53. “(Re)Imagining Intersectional Democracy from Black Feminism to Hashtag
Activism,” Sarah J. Jackson
Sarah J. Jackson - #Hashtag Activism: The Rise and Influence of Networked Counterpublics from Engagement Lab on Vimeo.
Jackson writes about the intersectional lessons of the Black Lives Matter movement, which can be traced to the legacy of the larger Black freedom movement and also to the more recent work of millennial Black activist organizations like the Dream Defenders and the Black Youth Project 100. These recent movements have been created or heavily influenced by Black feminist principles. Millennial movements have eschewed the respectability politics that guided the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and have worked instead to center the voices, experiences, and knowledge of those most often at the margins. Black Lives Matter, founded by Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors, has insisted on radical intersectionality: Garza writes that the organization “affirms the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, Black-undocumented folks, folks with records, women and all Black lives along the gender spectrum.”
As Jackson explains, the intersectional principles of the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement are the result of decades of academic theorizing, community organizing, and activist work by Black feminists. Building on this foundation, 21st-century activists have succeeded in making intersectional issues of racial oppression visible to mainstream America using both networked counterpublics, such as “Black Twitter,” and boots-on-the-ground activism. Millennial Black women have leveraged the power of social media to create and popularize hashtags that reflect the situated knowledges and needs of marginalized communities. Networkedcounterpublics, represented by hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter, #OscarsSoWhite, and #GirlIGuessImWithHer, have inserted nuanced issues of identity into national political conversations; they call on mainstream politics to listen and respond. Jackson argues for regarding this Black feminist work as an important contribution to the democratic process.
Sarah J. Jackson - #Hashtag Activism: The Rise and Influence of Networked Counterpublics from Engagement Lab on Vimeo.
Jackson writes about the intersectional lessons of the Black Lives Matter movement, which can be traced to the legacy of the larger Black freedom movement and also to the more recent work of millennial Black activist organizations like the Dream Defenders and the Black Youth Project 100. These recent movements have been created or heavily influenced by Black feminist principles. Millennial movements have eschewed the respectability politics that guided the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s and have worked instead to center the voices, experiences, and knowledge of those most often at the margins. Black Lives Matter, founded by Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors, has insisted on radical intersectionality: Garza writes that the organization “affirms the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, Black-undocumented folks, folks with records, women and all Black lives along the gender spectrum.”
As Jackson explains, the intersectional principles of the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement are the result of decades of academic theorizing, community organizing, and activist work by Black feminists. Building on this foundation, 21st-century activists have succeeded in making intersectional issues of racial oppression visible to mainstream America using both networked counterpublics, such as “Black Twitter,” and boots-on-the-ground activism. Millennial Black women have leveraged the power of social media to create and popularize hashtags that reflect the situated knowledges and needs of marginalized communities. Networkedcounterpublics, represented by hashtags such as #BlackLivesMatter, #OscarsSoWhite, and #GirlIGuessImWithHer, have inserted nuanced issues of identity into national political conversations; they call on mainstream politics to listen and respond. Jackson argues for regarding this Black feminist work as an important contribution to the democratic process.
11-year-old Naomi Wadler’s speech at the March for Our Lives exemplifies the centering of
marginal voices that is central to Black feminist activism.
In what ways does the type of hashtag activism Jackson includes here similar to and/or different from the hashtag activism we discussed in the Hope in a Hashtag article by Clark?
Please post a comment (here or on the Forum) by 11:59 pm Tuesday, April 14.
I ask that you please read through your classmates' comments here and on the forums and maybe even reply to a comment or two (on either format, up to you!) in the interest of keeping it interactive.
In the speech given by Sarah J. Jackson and her #Hashtag Activism she spoke on, the #Hashtag Activism is a way to bring people awareness of racial societal issues on-going currently in or societies through technology. Social media is a great way to use your First Amendment rights and get your voice heard, especially on an important issue in our county. What activists are dong in the African-American community is that they are utilizing Twitter to start hashtags so that the public can see the hashtags and get them to trend by using the hashtags a lot and talking about it continuously to make it go viral. The more viral it gets, the more people can see and read on what people are discussing about the on-going racial issues such as police brutality for example that is happening unfortunately in society. Jackson does a great job talking about the uses of hashtags and explaining which ones were used a lot that made more people aware of Black Lives Matter in America and have started to try to get change to happen at a greater rate in our country through these hashtags used on social media.
ReplyDeleteHashtag activism isn't in and of itself a social movement, but instead a tool, a platform, with which a movement can gain great power. Before social media, movements were very physical, driving hundreds of thousands of passionate protestors to the streets and to the capitol building in opposition of social injustice of some sort. The advantage that social media and hashtag activism offers activists that wasn't available before is the opportunity for each individual to have a voice and to share their story of oppression. Hashtag activism took a movement that echoed one or two voices, into one of millions of voices.
