I’m sure we’ve all had our social media platforms flooded with activism posts. From stories, to posts, to IGTV debates, the people we follow online seem to be outraged. They express how angry they are in a simple story post to their Instagram, and then go back to their normal routine of posting beach pictures or selfies. When people posted the infamous black screen for Blackout Tuesday, they moved on just minutes after and forgot about taking real action.  Yes, the posts can be helpful in terms of spreading awareness, but what are they really doing? Are they creating the change we need as a society? Are they encouraging the movement to keep on keeping on? Or are they glorifying the bare minimum? Don’t get me wrong, some of the posts are extremely informative and educating, and they’re really catching people’s attention. But this is what I like to call, good ol’ performative activism.

The meaning lies directly in the word. But just in case this wasn’t clear, Google defines it as “a pejorative term referring to activism done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause. It is often associated with surface-level activism, referred to as slacktivism.” When you post  on your social media but take no further actions, you are contributing to   performative activism. Going to a protest, taking pictures, leaving, and returning to your normal routine is performative activism. But there are other levels too. 

There’s so much MORE you can do than post! Here are some extremely helpful options, you can never go wrong when carrying these out:

1. Donate to organizations! There are so many Black Lives Matter organizations you can donate to out there. Check out the resources we post in our Activism tab!
2. Sign petitions! Change.org is home to hundreds of amazing petitions that demand justice for various Black Lives Matter causes. You can also find some petitions to sign in our Activism tab.
3. Show up at a local protest! Showing your support is so important, and going to protests is a great way to get your voice heard.
4. Use your vote! If you are 18+, it’s extremely important that you use your vote to elect anti-racist leaders. Whether it be at a local or nation-wide election, your vote and your voice is extremely valued.
5. Support black creators and business owners! The best thing we can do right now as allies of the movement is help the black community grow in different ways. Stream/buy the music of black artists, buy the art of black artists, purchase from black owned businesses; anything helps! We have more helpful information on this subject in the article titled, “Supporting Black Owned Businesses: Why It’s Important and How You Can Help.”
6. Educate and stay educated! No matter how much you know, you can always learn something new. Many minor events that you might not even think of have major impacts. Read up on the cause. Stay updated and informed. As allies, we need to spread our knowledge and show that allyship can always trump ignorance.
7. Have those hard conversations with friends and family.Educating those around you is equally as important as educating yourself. By showing someone else a new perspective, they can learn and grow. As allies, we need to spread our knowledge and show that allyship can always trump ignorance.

I’m sure we’ve all had our social media platforms flooded with activism posts. From stories, to posts, to IGTV debates, the people we follow online seem to be outraged. Yes, the posts can be helpful in terms of spreading awareness, but what are they really doing? 

by Faria Majeed