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Black Twitter @Renegade
By Mena Sawyer Twitter has always been a popular social media app. It’s home to the latest trending news, celebrity gossip, popular hashtags, memes and so much more. In more recent years, Twitter has become a safe haven for Black youth. A place where we can vent, connect and laugh with people, and uplift people and has been coined the name, “Black Twitter.” Black Twitter has done so much for the Black community including helping expand businesses, opening dialogues for much needed conversations, and even becoming a platform for activism. #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, #SudanRevolution, and #PRIDE are just a few trending hashtags that were fueled by activism that took over the Black Twitter timeline. This past summer, almost every active member of Black Twitter had a blue profile picture to raise awareness for the revolution in Sudan. That’s just one example of the unifying spirit of Black Twitter. So much emotional support is provided in Black Twitter. People promote their businesses, give and receive donations, and share music. Lil Nas X became a Twitter sensation after dropping multiple variations of the record-breaking single, “Old Town Road,” and the adversity that he faced helped shine a spotlight on Black musicians trying to find a place on the country charts. He was also able to use his platform on Twitter to come out and be an advocate for queer rights. Another Black Twitter success story comes from Kelvin Peña, aka Brother Nature. He gained recognition and attention online for his videos interacting with animals. From there, he began using his influence to begin nature reserve initiatives and now encourage others to do their part to help out the environment. Black Twitter is so powerful that even corporate America sometimes engages and reaps benefits from it. Popeyes gained so much press and attention after dropping their new spicy chicken sandwich. There was an entire Twitter war between Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A that started amongst the Black Twitter dwellers, and the two corporations took notice and used it to their advantage. So many memes came about as a result which is what usually happens when things start trending on twitter. Twitter memes are great, but they’re not just funny pictures or videos. They are mediums of relatability. The memes that are the most popular are the ones we can relate to the most. As Black people, we are all diverse and different in so many ways, yet there are many instances when our cultures and experiences diverge. Black Twitter creates a discourse and community for all of us to relate and celebrate our differences and similarities. It allows us to shed light on our triumphs and struggles through jokes and memes. The best way to unify people is to get them to start laughing and that’s exactly what Black Twitter does. It’s the reason I log on every day. 4:12 PM · Nov 22, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone 163 Retweets
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Renegade Magazine Fall '19 Issue.indd 15
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