That Clock App

I know, I know. This is more action on this blog than I’ve done in like a year, but what’s up with the Will Power sitch over on the clock app (TikTok)?

Missed it? Apparently me too.

I chose to scroll Instagram instead this week, and missed a bunch of transracial adoption drama. Then it popped up on my Instagram feed.

Real talk. Who is Will Power? It seems just a Clock personality? #shrug Dunno, don’t really care.

Anyhoo, here’s what I’ve gathered: some guy named Will Power adopted a beautiful Black baby girl. Filmed himself aggressively brushing her hair with a baby brush while hoping to get to the land of Black TT in hopes that there would be Black folk to teach him what he should do with her hair. Black TT folks indeed jumped, not walked, right on into his comments and made stitch vids asking all the important questions, including but not limited to:

• Why adopt a Black child when you seemingly have done no basic hair research at all?
• Don’t you have any Black folk in your life that you could’ve privately asked for advice, cause this vid won’t it.
• Do you even know any Black folks since you have to ask Internet randos?

I’m going assume there was a bit of fragility at play, because Will has taken his account private. Honestly, I’m not mad if it means he figures out how to handle his adoption story in a way that protects his kid.

Now you gotta understand, Black social media is a *thing*. It is so deeply reflective of our culture and has distinct rules of engagement. I can only imagine the sledgehammer bluntness of the interactions. It’s hard to weather that.

I remember one fine day a few years ago when I got dragged on the X formerly known as the Bird App. It was most unpleasant, but I took it on the chin and held my ground. I learned a lot that day, and it wasn’t even Black users roasting me.

So I get it. But that doesn’t help Baby Power who is helpless in the viral moment or the moments that follow. Those questions are important. Other questions are important as well like, with nearly 40K followers, how much content will rest on her shoulders and her story? I imagine with that kind of following and monetization, unfortunately there’s going to be a lot of motivation to go there. And once it’s out there, it’s out there.

In some ways it seems crazy to me; the lack of… Research? Consideration? Preparation? It’s still so visible and likely common. There are so so so many more resources than there were 10 or even 5 years ago. I mean, I guess folks just try to figure it out and make it up as they go; all parents do that. But when you are making choices in adoption, some of those choices, like race, can hit really hard.

I know with 10 years of being an AP under my belt, I’m a lot less judgemental in some ways and WHOLLY judgemental in others. And with all the info out here on Beyonce & Al Gore’s Internet, it’s hella hard not to judge folks asking randos for guidance. It’s just such a different time.

And with a baby, visibly days old, maybe this a way to start that content machine? Cause if you are worriedly fretting about her hair when she doesn’t look a week old, such that you seem to be brushing her follicles off.,. Sir you are in trouble.

Black folk are ready to help because we want that kiddo to thrive. But there are resources in existence and the search engine of your choice, hell, ChatGPT will help get you together.

First step: put the baby brush down.

Here’s a link to a repost of the deleted vid.

What’d I miss? Who’s got deets and commentary?