The Brooklyn Mavens: Influencers in the wild

There are some 2.6 million people living in Brooklyn right now. But there are only two Brooklyn Mavens: Lauren Riley and Merlyn Oliver comprise the social media outfit dedicated to highlighting the best of the borough, old and new. The two twentysomethings have over 20 thousand followers on Instagram, where they shout out Black-owned small businesses, historical curiosities and explore neighborhoods that are new to them. Today, we talk about gentrification, the things people get wrong about Brooklyn, recent discoveries, influencers and what’s next. Brooklyn news and views you can use: bkmag.com Email: [email protected] Follow along on Facebook: Brooklyn Magazine Twitter: @brooklynmag Instagram: @brooklynmagazine Follow Brian Braiker on Twitter: @slarkpope