Ancestry and Internet Cousins: On the Algorithmic Construction of Virtual Kin

As the season for reflection on friends and family approaches, I am reminded of the non-traditional family structures we create. Within the Black community, certain people exist as essential parts of the imagined family we have in our minds. For me, one of these people is Levar Burton. Growing up on “Reading Rainbow,” just hearing Levar Burton’s voice has a soothing and grounding quality that puts my mind at ease. Many nights, I go to bed listening to the “Levar Burton Reads” podcast and learning about new authors from him, even in the absence of “Reading Rainbow.”

As a result, I often find myself mentioning Levar Burton to other people. However, depending on the age and ethnicity of the person, it is unusual for others to have the same knowledge or awareness of his significance in African American culture. But this is normal when discussing Black celebrities and online content creators. Despite the popularity of the media I consume or the entertainers I follow, whenever I discuss the content creators I follow, they have yet to attain the same fame as…