The Black Lives Matter movement may be newer in founding, but it’s name and message has spread far and wide in recent years. The movement sets out to help combat and racism against the Black community of America and the entire world. Their banner of Black Lives Matter can be seen sprawled across the internet and even in person in many current areas. Let’s see what the Black Lives Matter movement is all about and what they hope to do.
Founding
Despite its large physical presence today, BLM was founded by a simple online message that spread like wildfire. The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag was first used on Facebook and eventually found itself to be the message that would create and entire organization and movement. The three women behind the movement are Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi. These three women formed the BLM movement after the shooting of Trayvon Martin who was a Black teenager shot while unarmed when walking to a friends house. After this event transpired in 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement continued to see unprecedented growth and support from around the world.
The Mission
Black Lives Matter is a movement that hopes to tear down many systemic issues facing the Black community. In particular, the movement wants to put an end to police brutality towards the Black community. The unjust killing of Black citizens is at the heart of the BLM mission and is something they are always fighting hard to uphold. In addition, the movement has also shed a light on certain systemic issues that plague both Black women and transgender members of the Black community.
The movement was founded originally online to spread awareness and has since grown to a large force that is able to spread a powerful message. BLM is at the ready to defend those who are most oppressed and do what they can to make sure justice is received for the many Black people who have fallen victim to police brutality.
Expansion
After being based entirely online through social media platforms like Facebook, the founders of BLM realized there was more potential for outreach. They wanted their platform to make real change and realized that further spreading their message was the best way to do that. Ever since, Black Lives Matter supporters have been spreading the message across virtually every social media platform and have even created physical embodiments of the movement.
After the death of several unarmed Black citizens between 2013 and now, there have been constant calls to action by the movement to say enough is enough. There have been more and more people on board with the message every time an innocent person is killed as the supporters of BLM increase every day. With more expansion to reach new members and to help communities, the movement is expanding rapidly every day.
Spreading the Message
To spread their message, Black Lives Matter utilizes a wide array of platforms that are able to help them spread a message and raise awareness. Starting with their roots, the interconnectedness of social media and everyday issues has made it easy to integrate the BLM movement within the digital space. Thousands if not millions of people post and hashtag messages of support and encouragement for the BLM movement and message.
Whenever a black person has been killed by police without any justifiable reason, there will often be a Black Lives Matter protest that follows. The3se protests started back in 2014 and have gotten more frequent and powerful every year since then. Many passionate people march in solidarity with one another to show that this issues of police brutality will not be ignored.
Many current trends in the movement call for substantial police reform after the broadcasted death of George Floyd that shocked the entire world. Massive protests and even riots have broken out in an outcry for justice and change in the country. Much of the public opinion has been turned to support the BLM movement in ever increasing numbers as the death of George Floyd seemed to act as the catalyst for an immense reaction.
Newly Developed Importance
After the Death of multiple Black people and most recently George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, BLM acts as the central platform from where action and justice is stemming from. During a time when the nation is already unstable, BLM has met a large amount of resistance as many people are manipulating the movement for their own personal gain.
Recent robberies and looting across the country have been brandished with the BLM name when the reality is nobody who really supported the movement was involved. Trying to keep a movement with the intent for good focused on one issue that needs to be solved is something the entire BLM movement is still figuring out how to navigate.
Continuous Goal Setting
One goal that has always been at the heart of the movement is the need to bring attention to systematic inequalities that Black citizens are forced to deal with. The power of the movement is steadily growing, and they use this leverage to make really political reform and demands for action that are starting to get heard.
Many of the recent goals of the BLM movement have been centered around the idea of police reform and doing away with policing systems that specifically target minorities. The BLM movement wants its members to vote and help create a better future for everyone, so their job seems like it will never really be done.
Key Takeaways
The Black Lives Matter movement started as a simple hashtag during a time of injustice and has grown exponentially into what we see it as today. The many people who support and stand by the movement come from all walks of life and just want to see justice and equality for those who need it most. As injustice continues to occur and voices need to be heard, the BLM movement will be there to help inspire change.