Interview: Journalist/YouTuber Chauncey K. Robinson

Meet creator for The Culture Chauncey K. Robinson an award winning journalist, YouTuber, actress, horror lover, and much, much more. Check out our interview with one of the hardest working creators coming up in the game today and #GetFamiliar!

You are a woman that wears many hats, can you briefly tell us what all you do?

I’m a Youtube content creator, my channel is called The Bloody Breakdown, specializing in the horror genre. I’m a full-time political journalist for the news publicationPeople’s World. I’m a host on Afterbuzz TV Network, occasional actress, fiction writer, and kicking and screaming activist most of the time- haha!

What do you enjoy doing the most and why?

That’s a tough one! I really do enjoy all of it. If I was forced to pick one, I’d probably lean towards producing The Bloody Breakdown, while writing horror books and scripts. I love interacting with the viewers, I like laying out the kind of content I’m going to explore, and I LOVE being immersed in the horror genre.

What made you eventually decide to start a YouTube channel?

I had been flirting with the idea of starting my own Youtube channel for some time for a variety of reasons. Living in Los Angeles, they tell you it’s a way for people to notice your work, and build your brand. At the same time though, I wanted it to be authentic, and really a reflection of what I’m interested in and know, and not just doing something that I thought would get me a lot of views just because.

Because let me tell you, producing consistent youtube videos is HARD work. Don’t let anyone tell you different. If the content is quality and interesting, even if it’s just three minutes, you better believe it took that youtuber some hours to put it all together. So I needed to make sure I was ready to make that commitment, and I needed to make sure- whatever the niche ended up being- that it had to be something I was ready to dive head first into.

I always loved horror, but I honestly never thought to zone in on it as a thing until people I knew, and I had worked with, gave me the advice to follow that passion. And I’m glad I did.

And how did you get into journalism?

I was actually lucky enough to be approached by People’s Worldafter graduating from college a few years ago. They wanted me to come on as their part-time social media person. I had written a few freelance pieces for them in the past, but nothing major. And as I was working on social-media I increased my writing and eventually became a full time journalist with them, and now I also serve on the editorial board. It’s a real honor to be part of such a progressive history. The publication, which used to be called The Daily Worker, is 94 years old!

I also love that’s it’s independent of corporate dollars, and really focused on talking about issues affecting working people. It’s my way of doing my activism when I write about topics that affect people of color- particularly Black women, and others in marginalized communities.

So you write, act, and run your own YouTube channel, how do you manage your time to do it all?

How do I manage my time? Badly! Haha! Just kidding- partly.

To be honest, I believe we only have 100 percent to give. Nothing more, nothing less. And that 100 percent is divided up on all the things you spend energy on, and you only get out of things what you put in. So I picked the things I really was passionate about, and felt intertwined, and went with those. So now it’s my Youtube channel, my journalism, and my writing that gets the lion’s share of my time.

I also make sure to eat healthy and exercise. You can’t enjoy the journey if you’re making yourself sick, and running yourself into the ground.

I also make sure to give myself days to just be- to not do anything. Your brain needs a break sometimes..

What has been your favorite project you’ve worked on so far?

My favorite project overall has been The Bloody Breakdown. It’s been the most fun, and has really allowed me to just put it all out there. I also love that I’m in full control. I’m the host, producer, editor, and marketing person for it. It’s a lot, but it’s worth it.

A very close runner up in terms of favorite project was being able to interview one of my idols, Angela Davis, for People’s World. She’s a revolutionary, and such an important symbol in the Black Power movement and American history.

What is the most rewarding part of your work and what is the most challenging?

Most rewarding is being able to get messages out to the people. Being able to, whether it’s through my journalism or my Youtube channel, give people information or a perspective that maybe they didn’t consider before or think about. The best thing we can do in this world is make it better than when we got here, and I like to think my work contributes to that in some way.

The most challenging is the stereotypical drawbacks of the media industry. It’s still very white, male, and wealthy dominated. That can be hard for a young Black woman from a working class family in Jersey, like myself, to maneuver. But I think quality always rises to the top, and I think if I keep striving, and standing in my truth, it’ll make the impact it’s supposed to.

As a journalist how do you feel about the current news climate and the “post truth” era we have supposedly entered?

The racism and bigotry that has been emboldened because some of the people in public office isn’t new, we’re just seeing more of it because of technology. It does emphasize why journalism for working people is so important.

