Professional creatives are constantly motivating us with their grit, artistry, humor, niche expertise, passionate fandom, and influential moves. While there’s certainly a lot for Passionfruit to critique in the creator ecosystem, and we love to give a little side-eye, we’re in this biz because there’s so much to fight for.
To celebrate, Passionfruit is taking a look back at some of our favorite pieces from the year that reflect our evolving interests in the creator space. It’s hard to pick, but let’s give it a shot.
For starters, we’re grateful that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA were able to draw attention to Hot Labor Summer. By not buckling under pressure from the studios that wanted them homeless, they handed a new class of creative laborers a guidebook on how to advocate as a collective.
(#SeizeTheDay, besties!!)
The Hollywood dreamers weren’t alone. VFX workers, the workers behind YouTube empires, Reddit bros, and even League of Legends’ pros harnessed the power of collective bargaining. Poggers.
We’re thankful for all the burnt-out indie content creators rising from the ashes of their technocapitalist overlords. Cheers to you!
And for the resident Passionfruit gearheads for taking road trips across the country and finding refurbished diamonds in the rough.
For WeedTubers. For queer icons. For TikTok It Girls. For Grimace. For Ice Cream… So Good.
For Skibidi toilets… need we say more?
For snarky TwitchCon, Comic-Con, and VidCon dispatches. (Mad respect to all the Cons though.)
For getting to meet Diablo-loving rappers, reality TV stars, vloggers, esports champs, and punk experimentalists at SXSW.
For all our weirdest IRL encounters.
And for a star-studded book party in LA.
For all the legendary creators who gave us a shout-out.
… And the furries. We love the furries.
And finally, a big thanks to all of you who subscribed to the Passionfruit YouTube channel — and for helping our Reactorverse series and Crossing the Streams come to life. (Subscribe here!)
Seriously, it’s been amazing to see the Passionfruit community blossom this year. We can’t thank you enough, and we can’t wait to see what stories will come next. Happy holidays.
Have a clue into the next big story for Passionfruit? Email tips@passionfru.it to get in touch with our team.
