The Conversation is a new series on The Conversation, a new video sharing platform. Hannah Mussette is a 21-year-old creative director, model and social media influencer who began creating and posting content at age 12. You can learn more about Hannah by following this link.
Hannah Mussette grew up on the internet and started posting at age 12. Hannah has a successful brand and over half a million followers. It wasn't easy to get there. She found that middle school was not always welcoming. Hannah had bad social anxiety. I was getting made fun of. I did not have any friends. My only other option was to use the internet.
Hannah began making and sharing videos as a way to express her personality, showing off what she had in her backpack or just goofing around with her sister. She says the internet wouldn't judge her. I felt more comfortable being myself online.
Hannah was taking note of what other women of color were doing online when she started posting makeup instructions. She decided to go public with her hair issues at 16. She says that she used a relaxer. My father told me to do something with my hair. It looks like it has been fried. I said, "OK, I got you." Hannah took matters into her own hands. She emerged from the bathroom with a short hair. The process was documented in a video called My Big Chop!, which went viral. Hannah says she was watching the views go up. It was 20,000. It was 50,000. It was a million before I knew it. I was amazed. I knew that was my niche.
