‘I’m a part of something huge’: Hamilton YouTuber chosen for program aimed at uplifting Black creators
Recipe by recipe, self-taught chef Chris De La Rosa celebrates and shares his Caribbean heritage.
Whether that be through roasting breadfruit along with salted cod or stewing up a pot of channa (chickpeas) and aloo (potatoes) with chicken, all of it is an ode to his roots in Trinidad and Tobago as well as the surrounding islands that make up the region.
But it's not just a routine that starts in his kitchen and ends at the dinner table of his Hamilton Mountain home.
De La Rosa's recipes have reached countless people through his YouTube channel, CaribbeanPot, which he launched back in 2009.
Through step-by-step videos, De La Rosa shows viewers how to cook dishes such as Jamaican stewed oxtails, cassava dumplings in stewed salt fish, Caribbean chicken soup and panko crusted fried plantains.
Over the course of more than a decade, his channel has accumulated more than 90 million views and nearly 800,000 subscribers from around the world. And now the Hamilton content creator is set to reach even more hungry folks with the help of a grant aimed at showcasing and strengthening Black voices on YouTube.
De La Rosa has been chosen as one of five Black Canadian content creator grantees for this year's #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.
To be a Black voice on any sort of social media platform, it's difficult. It's not easy at all," said De La Rosa, 51. To be a part of this group, where we'll get mentorship and all the different levels of help while being in a space where it's all like-minded people ... I'm a part of something huge."
Created in 2020, the program provides those who receive grants access with dedicated support from a YouTube partner manager, funding to help grow their channel, well-being and community engagement resources, as well as training and networking opportunities.
The anticipation is palpable when you speak to De La Rosa, who some might consider a YouTube veteran since he started his channel just four years after the platform launched.
Surrounded by other creators such as Canada's Mane Yousuf and Tosin Ayeronwi, as well as Kat Blaque and Jessamyn Stanley of the United States, De La Rosa said he's excited to learn how to be a better creator.
To be able to bounce off and get ideas from them, I'll be one step ahead," he said, noting that just because he knows how to cook, doesn't mean he's an expert in things like shooting videos or editing.
De La Rosa will also receive help to enhance his content, make sense of back end analytics, take advantage of new features and hone in on engagement, according to YouTube communications lead Zaitoon Murji.
Unfortunately, when it comes to social media and influencers we all think the person standing next to us is our competition," he said. I've never had someone to work so closely with ... that's incredible."
Murji said while the program aims to help Black creators build thriving and sustainable careers," it's also a chance to allow viewers to be further educated on racial justice and see diversity on the platform.
It's a win-win," said Murji. We want our users to come to YouTube and get perspective from everyone, but we also want our Black creators to come to the platform and get everything they need to succeed."
De La Rosa is also hopeful that he'll be able to grow his audience, access better equipment, learn to simplify his workflow and create more videos to further share his culture.
Despite using YouTube for so many years, De La Rosa believes he's only touched the surface" of what there is to show people about Caribbean cuisine - which consists of influences from Asia, Britain, Spain and India, to name just a few regions.
To even be acknowledged by the platform for all his work has also been emotional in itself, he admits.
I really love my culture," said De La Rosa. There is so much to share."
Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com