so let’s start in 2014 that year in the span of four months American police
span of four months American police
span of four months American police officers murdered unarmed Eric Gardner
officers murdered unarmed Eric Gardner
officers murdered unarmed Eric Gardner in New York unarmed Michael Brown in
in New York unarmed Michael Brown in
in New York unarmed Michael Brown in Ferguson and 12 year old Tamir rice in
Ferguson and 12 year old Tamir rice in
Ferguson and 12 year old Tamir rice in Cleveland and as a result I like many
Cleveland and as a result I like many
Cleveland and as a result I like many around the world looked for ways to
around the world looked for ways to
around the world looked for ways to collectively and productively respond to
collectively and productively respond to
collectively and productively respond to the in justices that we had seen and one
the in justices that we had seen and one
the in justices that we had seen and one popular mechanism became to utilize
popular mechanism became to utilize
popular mechanism became to utilize Twitter the social media platform that
Twitter the social media platform that
Twitter the social media platform that for years had been used by many black
for years had been used by many black
for years had been used by many black activists and black users of the
activists and black users of the
activists and black users of the platform and the viability of Twitter as
platform and the viability of Twitter as
platform and the viability of Twitter as this response mechanism was seen in the
this response mechanism was seen in the
this response mechanism was seen in the aftermath of the brown Durant Gardner
aftermath of the brown Durant Gardner
aftermath of the brown Durant Gardner murders when the hashtag black lives
murders when the hashtag black lives
murders when the hashtag black lives matter erupted amongst twitter becoming
matter erupted amongst twitter becoming
matter erupted amongst twitter becoming one of the most popular hashtags tweeted
one of the most popular hashtags tweeted
one of the most popular hashtags tweeted of 2014 and for those unaware a hashtag
of 2014 and for those unaware a hashtag
of 2014 and for those unaware a hashtag is simply a way for users on Twitter to
is simply a way for users on Twitter to
is simply a way for users on Twitter to key into conversations and engage in
key into conversations and engage in
key into conversations and engage in conversations with other users on the
conversations with other users on the
conversations with other users on the platform and ever since 2014 the hashtag
platform and ever since 2014 the hashtag
platform and ever since 2014 the hashtag black lives matter has become a rallying
black lives matter has become a rallying
black lives matter has become a rallying cry of source for this new online
cry of source for this new online
cry of source for this new online generations black liberation movement I
generations black liberation movement I
generations black liberation movement I follow black activism on Twitter since
follow black activism on Twitter since
follow black activism on Twitter since around the spring of 2015 and since I’ve
around the spring of 2015 and since I’ve
around the spring of 2015 and since I’ve observed three reasons for the
observed three reasons for the
observed three reasons for the platform’s effectiveness in black
platform’s effectiveness in black
platform’s effectiveness in black activism Jews number one is protest
activism Jews number one is protest
activism Jews number one is protest powered black activists on Twitter have
powered black activists on Twitter have
powered black activists on Twitter have utilized the platform as a megaphone for
utilized the platform as a megaphone for
utilized the platform as a megaphone for their protest messages look no further
their protest messages look no further
their protest messages look no further than the hashtag black lives matter as a
than the hashtag black lives matter as a
than the hashtag black lives matter as a prime example additionally black
prime example additionally black
prime example additionally black activists are utilizing the platform’s
activists are utilizing the platform’s
activists are utilizing the platform’s protest power to cause real change in
protest power to cause real change in
protest power to cause real change in the streets and in live time for example
the streets and in live time for example
the streets and in live time for example we have we saw in 2014 when uprisings
we have we saw in 2014 when uprisings
we have we saw in 2014 when uprisings erupted in Ferguson after the Michael
erupted in Ferguson after the Michael
erupted in Ferguson after the Michael Brown murder black activists and users
Brown murder black activists and users
Brown murder black activists and users took to the streets of Ferguson to tweet
took to the streets of Ferguson to tweet
took to the streets of Ferguson to tweet live pictures video commentary straight
live pictures video commentary straight
live pictures video commentary straight from the heart of the protests and
from the heart of the protests and
from the heart of the protests and suddenly their voices became the
suddenly their voices became the
suddenly their voices became the dominant news source on the ferguson
dominant news source on the ferguson
dominant news source on the ferguson uprisings they became an empowered unit
uprisings they became an empowered unit
