With today’s social media outlets supplying nearly 80 percent of its users with local, national and global updates, most of those who are seeking top news stories end up on information overload. It has become a challenge for the general public to find sources that are reliable, creative, intelligent and downright interesting. Well for those who are avid “bloggies” you may be familiar with the award-winning Brother Jesse Blog, which is the perfect combination of all the above plus a punch of spiritual prowess. For the very first time since its initial debut in 2007, Brother Jesse Blog is receiving a major update and complete overhaul by moving from the Blogger platform to a sleek, interactive and edgy WordPress design!
Jesse Muhammad, the brand face of Brother Jesse Blog, gave a few media outlets the exclusive sneak preview of the all new blog set the officially launch Tuesday, November 10th…And yes H2H Magazine was one of them!
For those who are new to the brilliant brand of Brother Jesse and his blog, long before “hashtag activism” became popular, Jesse Muhammad pound the pavement for countless national and local stories revolving around the subject of justice. To name a few, he was one of the first to get the exclusive on Hurricane Katrina and the displacement of so many in 2005, as well as the aftermath with consistent follow up stories throughout the last ten years. He spearheaded the national protest for the Jena 6 in 2007 organizing bus loads of college students to stand in solidarity. He also organized a platform for the Nation Of Islam representatives to speak on behalf of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan with words from Minister Farrakhan to the Jena 6, their families, supporters and of course the enemy. He led the investigative report on the hanging and murder of Frederick Jermaine Carter in Mississippi in 2010.
Jesse Muhammad is one of the few whose offline activism equals, and at times, outweighs his online activism. Not only is Brother Jesse known for featuring stories of injustice and community based coverage, he is a international motivational speaker, mentor and marketing and branding expert. Brother Jesse Blog has featured entries on how to overcome the fear of public speaking as well as his very own speaking engagements before a wide array of audiences. He is a social media strategist, visual artist and writer. He describes himself as a Renaissance Man, and that he is.
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Before previewing the soon-to-be launched blog, I asked Brother Jesse three questions regarding this very celebrated occasion:
Ebony S. Muhammad (EM): What do you have in mind with the brand new Brother Jesse Blog?
Brother Jesse Muhammad (BJ): What I’ve always had in mind when I started my blog over 8 years ago, and that’s the people. I’m just looking for ways to serve the readers better, to serve the community better and enhance the overall Brother Jesse Blog experience in hopes that it will continue to serve as an online space of education, motivation and activism.
EM: What can your readers/visitors expect that’s new and what did you keep the same?
BJ: They can expect a new, enhanced design with many features the old design did not have, which will better serve the readers and make it even more attractive to potential new readers. They can expect new and better content and the continuation of highlighting others that are doing things that’s impacting our community; known and unknown.
EM: How does your blog differ from any other blog online?
BJ: The Brother Jesse Blog has always been known for having a unique voice, blazing new trails and giving a platform to those who had no platform at all. That uniqueness has led to many awards by spreading – not celebrity gossip, filth or degenerative content – but by delivering positive content that touches people nationwide and globally. So Brother Jesse’s blog will always be different from others, because of the authentic voice, spirit, and core values that has sustained it all of these years.
One of my favorite quotes is, “Authenticity is about being true to who you are even when others want you to be someone else”.
I’ve been offered money, influence and opportunities to compromise the authenticity of my blog, but I have chosen to stick with what works best and that is being true to myself and to my readers.
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After hearing those responses it made my journalistic palate even more ready to see what Brother Jesse Blog has in store for the world!
Immediately the viewer is introduced to a very smooth and minimalist layout. I’m sure many can appreciate this coming from other blogs that are overcrowded with ads and disjointed content. On the contrary, Brother Jesse Blog keeps it very easy on the eyes and easy to navigate, which helps the reader to not feel overwhelmed.
One major difference the viewer will see that was not featured on the previous blog layout is the top menu bar, which features content about himself as well as an online store. The main menu bar displays the vast subject matter he has covered, which include the categories of Activism, Motivation, Spirituality, Perspective, Top News and a tab for Read-a-holics. The content within these categories feature interviews, investigative journalism, creative writings, his behind the scenes coverage during the “Justice Or Else” tour with Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, photography, The Teachings 2.0 tour coverage and more!
The most attractive aspect lies between the top menu bar and the main menu bar and that is the flawless featured image slider with seamless transitions and high resolution photos. All of which – and this is most important in viewing – is that this design is responsive to all mobile devices, tablets and desktops. Yes, there are still websites that need finger-adjusting to view the content…but not this one!
To my pleasant surprise, within each post is an estimated reading time stamp! This informs the reader right away how long the post will take to read. Definitely a feature that was not on the former blog layout and certainly one multi-taskers can appreciate.
This mega blog is for the digital, the millennial, the professional and everything in between!
I am so excited and proud of this unveiling and continued effort of Brother Jesse Blog being a hub and reliable means of keeping the masses informed, inspired and ignited with the power of the digital pen!
Be sure to stay locked in @BrotherJesse on social media to catch the moment his new blog goes live on November 10th!
P.S. Hint to the wise: Brother Jesse has a MAJOR surprise for his readers in the “Shop” tab in the top menu bar! Be sure to make that one of the first stops when you visit the new Brother Jesse Blog!
Peace!