ReplyDeleteIn Sarah J. Jackson speech on #Hashtag Activism she discussed how the 'hashtag' has been used to bring about awareness to certain topics of discussion. We truly have social media to thank for inspiring a lot of these movements that start behind the screens of a few brave users who want to make a difference. #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo are a few notable ones that have inspired millions of people around the world to join the cause for justice reform in America. I think there is an important distinction to make between the 'hashtag' being used to spread awareness and the 'hashtag' being used to engage in the cause. Many people think that adding a 'hashtag' on the end of a post will make a difference ( and to an extent that is true) but, the real help comes from individuals rallying together protesting, lobbying, and fighting for the rights that do not seem to be heard by elected officials.
ReplyDeleteThe whole topic of hashtag activism has always been so intriguing and exciting for me. Feminism from very early on has only been for white women. Historically, feminism has discluded women of color or other marginalized groups. Hashtag activism and online activism has given these marginalized groups the opportunity to join in the feminist movement they otherwise would have been barred from joining. Feminism, in the past, has been disclusionary the the issues of women of color. It has been primarily centered around issues that are prominent for white women. Hashtag activism has allowed marginalized communities to gain a voice and traction into the feminist movement. Social media has given them the ability to bring their issues and fights to the foreground.
ReplyDeleteHashtag activism in both the case of Jackson and Clark accomplishes the same goal. It gives a voice to those who do not have one otherwise. Hashtag activism creates a safe space for people on the margins to speak out without fear. Social media is a tool for empowerment and the bringing together of ideas and like-minded individuals, in addition to the education of others on social issues.
ReplyDeleteHashtag activism is something that many social media-centric Communication classes discuss at length. With regards to it's use to support Feminism and the Black Lives Matter movement I think it demonstrates well how social media is another tool for activism, but many times not activism all in itself. #OscarsSoWhite were incredibly successful because they brought widespread attention to an issue, but equally as important were the actors of color discussing how they have been historically neglected by award shows.
ReplyDeleteI like how you can go into detail about the #OscarsSoWhite movement to inform the class again as the reading only touches on it briefly. Although, the hashtag in itself explains the movement, sometimes we all need clarification and reminders of what happened. Thank you for the input.
DeleteFor Jackson, hashtag activism is a way to bring attention to topics that are crucial for equality for people of all ethnic backgrounds to show the racial issues going on in society. For Clark, the end goal is the same as Jackson's. To give a voice to those who are in a minority, and do not have one. It is a way to get people together and rooting for the same thing, but where you do not have to be physically marching, this is where social media comes into play. Social media gives hashtag activism a place to have a voice, and to show that equality is necessary for all people of all backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteHashtag activism is a powerful form of protest. Clark and Jackson use hashtags to gain more visibility for the Black Lives Matter Movement and The feminist movement, and to advocate for those who can't advocate for themselves. Black lives matter focuses on equality for all black women, femmes, queer, and trans individuals. The emphases is on the freedom to have space, speech, and to speak their minds. Hashtags are used to observe the racial harassment on the streets. They reflect the experiences and the needs of marginalized groups, advocate for politics to listen, and implore people to act on the situation that African American women face in the Black Lives Matter movement. Similarly, Hashtag feminism is used to bring attention to the violence women face in terms of rape, and victim blaming. Both hashtags are very positive; yet could bring harm to the people posting them due to opposer's of the movements. Both are able to connect individual's stories and create a sense of understanding and safety. Hashtags are important mediums used to participate in the democratic process of America, and they are able to reach a greater number of people. Social Media focuses on enacting a change through collective activism, and gives people hope. Both movements seek to give power to women. However, movements like Clark's focus more on one group of women, and not women of color, femmes, queer individuals, or trans folk. The feminist movement is advocating more for white women, while Black Lives Matter focuses on a more diverse group of women. Hashtag activism is a way of connecting with others, and for giving a voice to those in need.
ReplyDeleteIt has been incredible to see the shift in activism in the past 10 years alone. Hashtag activism has opened a new uninterrupted way to bring attention to topics that affect the daily lives of many people, but may not be deemed worth enough to make a headline in the news. Not only does hashtag activism bring to light the voices and experience of a range of different people, but allows directly allows the people being affected to be a part of the conversation without have to physically go out and participate in a march or protest. Jackson explains how several hashtags can and have been used to shed light on a lot of important racial discussions. What she discussed is very similar to what we read with Clark. Using social media as a platforms these hashtags reach a large audience, can serve as a safe environment and brings people together with a untied goal: to raise awareness. By giving such a huge voice to people who otherwise would not have had one, hashtag activism starts the foundation of important discussions.
