Local Content Creators Showcase Windsor-Essex to Thousands of Followers on Social Media

Anissa, Meggan, Miranda, Danielle, and Roxana are four digital content creators who dedicate part of their lives to promoting events, small businesses, local restaurants, and mental health awareness across Windsor-Essex. If you’re curious to know how they started posting content, their creative process, and how they have grown their audience and built a career out of social media, keep reading!  

NISS AND MEGG EATS 

Anissa Aiello and Meggan Pedro are third-year UWindsor students in the honors French program. Anissa and Meggan are the creators of @NissandMeggEats, a TikTok and Instagram account where they promote, try, and rate food businesses and local restaurants around Windsor-Essex.  

“We strive to promote businesses/restaurants that deserve recognition in Windsor as the food here is so good and diverse. We film our honest reactions to new food and encourage others to try it as well,” said Anissa and Meggan.  

Their journey on social media started when one day they went out to try new food and experience a new culture and decided to record. They fell in love with the idea of filming their reactions and decided to launch their channel. One of their goals is to help others, especially teenage girls, from falling into unhealthy food routines. 

As young digital content creators, Anissa and Meggan sometimes feel overwhelmed with the success their account is currently having. “We often feel as though we are too young and inexperienced, and we also question ourselves on how to build our brand. We honestly try to be our most authentic selves, and we find, as though by doing this, our followers will enjoy it more.”  

“We hope to see this account grow into something bigger. We wish to work with more brands and restaurants in the future and bring happiness and joy to people’s lives, especially to those who need it the most.”  

Be sure to follow @NissandMeggEats on Instagram or TikTok to keep up with fantastic food recommendations. 

DEAR STRANGER 143  

Miranda Daniher-Bazlik and Danielle Nantais are co-founders of @DearStranger143, a social media account whose mission is to spread kindness, love, and mental health awareness in Windsor-Essex and the rest of the world.   

Before starting this project, Miranda had just quit her job and started her new journey of creating her own business, and Danielle was starting her photography career. At the end of Spring, both decided to get together and start working on some creative projects. 

“The first day, we started talking about our dreams of following our purpose in life and being limitless to any possibilities,” said Miranda and Danielle.  

How do two girls start their journey to help heal the world? That’s the question they asked themselves. “Then boom, it dawned on us. Writing a message to someone who might need it and recording those moments could make someone’s day or even save a life. So, we started filming the next week, and it was the start of something we never saw coming, something bigger than we imagined.” 

Miranda and Danielle choose a person based on positioning, vibe, and if they feel the person might need to hear something at that moment. Once they select someone, Danielle sets up the camera while Miranda writes out the note by thinking about what the person needs and hoping it resonates with them. 

With a few videos going viral, @DearStranger143 has accumulated more than 35k followers on Instagram, one of them the famous singer Rihanna and more than 790k followers on TikTok over the past three months. Thanks to the fantastic feedback, Miranda and Danielle have opened up an option for donations to allow others to have an opportunity to give back and make someone’s day. Click the link for more details: https://beacons.ai/dearstranger143. 

“It’s so powerful and rewarding to be part of a project that inspires and touches many people from all walks of life. If there is one thing we could change about social media, it would be how negative some people can be to others. It takes absolutely nothing to be kind to someone.”  

“There’s already so much negativity in the world. Be kind every chance you get. Be the change you want to see in the world.”  

MY TRAVELLING BACKPACK 

Roxana Rangel is a travel blogger and the creator behind @MyTravellingBackpack, an Instagram and Facebook account where she showcases everything you can do in Windsor-Essex and other destinations. 

Before creating the account, Roxana studied abroad in France for a year. At that time, she had never been to Europe, so she documented everything by photography while she lived in the small town of Chambery.  

“I created the Instagram account almost two years after my study abroad. I had so many photos on my phone and hard drive that I needed a forcing function (posting on Instagram) to share the images I had captured,” said Roxana. 

A few years ago, Roxana had the opportunity to return to Europe for a month-long job where she visited and reviewed Europe’s Famous Hostels in Spain and Portugal. “I think I realized that social media could become a career when I embarked on that job. That is the moment that made it real for me. Ever since that, I have been working hard to find my niche and provide valuable content to my audience.” 

@MyTravellingBackpack now has more than 2,800 followers, and Roxana’s favorite hobbies have become an opportunity for her to collaborate with many businesses and brands, such as Devonshire Mall, Sap Sucker, and Pelee Island Winery. However, besides being a digital content creator, Roxana has a full-time job as a Culture Program Manager in an e-commerce company. “The struggle for me is to balance working non-stop from 6 am to 9 pm. There are not enough hours in a day!” 

Whether you are a new student coming to Windsor this Fall or a current student who hasn’t explored what Windsor has to offer, this is an opportunity to follow the daily recommendations @MyTravellingBackpack and find your new favorite spot in the city. 

“When I moved back to Windsor two years ago, I was in awe at how this city changed. Some amazing people are building unique experiences, businesses, and destinations for locals and tourists to experience.” 

There you have it, folks. The community in Windsor is growing each day, and thanks to the work of these digital content creators, you can now explore and enjoy the city more easily.