There is nothing like pouring your heart and soul into your dream and then seeing it come to fruition.
So many people imagine what they want in life but few do what it takes to get it. They live hoping they can but fall short of believing they can. The truth is every dream needs belief and action intertwined with faith and the knowing that anything is possible. With faith, possibilities can blossom into reality despite the naysayers and any obstacles that might arise.
Ernest L. Manning Jr. set his mind on his dream and didn’t let up. He used his training as a cyber-security professional, his Information Technology (IT) education, his discipline and work ethic as a U.S. Air Force Retired Master Sergeant, and his experience working as an executive with top-notch companies including the FBI, NASA, Homeland Security, and the Department of State to build a foundation for what was to come. He created his own social media platform, WeKinFolk. Keep in mind his platform is completely owned, operated, and financed by him, a black man.
WeKinFolk is his baby and Manning intends to make it global, just like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And he’s on his way. His deep industry knowledge, analytical understanding, superior attention to detail, and his comprehensive expertise in computer technology made him a prime candidate to create the next social media phenomenon. In addition, being at the helm in the capacity as both an administrator and marketing executive, Manning can see things from all angles giving him a hands-on approach to tackling any issues that might arise head-on.
So far, WeKinFolk has gotten rave reviews from people who have engaged with the platform. It allows the user to post photos, share products, play games, watch and post videos, and everything in between. Manning’s social media platform’s intent is to be dedicated to sharing news and life moments with like-minded individuals.
So, join me in a conversation with Ernest L. Manning as he talks about his new social media platform, WeKinFolk, and why you should become a part of the next big thing.
You have created the next big social media platform called WeKinFolk. Tell everyone about it, how you came up with the name, and why you wanted to start it?
Yes, I created the Next Big black-owned social media platform called WeKinFolk. It’s a platform that’s rooted in black culture. Information is power and our information has been distorted for eons, and I understand that our people require a safe space to express themselves freely, so WeKinFolk is a place where black and brown people can come to express their love of our culture freely.
I started WeKinFolk during the Covid pandemic and my goal was to provide a place where families could come together during the social-distancing times. As time went on and I started seeing more and more people of color being banned or put in jail because of their specific views on those top platforms, I realized it was time for us to create something we controlled.
I came up with the name just brainstorming things associated with family and how I can bring us all together, so after many days of contemplation, WeKinFolk just popped in my head, and I knew that was the name I’d use.
You are a veteran. Tell everyone about your journey from growing up, to being in the U.S. service, to being the founder and CEO of WeKinFolk.
I’m a 20-year Air Force Veteran and that journey started with me taking the entrance exam for the military. That journey also started with a very young country boy growing up in the deep south state of Arkansas to an Air Force father and a homemaker mom. I’m very familiar with both country lifestyle and city living. While growing up down south, I got to see the world in a way few will ever witness. It was a great life but filled with tons of racial overtones. After relocating from Arkansas to Chicago I got a crash course on how to survive in the big city. This is where I graduated high school and joined the military.
My 20 years of military service was a great experience that took me to many parts of the globe. One of my jobs while in the military was cyber security and the training that I received gave me the knowledge that I would later utilize to create my very own social media platform.
What do you want people to know and understand about you and your company, and what can they expect when they join it?
What I want people to understand about me and my platform is that I’m just a regular guy who came from a place where expectations for me weren’t very high. As I got older and experienced life, I started understanding the subtle nuisances that would repeatedly plague my people and I wanted to do something about that. We must control our own narrative and put out positive energy and positive information for ourselves and the generations that follow us. That statement of “the pen is mightier than the sword” resonates so heavily with me. What they write about you, determines how the people will receive you, and if they are constantly writing negatives about you, the people will receive you as such. I’m just doing my part to promote my people/my culture in a way that benefits us. Forward-thinking and out-of-the-box thinking are what will get us to the next level.
So, when you join WeKinFolk, you can expect a warm welcome and experience a social media homecoming of good ole fashion Soul Love! BLACK LOVE at its finest. We are about uplifting and empowering our members. We are trying to create our own ecosystem, and our own system of family, community, commerce, marketing, banking, and knowledge sharing. We are creating all that and so much more but putting the words BLACK in front of it.
