Navigating the Nuances of Social Media Activism
Welcome to the 21st century.
In this strange digital world, social media heavily influences everything from mundane daily communications to fast-paced meme exchanges, to the ways in which we confront pressing social issues like racial injustice. We’re seeing that this reality has only been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has further replaced the bulk of our previously in-person interactions with Tweets and posts.
From what I’ve seen even just in the past two weeks, the display of public outrage over the most recent wave of injustices against Black lives has unfolded new dynamics in the space of social media activism. This space has become heavily occupied by POC and white people alike, and even the political benchwarmers who usually remain apolitical in their online presence have seemed to take a stance. It’s encouraging to see these platforms being utilized as a medium to speak up against injustice, express solidarity, draw attention to organizations doing important racial justice work, and share anti-racist action items.
But as we continue to gain momentum in the fight for racial justice in these spaces, we have a responsibility to tread cautiously in our pursuit of online activism.
Specifically, we must ask ourselves: How can we stand as allies without detracting from Black…