ReplyDeleteAs Clark shares in "Hope in a hashtag," "Rosemary Clark (2014), Michaela D. E. Meyer (2014), and Tanya Horeck (2014) highlight hashtag feminists’ ability to intervene on oppressive discourses produced by commercial, news, and entertainment media, respectively. " In somewhat similar fashion, Sarah Jackson shares that activists at the margins of the public sphere have the ability to change the way of debate. She states activists "very clearly interrogate the imagination of the mainstream."
ReplyDeleteClark's essay concludes with "the narrative approach used here highlights the political nature of discursive activist networks like the growing sphere of hashtag feminism by illustrating the conditions under which online interactions can initiate offline sociopolitical change" (p. 801). Sarah seems to align her messaging to be of the same nature, that an online presence can influence offline, in-person activism.
Hashtag activism is essentially another platform that allows for people to get their voices out there. Sarah talks about how these hashtag movement is geared towards marginalized and people with voices that have ultimately been silenced. The use of hashtag activism allows people to see and understand that there are no barriers or limitations regarding to age, race, or demographics when it comes to speaking up. Many people often times do not speak up due to fear of people overpowered or pushed into the shadows by rich political figures that do not have to work or fight for a voice. These hashtags bring to light issues that have often times been swept under the rug and grouped into a cloud of statistics. Sarah talked about how often times the main people leading these hashtag activism rallies are women or people of marginalized groups. This is no surprise because women and people of marginalized groups are the mains ones whose voices are silenced in the public eye. Technology has helped defy the assumptions of what it takes to be an activism and has helped create a platform for people of all races, ages, and demographics to have a voice.
ReplyDeleteHashtag activism is a great way to bring attention to an issue in the age of social media. It is used as a tool that brings everyone who supports the movement together. People have jobs and other responsibilities so meeting physically all together is a difficult task. Through social media their movement can reach a lot more people. Not everyone has the same experiences but through hashtag activism they have a way to voice their story.
ReplyDeleteDigital hashtag activism is one of the greatest movements that has come about to give people who feel almost hopeless in certain situations a voice. When individuals feel they have nowhere to turn they can always turn to social media, to voice their story. As stories are read on social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook more people comment and share them to make the posts go viral. Stories are shared by individuals who don't even know the person that started the post, but can relate because maybe they have a similar experience or are sympathetic to their situations. For these reasons, I think Jackson and Clark accomplished the same thing with their hashtag movements. They brought voices to voiceless, and shared stories of people with all different backgrounds. By these movements, they also brought awareness to people who get their news through social media. Third, they trended new hashtags to come along such as #GirlsLikeUs, #Me2Movement, and #OscarsSoWhite. These movements are very important and will be important to our history. As these movements come about, we are writing new pages that will printed in our history books one day.
ReplyDeleteI will also like to say that the reading for this section was very interesting. I was not aware of #BlackLivesMatter movement included so many groups of individuals. I remember using this movement in a paper Freshman year for an English class, but as most people think of when they think of this movement, I focused only on police brutality. I can relate to this movement a lot because I had a very close family member that was affected by police brutality. With this article, I was happy to see it includes more of an intersectional lens as well including disabled individuals, trans individuals, women, etc.
As we move further into a greater digital age I look forward to what other hashtag movements may come about, and also other innovative ways that may change how we discuss issues in our digital sphere.
Sarah J. Jackson uses #Hashtag activism to bring awareness to social problems and discrimination. It gives a voice to those who have struggles and forms a sense of comradery while informing people that these types of #Hashtag activism topics are real problems. Clark similarly uses #Hashtag activism to connect people who have suffered, but I feel like it is less to spread awareness and more to say “this is a problems we have had and we need to band together and end this.” Clark almost demands engagement with #Hashtag activism. Both approaches encourage others to cheer along and advocate with if necessary and encourage change overall though.
ReplyDelete#Hashtag activism is a promotional tool to encourage people regardless of race to talk about and bring awareness to social discrimination. It is no secret that life in America is not equal, there is a definitive hierarchy of privilege based on race, gender, and class. Sarah J. Jackson's speech talks about how even at 11 years old she is aware of gun violence and discrimination in America today, at 11 years year old! At 11 years old you should be worried about who has the cooler bike, not about what the color of your skin means. #Hashtag activism is another way to spread awareness for black lives, young children, gun violence, and discrimination. It is unfortunate that this hashtag was created because it means that the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the #HandsUpDontShoot have begun to diminish. This video should inspire people to spread the world to make change, regardless of how long it'll take.
ReplyDelete