Black Lives Matter followers share media coverage demands with Black Narratives Matter
#BlackLivesMatter has gotten attention in the mainstream media in recent months, but how much have its lessons affected the actual coverage at those news organizations?
Not enough, said #BlackLivesMatter community members and followers, who aired some of their frustrations with mainstream media coverage on Aug. 3 during a Twitter chat I organized, using the hashtag #BlackNarrativesMatter.
It was a lively chat, with more than 400 engagements and followers tweeting about the problems and possible solutions.
I (@BlkNarratives), along with my recently launched site Black Narratives Matter, hosted the chat, along with @SpeakMyNameProject and @BlkLivesMatter. Here are some of the major takeaways.
GUESS WHAT MAINSTREAM MEDIA?! BLACK VICTIMS AREN’T CRIMINALS
There are many examples of when Black people fall victim to police, state and racial violence. These same victims are criminalized in reporting with mugshots and other stereotypical photos while white police officers, shooters and suspects are not.
Back in March, #CNNBeLike became a popular hashtag after CNN decided to run a mugshot of Otis Byrd, a man found hanging from a tree in Mississippi, according to The Huffington Post.
DON’T ACT LIKE THESE EVENTS AND THE MOVEMENT DON’T EXIST
Followers said the movement and related events aren’t being fully covered by mainstream news:
#BLACKTWITTER DID HELP MAINSTREAM MEDIA OUT A BIT
Media responded to #BlackTwitter. Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi co-founded the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and the movement.
BLACK NARRATIVES MATTER’S ADVICE — ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY
I’m the founder of Black Narratives Matter, a community collaborative resource website for media on race literacy and how to cover Black Lives Matter. I believe the media hasn’t fully paid attention to what’s been going on with this community. As Janisha Gabriel, website designer of Black Lives Matter, explained in a MadameNoire article I wrote:
“Media has responded to Black deaths specifically because of the social media campaigns around Trayvon Martin,” Gabriel said. She calls the deaths of Black men a popular topic and said people are interested in seeing Black men as threatening.
DON’T WAIT FOR MEDIA
Social media helps garner media’s attention, but it certainly doesn’t wait for events to make mainstream news due to its 24/7 activeness.
Yet, this is a helpful tip.
MEDIA SHOULD #SAYHERHAME
Janisha Gabriel, founder of Speak My Name, is launching the database in September. Thus far, she has collected more than 700 names of Black women and girls who were victims of police, state and domestic violence. She wants to have intra-racial conversations about these issues. She definitely wants more media coverage on Black women and girls too.
THERE IS HUMANITY IN BLACK NARRATIVES. TELL THEM AS SUCH
This is basically what the Twitter chat was about — seeing the humanity in Black people and experiences, covering these narratives with that in mind.
WHERE’S THE COVERAGE ON BLACK TRANS WOMEN? THE MOST SHARED TWEET
As previously reported on MadameNoire:
Penny Proud, 21, became the fifth Black transgender woman murdered in the U.S. earlier this year, sparking outrage. People took to social media to express their frustration using popular hashtags like #BlackTransLivesMatter and #MakePennyProud.
Proud was found dead Tuesday, Feb. 10 in New Orleans with multiple gunshot wounds, receiving little mainstream attention.
According to Alternet.org, “the average life expectancy for a black transgender woman is 35 years.
The tweet above received the most popular response during and after the Twitter chat — proving that the conversation is only getting started.
