Did you know Colin Kaepernick completed his pledge to donate $1 million to charities serving oppressed communities by solely using his own platform?
Colin Kaepernick is no doubt one of the leading social figures when it comes to using his platform for good. Not only is Kaepernick a well-known athlete, he is also an African American, who for the past four years, has been using his success as an athlete to speak on serious topics involving racial injustice. Most recently, Kaepernick has been seen taking a stand by taking a knee during the national anthem.
Although we may not all be big-time NFL players, millennials are the new frontier. We live in the age of YouTube and Instagram stars, young entrepreneurs, photographers, brand ambassadors, journalists, and more. All great platforms you can use to bring awareness to the wrongdoings of black people and minorities.
As young, African American adults preparing to go out in the world, it is important that we use what it is available to us to further expand our concerns for our community. This Black History Month, we want to help you become a “savvy” social activist.
Educate Yourself
So you know what you’re passionate about. You have an idea of what you want your image or brand to say about you. The next step is to educate yourself. If you’re interested in helping those affected by DACA, educate yourself on what the bill includes, learn who’s behind its decisions, get familiar with lawmakers. The topic you will be discussing should be backed up with facts and reliable sources.
Locate Your Target Audience
Who is your message for? Are you using your platform to bring awareness to gun violence victims within the Black community? Maybe you want to bring awareness to more opportunities for Black girls who want to study STEM. Whatever your message is, you want to make sure you find the people you want to connect with.
Take Advantage of Social Media
Nowadays, social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and SnapChat have been great hosts for celebrities and social activists all across the world. In fact, YouTube has a whole community of Black Youtubers creating content and partnering with each other to reach the masses. Let’s not forget how quickly the Black Lives Matter Movement caught on after launching its hashtag and social media accounts. Word of something that people care about will spread quickly.
Create A Website
Thanks to the internet, now anyone can create and design their own web pages. Having a website can direct people to a hub where they can find more information on events, meetings, and important dates, to look out for. Sites like Wix, Squarespace, Blogger, and more all have free templates and domains for anyone to use.
Be Consistent
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you are consistent. Strive to make a real difference by setting your goals high and contacting local businesses, government officials, police departments, and more. Stay persistent and don’t give up!
Header image: Bruce Mars/ Pexels