Following: 2017

By Ruby Liles

Tatler Opinions presents our guide to who you should add to your social media feed. Whether a politician, celebrity, activist, or some sort of combination of the three, these five people will likely to make your life more interesting in 2017.

Welcome to 2017! Many of us have a mental list of trends, fashion choices, or people we’d prefer to leave in 2016. But there are some celebrities, politicians, and public figures that, like it or not, will be important to keep an eye on this coming year, particularly through their social media. So, Tatler Opinions presents a comprehensive list of who to “follow” in 2017 and why.

1. Donald Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
You probably saw this one coming. In addition to being our President, Mr. Trump has also been referred to as America’s “Tweeter in Chief” for his frequent 140 character statements, which range from unofficial declarations of upcoming legislation and policy to his opinions of different celebrities. Regardless of where you stand on the political scale, it would probably be best to stay updated with what he has to say. It’s probably also best to follow Vice President Mike Pence, @mike_pence on Twitter, and some members of Trump’s cabinet to stay up to date with the new administration.
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2. Zendaya (@Zendaya)
From Disney Channel star to talented actor, singer, dancer, and model, Zendaya has remained in many of our hearts as an inspiration and overall icon. For each of the past three years she’s been predicted to dominate the year with her words of wisdom, impeccable fashion choices, and overall positive vibes. She’s recently been vocal about topics ranging from HIV/AIDS to girl power to colourism to bullying, using her position of fame to speak out about her passions. In 2017, she’ll be starring in the new Spider-Man movie as Michelle and in The Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. If anything, Zendaya is unapologetically herself, which makes her quite the force to be reckoned with this year.

3. Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner)
Though it’s clear many people would rather keep the Kardashian clan in 2016 and out of their news, realistically it’s pretty improbable that they’ll be dying out anytime soon. Plus, how can we rule out Kylizzle after her oh-so prudent and enlightened advice for taking on 2016 (remember her “Realizing Stuff” video)? But, in all seriousness, Kylie is arguably the most social media savvy celebrity our time has to offer, and it’s guaranteed she’ll be highlighting our year with #OOTD posts, quotable tweets, and Tyga drama.

4. Ava DuVernay (@ava)
Ava is a film director, writer, and distributor, and also winner of the Sundance Film Festival Best Director Prize. You may also know her as the genius behind the films 13th and Selma, for which she was the first black female to be nominated both for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Recently, Disney announced that it will be adapting A Wrinkle in Time, a favorite novel for many, to film, and Ava herself will be directing it. The cast includes big names like Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Rowan Blanchard, and is set to come out early next year. Film fans will want to get all the behind the scenes news from her social media platforms, including the film’s tag @WrinkleInTime.

5. Amandla Stenberg (@AmandlaStenberg)
You may remember Amandla from her role as Rue from The Hunger Games way back in 2012, but more recently she is known as prominent activist and one of the more young celebrities leading the way for intersectional feminism, race issues, and LGBTQ+ rights. Amandla is also a part of an art collective, which is a movement of gender non-conforming teens positioning themselves in front of famous and timeless art pieces to raise questions about the historical representation of people of color in art. Amandla herself identifies as gender non-conforming and bisexual and has gone on to speak at the BETs about her beliefs. However, she voices most of her unique opinions on her social media, particularly Tumblr and Twitter. Amandla is sure to be seen this year wearing bold outfits on the covers of magazines and helping to redefine what it means to be an activist in 2017.