The mainstream media dropped the ball with Trump by not being serious on the real danger he posed, and they often focus on the wrong things, or just click bait. People need to support the independent media more, and media ran by people of color and marginalized communities. This way they’ll get journalism that has their best interests in mind.

How do you feel you are treated as a woman of color in the journalism and entertainment fields? Have there been any particularly good or bad experiences you’ve had thus far?

It’s a mixed bag. I’ve gotten some great support by some in the media field, and I feel like I’ve made some great strides forward.

Then there are harder days. As a young Black woman journalist, especially working in the political field, sometimes I don’t think I’m taken as seriously as my white male counterparts, but I let my writing and perseverance speak for me. I’ve had guys try to mansplain to me topics I knew way better than they did, but they just assumed they knew more. I quickly corrected them on that-haha!

And maybe that’ll make them see me as difficult or “bossy” but I’d rather be that, than stroking fragile male egos most of my career.

What is it about the horror genre that makes you such a big fan of it?

I love horror because it can have so many layers to it. Horror doesn’t get the credit it deserves, but it really is one of the most progressive genres. People think horror just now started getting “woke,” but it’s actually been a genre that has explored many real world issues for some time now. It just uses horror to do it.

Top 3 horror films of all-time and why?

Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors- this franchise is my FAVORITE of all horror franchises. Freddy Krueger is one of the best villains ever, and the idea of dying in your dreams is terrifying. Part three was my fav of the whole franchise because it had great characters and a great plot.
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes- Haha! I love a good B-Horror movie and this one is one of the best. Killer tomatoes? What’s not to love?
IT (Tim Curry version)- People called the mini-series cheesy, but I loved it. I’m not afraid of clowns like some people, but Tim Curry as Pennywise creeped me out! Great plot, good characters, and it really drew you in.

What is the biggest accomplishment of your career to this point?

I would say I consider my biggest accomplishment so far is being able to earn a living working in media. You’d be surprised in the city of Los Angeles, of how many people talk a good game, look to be living the high life on social media, and aren’t able to pay the bills with the life they pretend to have…

I’m not rich or anything, I’m still a working girl, but my salary comes from writing and producing media full time. I can pay the bills with that. I do this, what I have a passion for, full time. That’s a blessing.

Who are some of your creative inspirations?

Wes Craven, Angela Davis, Ann-Margret (her style and swag I adore), and Octavia Butler.

What would you say has been the key to building your brand?

I think the key has been standing in my truth and being consistent. Standing in my truth meaning just going with what I care about, and not just what I think would be popular. This way my brand is authentic, and I think authenticity goes a long way.

Consistency is really important. I learned that especially with starting my Youtube channel this year. You can’t half-ass it on there- haha! If you want people to subscribe and check in with your content, you need to give them something regularly and worth coming back to. I don’t have a ton of subscribers, but given that I’ve been getting more consistent, and I don’t buy numbers, I would say I’m pretty proud of my growth rate so far, and I’m excited about where the future will lead with it.

What is the most important piece of advice you would give to aspiring actors or content creators?

Don’t be envious of others. There’s no such thing as an overnight sensation, not one that has staying power anyway in my opinion.

Also, you won’t get closer to your goals by being jealous of what you deem as someone else’s success.

What’s the next step in the evolution of your brand and YouTube channel?

The next step is to finish the horror novella I’ve been working on. It’s almost done, and hopefully people will be seeing that in the upcoming year. I’d like to of course tie that into The Bloody Breakdown, and my whole horror/socio-political niche I’ve been carving out for myself. I want to expand the reach of The Bloody Breakdownchannel for sure. It’s a way to connect to viewers and people who read my work.

What are your ultimate goals for your career?

My ultimate goal is to have enough money to start an animal rescue and sanctuary somewhere in the country one day. I love animals! Until then, I want to become a leader in publishing and production. I think my writing and Youtube channel are bases for that.

And finally, what does the term “The Culture” mean to you?

The Culture for me is all things that make up and influence how we, in particular Black people, live our lives. That’s influenced by our music, spirituality, artwork, and so on. There’s positives and negatives, and also toxic aspects as well… But I think the main core of our culture is our strength and perseverance. The Culture is also the community of people that make up these traditions. It’s twofold. I like to think I contribute to the evolution of the art and activism in our culture. I do that by using what I’ve learned of our history, knowing what I do regarding our present, and planting seeds for a better future.