You have strong training in cyber-security and IT work, how did that knowledge help you with creating your platform?
My training in cyber-security contributed immensely to helping me create WeKinFolk. Administering the platform is only the beginning, you also need to understand the risks and vulnerabilities that come along with it. You got hackers, bots, and a whole host of malicious actors trying to sabotage your work daily. Continuous monitoring of our resources helps battle a lot of those problems. So, all my training over the past 20 years has culminated in the creation of this beautiful platform.
I know creating and managing a social media platform is probably taxing on your mind, what do you do to release and how do you have fun?
Managing my social media platform is extremely taxing because there are hundreds of tasks that must be completed. It’s a 24-hour/7 day a week job, with zero time off. There’s always something that needs to be done, but I just force myself to take a step back and enjoy life. So, when I’m not working on WeKinFolk, I’m doing all sorts of things. I love prospecting for coins and raw minerals. So, you can find me with my many metal detectors roaming some parks or vacant lots. I love a good workout at the gym as well.
How does WeKinFolk fit in with the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and how does it stand out?
WeKinFolk doesn’t really fit in with anyone, particularly with other social media platforms, but we have attributes like all of them. You can post like on Facebook; hashtag like on Twitter and @yourself like on Instagram.
So, I think we stand out more because of our purpose of providing a place for those whom society tends to overlook and judge without any due process. My goal is not to re-invent the wheel, but more so just to give our people another vehicle to utilize in this ever-growing social media climate. Our culture dictates all facets of social media, but we own less than 1% of that content. That’s a huge disparity so we must be smart enough to understand our value in this space.
What have people who have joined WeKinFolk been saying about the experience?
WeKinFolk constantly receives rave reviews from most of our members. Most of our members are excited to be a part of something that’s built with their best interests in mind. They are excited about joining the next big social media platform. And with that comes a sense of pride that we all can enjoy. Being a part of a movement from the ground up is exciting. I get tons of emails/DMs from members all over thanking me for creating the platform. They understand what the assignment is and are on board for all that’s in store. They are just as excited about the endless possibilities as I am.
Where do you see WeKinFolk 5 or 10 years from now?
My goal and vision for WeKinFolk are to be the go-to social media experience for all black culture. We will be the driving force behind all things related to our culture. If you didn’t get it from WeKinFolk then you need to check your source. WeKinFolk will be a multibillion-dollar company that employs over 200,000 of our people. We will help create more Black-owned companies that will continue to employ our people. Our people are affected the most by unemployment. We will be a strong pillar in all communities and make a difference in all things related to us.
Here is your chance to pitch your platform. Tell everyone why they should join and how they can join.
Our people should join WeKinFolk because it’s a platform created for them; a place where our culture can thrive. You can post, like, share, and engage with like-minded individuals. We have direct messaging, a marketplace, blogs, games to play, and movies to watch. You can buy advertising space on WeKinFolk and reach our entire member directory (A huge database of KinFolks ready to support you) instead of just a selected few.
Our news feed has two options, one option allows you to view everything that comes on WeKinFolk and the second option will allow you to view only those you follow. Going “Live” is an option we have as well. This has a huge cost associated with it and because I’m currently carrying this load 100% financially by myself, I’ve yet to activate the Go Live feature. So, as WeKinFolk grows, I’ll be able to add that feature permanently. You can also Get Verified on WeKinFolk and utilize your Blue Checkmark on any social media platform, and be verified while you tweet/post on other platforms. WeKinFolk also allows you to share directly from our platform to most of the major platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). Anyone who values and appreciates the black culture is welcomed on WeKinFolk. Download WeKinFolk from the Google Play Store and Apple IOS Store.
What’s next for you?
My goal is to continue growing WeKinFolk and make it the go-to platform for our culture. As WeKinFolk grows, I will continue updating it with the latest and greatest add-ons that will continue to make the user experience grand. I’m living in this moment currently and truly enjoying the ride.
Where can people follow you?
I spend most of my time on my platform. Reach me there 24/7, 365 days of the year.
Join WeKinFolk by clicking the link: WeKinFolk.com
You can also reach him by email address: ernest@wekinfolk.com
Writer, Debbie Stokes is a contributing writer. Follow her on Instagram @iamdebbiestokes
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