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TIMES HAVE CHANGED AND NEWS AND INFORMATION CHANGES RAPIDLY.
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YOUNG PEOPLE ARE WHAT KEEPS THE MOVEMENT SO LIVELY.
SCAN: What are the pros and cons of these technologies?
resources for activists like myself. These tools are
Nowadays my generation, we are known as and
Black Lives Matter Atlanta: The pros of using social
responsible for sharing groundbreaking news stories,
sometimes referred to as the Joshua Generation, which
media is it’s a direct and instant in-your-face resource
current events and those stories mainstream media don’t
simply means we are ready to claim the promised land.
to get the word out and sound the alarm. In today’s
care to inform the public.
Groups such as Black Lives Matter, Fight For $15 and black student organizations ... we are the influential
world we all have camera phones. If you see something you believe is wrong or immoral you can easily whip
When utilizing social media, hashtags are vital to
ones who are fed up with politics, failed leaders, racism
out your smartphone and capture the moment and
further spreading our messages, which makes them
and white supremacy. We will lead massive impactful
with social media you make that video viral. The con
more direct and personal. It allows those who are
protests and shut downs. We aren’t politically correct
is that sometimes you can be jammed up in the court
interested in a certain topic or subject matter to locate
and don’t mind standing up to our oppressors or
of opinion. Often times what is captured on video can
and investigate your story. In terms of hacktivism, it
those who wronged up. Young people are what keeps
look bad because no one ever knows what happened
isn’t anything we support. It’s illegal. Not every activist
the movement so lively. They add a personal touch
leading up to the event, or if you have video of a protest
goes about things in effective ways.
to everything which makes direct actions much more intriguing. People seem to listen more to the youth.
or a direct action, someone’s reckless behavior may be caught on film exposing their face or identification, that
SCAN: Are young people more involved in activism
There was a time when it wasn’t normal for a child to
video can be later used to prosecute that accused.
nowadays, and if so, what are the different ways in
speak and represent themselves. Nowaday’s children are
which they contribute?
forced to defend and take care of themselves, because
BLMA: Activism used to be ran by our elders, they
of our poor leadership and because in some cases our
lead movements and direct actions. When you think of
parents have failed us.
SCAN: What is the place for things like hacktivism* and hashtivism in modern activism? BLMA: Technology and social media has played an integral role in gathering and disseminating information. Times have changed and news and information changes rapidly. Social media sites like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook and the internet as a whole are the key
protesting or boycotting your brain typically thinks of grandparents or civil right icons like Martin Luther King
It looks like the power of youth and their digital tools
Jr., John Lewis etc. They were non-violent and diplomatic
have been able to bring about positive changes in the
asking for justice and quality.
world. Just remember that a tool is only as strong as the person wielding it. *hacktivism is the act of hacking, or breaking into a computer system, for a politically or socially motivated purpose.
SCAN MAGAZINE // FALL 2016
