I'm Not A Political Person

You can do more than post a hashtag to change the world.

Throughout 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement made real societal progress. During this movement, many social media users have said that if you are not advocating for change on your personal platform you “do not care” or are “not a supporter,” and I disagree. Just because a user does not want to post their political agenda or opinion on social media does not mean they aren’t a supporter of a movement. 

In the age of social media, there is a pressure to be active and involved online. Users repost the updates of different accounts and their own opinion on subjects. Spreading awareness through social media is and can be a beautiful thing, but this movement has taught me that posting and reposting are not the only ways to be an ally.

After reading articles and watching news reports on the multiple tragic stories, such as the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, I knew that change would be upon us. As a society, we have been bystanders for too long and I knew that this would be the beginning of civil and social reform. I watched social media platforms become a place for people to spread hope, awareness and passion for this movement. I knew I wanted to be a part of this but in my own way. 

There are many things you can do to support the Black Lives Matter movement—or any movement in fact—without using social media. When it came to being involved, the first thing I decided to do was further educate myself. I started to read about the history of the Black Lives Matter Movement and racism throughout the history of the US through sources like the New York Times and the Washington Post. I read various articles about discriminatory events and systemic racism in the past few decades, such as the wrongful sentencing of the Central Park Five. I then took my education from articles and news reports to television, movies, and documentaries. I watched Ava Duvernay’s documentary 13th, Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, and FX’s Pose. These films all touch on different topics, but are bringing to light various problems that the African American community have and are facing.

From here, I decided to sign petitions to help make the social reforms that this country needs. There are so many petitions to become aware of and involved in such as #JusticeforBre, National Action Against Police Brutality, and Find Your Rep. You can also text and call different numbers to fight for justice in the murder for George Floyd and the end of police brutality.

Lastly, my mom and I went to a peaceful protest in our city. We walked half a mile to our city hall along with almost a hundred other people in my community who are passionate about the same causes. We chanted while we walked and waved our posters and signs in the air. Coming together, everyone sat in silence for six minutes, the same amount of time it took for the Minneapolis police officers to put pressure on George Floyd’s neck and kill him. Everything about this protest was moving and powerful. It was beautiful to see my hometown come together with a common motive: to bring a positive change.

Personally, I don’t like to spread my political opinion on social media. I prefer for my individual media page to capture the moments in my life rather than relay a personal opinion, but I do care about being involved in movements I feel passionately for. If social media is your chosen tool, there are many ways to get involved. You can follow accounts on Instagram such as @colorofchange, @theconsciouskid, and @ncaap. These accounts, and more, offer amazing resources and information to be an ally of this movement in the most effective way possible.

By Madi Esmailbeigi

UT Austin student, lover of all things television and movies and Soulcycle enthusiast. Writes because words can change everything.