At the intersection of fashion and comedy, Tyshon Lawrence is a cool breath of fresh air. With over 18 million followers and counting on TikTok, the model and social media personality has garnered a following that respects him for his authenticity, dynamic aesthetic and realness.
Back from a brief digital hiatus to get himself centered and recharged, Lawrence spoke with EBONY about how he finds joy curating a digital community that is both positive and on trend.
@tyshonlawrence More to come 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 #tyshonmodelingjourney ♬ Jimmy Cooks - Drake
EBONY: Your platform has been a pocket of positivity and joy due to the various types of content you create. In the midst of what can feel overwhelmingly negative, how can social media be used for good?
Tyshon Lawrence: I can't speak for everyone else, but for me, my approach is to just go with the flow with social media. I know that obviously there's a lot of highs and lows in regards to people getting torn down, jumping into other people's business. I don't like that part because it gets very messy. I try to stay in my place.
I recently took a break because I never take a moment for myself. On my side of social media, it's a cool balance. I enjoy seeing moments when social media comes together to really make a change. I've seen people mobilize behind GoFundMe crowdfunding or develop trends to help bring attention to someone who went missing. Although it can sometimes be toxic, social media platform can help educate and help people. I like that side.
EBONY: What do you enjoy most about the community you've created online?
Because I have a big platform, I love the versatility it provides. I'm like to post my comedy content and my fashion content but it feels good to share about topics that aren't broadcasted as much. I try to listen to my followers and stay in-tune with what they care about, so that I can share as I learn. I want to continue doing more of this.
EBONY: For those looking to manage a full time job and up their presence on social media, how do you suggest they prioritize balance?
I know a lot of people aren't used to this and don't do it a lot but scheduling is very good; it'll help keep you organized and make time for your social life and the hustle. When you're grinding, sometimes you forget about the time that you need for yourself to just recharge and get yourself back into that mode of optimum strength.
Trust me, I know that struggle. I had three jobs and balanced social media and all that stuff. You can tire yourself out very fast and it's always not easy for some people to get their relaxation in because of other circumstances. But if you can, try to fit in 10 to 15 minutes a day of downtime to help you recenter yourself.
EBONY: Black creators are always pushing the needle when it comes to culture and innovation. How do you "move Black forward"?
Honestly, just by being the authentic person that I know I can be. Also, I make it a point to support other Black people at all times. There is a narrative out there that we don't support each other enough but it's not true. There's a lot of Black people that's out there supporting each other in all different types of ways like art, music, TikTok—and it's great to see.