uprisings they became an empowered unit to speak about the protests that they
to speak about the protests that they
to speak about the protests that they were engaging in Twitter as the
were engaging in Twitter as the
were engaging in Twitter as the in platforms was able to provide a
in platforms was able to provide a
in platforms was able to provide a vehicle for those protests to exist
vehicle for those protests to exist
vehicle for those protests to exist additionally number two is educational
additionally number two is educational
additionally number two is educational opportunities black activists on Twitter
opportunities black activists on Twitter
opportunities black activists on Twitter have a wide range of opportunities to
have a wide range of opportunities to
have a wide range of opportunities to teach and spread knowledge we see this
teach and spread knowledge we see this
teach and spread knowledge we see this in examples like topics ranging from
in examples like topics ranging from
in examples like topics ranging from black women in politics or a hyper
black women in politics or a hyper
black women in politics or a hyper masculinity in the black male community
masculinity in the black male community
masculinity in the black male community or revolutionary black leaders of the
or revolutionary black leaders of the
or revolutionary black leaders of the past and much more right and black
past and much more right and black
past and much more right and black activists and black intellect on Twitter
activists and black intellect on Twitter
activists and black intellect on Twitter are using these topics and teaching them
are using these topics and teaching them
are using these topics and teaching them and it inherently serves as another a
and it inherently serves as another a
and it inherently serves as another a form of protests because these are often
form of protests because these are often
form of protests because these are often topics that go under discussed or
topics that go under discussed or
topics that go under discussed or flat-out ignored in our societies other
flat-out ignored in our societies other
flat-out ignored in our societies other educational spaces and so I’ve learned
educational spaces and so I’ve learned
educational spaces and so I’ve learned so much from black activists and
so much from black activists and
so much from black activists and intellects on Twitter because I’ve had
intellects on Twitter because I’ve had
intellects on Twitter because I’ve had an opportunity to engage in a wide range
an opportunity to engage in a wide range
an opportunity to engage in a wide range of perspectives as well as challenge
of perspectives as well as challenge
of perspectives as well as challenge myself to learn a wide range of ideas
myself to learn a wide range of ideas
myself to learn a wide range of ideas this again is another example of black
this again is another example of black
this again is another example of black activism effectiveness number three is
activism effectiveness number three is
activism effectiveness number three is the unavoidable undeniable influence and
the unavoidable undeniable influence and
the unavoidable undeniable influence and impact of black activists and black
impact of black activists and black
impact of black activists and black users on the platform of Twitter black
users on the platform of Twitter black
users on the platform of Twitter black activists have become crucial talking
activists have become crucial talking
activists have become crucial talking points in society as well as black
points in society as well as black
points in society as well as black hashtags right nowhere you can go in our
hashtags right nowhere you can go in our
hashtags right nowhere you can go in our society today is devoid of mention of
society today is devoid of mention of
society today is devoid of mention of black lives matter or black issues that
black lives matter or black issues that
black lives matter or black issues that have been raised largely because of the
have been raised largely because of the
have been raised largely because of the visibility of black activism on Twitter
visibility of black activism on Twitter
visibility of black activism on Twitter for example in 2016 and the presidential
for example in 2016 and the presidential
for example in 2016 and the presidential election campaign we saw a presidential
election campaign we saw a presidential
election campaign we saw a presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sit down with
candidate Hillary Clinton sit down with
candidate Hillary Clinton sit down with some of the black lives matter activists
some of the black lives matter activists
some of the black lives matter activists to discuss a range of black issues some
to discuss a range of black issues some
to discuss a range of black issues some of the same activists who in 2014 were
of the same activists who in 2014 were
of the same activists who in 2014 were live tweeting video and pictures from
live tweeting video and pictures from
live tweeting video and pictures from the streets of Ferguson so think about
the streets of Ferguson so think about
the streets of Ferguson so think about that ascension as well additionally
that ascension as well additionally
that ascension as well additionally we’ve seen international acceptance and
we’ve seen international acceptance and
we’ve seen international acceptance and embrace of black activism on Twitter we
embrace of black activism on Twitter we
