Around the world, people from different walks of life have banded together to protest against the injustices done towards the black community. Whether it be marching through the streets or taking the fight to social media, the world is in an uproar as we continue in the fight towards equality. One way we’ve chosen to stand in solidarity through social media is by participating in #BlackOutTuesday.
This day was started by big names in the music industry in an effort to not only mourn the death of George Floyd and so many other innocently murdered black people, but also to demand change and new policies that protect the livelihood of African Americans.
While the act of participating in #BlackoutTuesday may come from a good place, some of us may be executing it wrong. All over, social media warnings spread like wildfire, revealing the negative impact that we could impose by using the #BlackLivesMatter under these images.
The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter is commonly used to provide useful information whether it be for active protesters or those watching from home. In using this hashtag we can easily find important updates, protests that we may want to participate in or simply how to serve as an ally during these trying times. Those who wish to learn more are only greeted by black images instead of necessary resources and reports of more injustice taking place.
In realizing this, thousands of social media users have been found either editing or completely reposting their images all over, being careful not to use #BlackLivesMatter within their post. If you’ve happened to make this same mistake, it’s vital that you follow the same path. This small change can make a major difference in how easily we receive our information and allows the rest of the world to stay engaged with all that’s going on.
In addition, people have misconstrued the idea of Blackout Tuesday with silence. Many have vowed to remain silent on their social media the entire day, only sharing the black images displayed above and nothing more. While silence may speak louder than words, the African American community has been silenced and ignored for decades.
It’s important that now more than ever we use our voice and our platform to speak up against the injustices towards the Black community. Only then, can we hope for change to come and for our pleas and cries to be acknowledged.
So #Gaye’s, do not be afraid to speak out today and all the days to come. Ahead of us lies a long and treacherous fight towards equality, but in choosing to unite our voices, speak up for yourself and others, you're choosing to fight back against an unfair and unjust system!