Analysis of Social Media Activism on Blacks

Analysis of Social Media Activism on Blacks
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Analysis of Social Media Activism on Blacks
Technological advancement has provided alternative channels where individuals can express their opinions freely. Social media has been central to allowing individuals to advocate for a cause. Activism nowadays includes protests on the streets and advocacy taking place online. Social media activism entails protesting for a cause using social media channels. Since hashtags play a critical tome in mobilizing movements, hashtag activism is used interchangeably with the term. Individuals use social media hashtags to promote awareness and demonstrate solidarity. According to Dobrin (2020), hashtags have created a cultural revolution through digital activism. The last few years have seen an increase in activism, and technology has been at the forefront. Hashtags have been instrumental in mobilizing activism on social media. The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag has been critical in protesting against racial injustice. This report discusses the origin of #BlackLivesMatter, the role of influencers and users, the visual tactics used, impact, and strategies for effective engagement of the hashtag.
The origin of the BLM
Black Lives Matter (BLM) commenced out of love for Black people when George Zimmerman received the unexpected verdict. Zimmerman had been on trial for killing Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Black boy. The verdict favored Zimmerman, where the court acquitted him on all the charges. Alicia Garza was outraged by the verdict and woke up in the middle of the night and wrote an emotional Facebook post on how she felt. In the post, Garza was surprised "how little Black Lives Matter." The phrase inspired Patrisse Cullors to create a hashtag, which went viral. As the hashtag became popular across social media platforms, Garza, Cullors, and activist Opal Tometi used the name BLM to form a network of racial justice activists. Grassroots activists soon adopted the phrase and hashtag across the US. In particular, activists used the phrase and hashtag to protect the killing of Michael Brown and other African Americans killed by the police (Tanksley, 2019). BLM demands dignity for the Black community. The movement has grown from a hashtag to a well-known organization advocating for the well-being of Blacks. Members of the movement have been fighting to reverse a trend of racial segregation in the US and around the world. Since the launch of the hashtag, the organization has become more formalized with nationwide chapters. The major aim has been to create national campaigns that engage more individuals by raising awareness of the need to end racial injustice. The organizers put together a website, https://blacklivesmatter.com/, and have a presence on social media platforms. The organization has 1 million followers on Twitter, 4.2 million on Instagram, and 792,526 followers on Facebook.
The role of influencers
The success of the BLM movement largely depends on the critical role of influencers in pushing the hashtag. Influencers have hundreds and millions of followers and hence take advantage of their popularity to push anti-racism protests. Celebrities utilize their social media presence to spearhead c...