utilizing platforms like UpWork and Fiverr. The struggle of scrolling through pages in search of Black freelancers inspired her to collaborate with Jackson to construct a platform dedicated to connecting Black freelancers with diverse job opportunities. Cunningham’s entrepreneurial spirit had been evident from a young age when she sold coloring books, necklaces, and candy at the age of eight. Her career in finance began after graduating from USC, which eventually led her to Jackson. They met at a brunch hosted by Jackson, and Cunningham soon became a client of Jackson’s company. Their journey as co-founders of Afrofreelancer began from there.
Cunningham specialized in bookkeeping and accounting for various clients alongside her finance career, which made launching a finance business a natural step before Afrofreelancer. Jackson, on the other hand, was a marketing and tech enthusiast who delved into coding during her free time. Together, their mission revolves around addressing the gap for Black professionals and businesses aiming to diversify their workforce.
Building Freedom:
Afrofreelancer has grown to include around ten employees, and they are actively seeking new talent such as content writers, human resources representatives, social media coordinators, and financial professionals. Cunningham and Jackson are expanding their team and company organically, having not yet pursued venture capital.
Their journey has been characterized by resourcefulness, as they recount the challenges they faced, from maxing out credit cards to sleepless nights and wearing multiple hats.
