Beyond Social Media: Tangibly Supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement
Mustafa Osman and J. Weber
Alright, you’ve shared an Instagram graphic that says something along the lines of “Black Lives Matter” or “Justice for George Floyd,” or you’ve posted a black square on your page. You’re probably thinking, “I’ve done my part, I’ve raised awareness and made a difference.” This isn’t necessarily true. This sentiment is a great start, but without concrete action to back up your words, posting on social media doesn’t accomplish very much. It is important to educate others and spread awareness, but we, as a nation, have generally established these points already. Sharing these sentiments, though it vocalizes your support, does not really progress the movement. It is excellent to be vocal in one’s allyship with the Black community, but if as white accomplices, you are only making these statements to prove how good of an ally you are, then your activism is performative at best. Performative activism is the act of participating in activism to increase your social status, rather than to make change. Isn’t any action, even if it is self-served, helping to make change, though? No. Although performative activism may not seem to be a bad thing at first, it can be very dangerous because it co-opts a societal movement and re-purposes it for social gains rather than for concrete change.
You might be thinking something along the lines of “I understand why they are protesting, but can’t they just do it peacefully? Why can’t modern protesters be more like MLK? Why do they have to resort to looting and violence?”. In response to that, we say that it is not your place to criticize the way in which a community responds to generations worth of trauma and oppression. The fact of the matter is that the Black community has been using nonviolent methods of protest for a long time, and people have been, and continue to be, critical nonetheless. Additionally, despite peaceful demonstrations having occurred for years, concrete change has yet to be implemented. In addition to this, it is important to note that although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated for nonviolent methods, he understood and acknowledged the validity of other strategies. Dr. King’s speech titled “The Other America” touches upon this issue and acknowledges the reasoning behind riots when he says that “…a riot is the language of the unheard”. In cherry picking quotes of his to condemn the violence, white people are recreating the image of Dr. King that we have been raised with, the “acceptable” version of his work, and ignoring the actuality of his ideals.
In addition to the points that have already been established, it is necessary to address the phenomenon of people, especially white and non Black people of color, sharing traumatic videos depicting police brutality — especially murders — under the guise of spreading awareness. Though those who share these videos may have intentions of spreading awareness and trying to bring attention to an issue, seeing these videos and photos typically does more harm than good. Seeing these videos over and over can actually further traumatize Black folks. It is important to note that we rarely see videos of white people being brutally murdered at the hands of the police force. These videos lead to the sentimentalization of police brutality, and do little to enact fundamental change. Although it may offer the impression of spreading awareness and educating others, these videos harm the Black community and give the false impression of enacting change. The usage of sentiments such as “this is awful” or “this needs to stop”, although correct, does not translate to fundamental change, but instead relieves the ally of any feelings of guilt or blame.
Now that we’ve covered the most common issues, let’s talk about what we can do to be better activists. Being an activist, particularly in this case, requires giving your time and resources in any ways that you can. It can be hard to contribute, particularly during COVID-19, but we hope that you will be able to contribute some way or another. Whether that includes signing petitions and making calls to hold elected officials accountable, donating to organizations and bail funds, or taking to the streets in protest of unjust practices, it is imperative to go beyond reposting graphics on your Instagram story or taking pictures with friends at protests. If you are a non-Black person, use your voice in ways to amplify the Black community rather than speaking over them. Educate your friends, family, and community on how they can become more informed about Black communities. Speak out when you recognize unjust practices. Many people have died, but you’re here. Use your voice and show that you care. Motivate others to join you in this fight. If you’re a white person, please understand the privilege that you hold and use it to uplift others. Think twice before you call the police and do everything in your power to counteract and address racism, whether it is blatant, covert, systemic, or another form. Work to understand the full story.
Mustafa Osman is a 13 year-old youth activist from Columbus Ohio. Mustafa is the founder of Civil Rights Coalition — C.R.C and is the social media specialist for OHYCS. Mustafa is a future political science and criminal justice major. He’s dedicated to having equal rights amongst everyone! And for a better earth.