embrace of black activism on Twitter we saw protests of black lives matter erupt
saw protests of black lives matter erupt
saw protests of black lives matter erupt in Canada South Africa all across Europe
in Canada South Africa all across Europe
in Canada South Africa all across Europe and this international acceptance of the
and this international acceptance of the
and this international acceptance of the black lives matter movement is extremely
black lives matter movement is extremely
black lives matter movement is extremely important to understand why it’s so
important to understand why it’s so
important to understand why it’s so effective but let’s take a step back
effective but let’s take a step back
effective but let’s take a step back because the the impact of black activism
because the the impact of black activism
because the the impact of black activism on Twitter is clearly something that has
on Twitter is clearly something that has
on Twitter is clearly something that has become a new sort of phase over the last
become a new sort of phase over the last
become a new sort of phase over the last few years but at the same time
few years but at the same time
few years but at the same time who could have imagined that in 2014
who could have imagined that in 2014
who could have imagined that in 2014 black activists tweeting from the
black activists tweeting from the
black activists tweeting from the streets of Ferguson and me reacting all
streets of Ferguson and me reacting all
streets of Ferguson and me reacting all the way in New Jersey could suddenly in
the way in New Jersey could suddenly in
the way in New Jersey could suddenly in two years see those same black activists
two years see those same black activists
two years see those same black activists meeting with presidential candidates and
meeting with presidential candidates and
meeting with presidential candidates and having their ideas represented on an
having their ideas represented on an
having their ideas represented on an international scale and so that’s kind
international scale and so that’s kind
international scale and so that’s kind of why it’s so important for me because
of why it’s so important for me because
of why it’s so important for me because black activism on the platform of
black activism on the platform of
black activism on the platform of Twitter has become a crucial idea in our
Twitter has become a crucial idea in our
Twitter has become a crucial idea in our society and that’s why it’s important to
society and that’s why it’s important to
society and that’s why it’s important to understand and engage in his future
understand and engage in his future
understand and engage in his future black activism has often been suppressed
black activism has often been suppressed
black activism has often been suppressed and silenced by America historically but
and silenced by America historically but
and silenced by America historically but now black activists through a platform
now black activists through a platform
now black activists through a platform like Twitter are centralizing their
like Twitter are centralizing their
like Twitter are centralizing their voices empowering their perspectives and
voices empowering their perspectives and
voices empowering their perspectives and changing the narrative on a daily basis
changing the narrative on a daily basis
changing the narrative on a daily basis right and so personally I’ve also seen
right and so personally I’ve also seen
right and so personally I’ve also seen the impact of black activism I’ve
the impact of black activism I’ve
the impact of black activism I’ve learned so much over the last few years
learned so much over the last few years
learned so much over the last few years about myself and my identity my status
about myself and my identity my status
about myself and my identity my status in America as a young black man growing
in America as a young black man growing
in America as a young black man growing up in this country my perspectives on
up in this country my perspectives on
up in this country my perspectives on ideas relating to my community I’ve
ideas relating to my community I’ve
ideas relating to my community I’ve learned so much about my history because
learned so much about my history because
learned so much about my history because of black activism on Twitter and black
of black activism on Twitter and black
of black activism on Twitter and black users utilizing the platform and in
users utilizing the platform and in
users utilizing the platform and in general this is just a place where I’m
general this is just a place where I’m
general this is just a place where I’m able to express my ideas as well as
able to express my ideas as well as
able to express my ideas as well as learn new ones and so undeniably right
learn new ones and so undeniably right
learn new ones and so undeniably right now in this moment black activists
now in this moment black activists
now in this moment black activists around the world
around the world
around the world and here in America are leaving an
and here in America are leaving an
and here in America are leaving an undeniable influence and impact on our
undeniable influence and impact on our
undeniable influence and impact on our society on our generation and on our
society on our generation and on our
society on our generation and on our future thank you
future thank you
future thank you [Applause]
”
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