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[variousstudentthoughts]

Social media has created entirely new spaces for discussing race, gender, and politics, but these spaces are shaped by both empowerment and conflict. This week’s materials emphasized how communities like Black Twitter and Latino Twitter generate cultural conversations, challenge biased narratives, and draw mainstream media attention to issues that might otherwise be ignored. At the same time, the readings on trolling and online harassment show how these same platforms can become hostile, especially for women and marginalized groups. The Stanford research reminded us that trolling is not limited to “bad people” — any user can slip into harmful behavior depending on context, mood, and online norms.

Together, these readings reveal how social media can both amplify marginalized voices and expose them to disproportionate harassment. Understanding this tension is essential for analyzing digital politics: the same tools that empower activism (#BLM, #MeToo) can also enable abuse. Social media is not separate from real life; its effects on public discourse and civic engagement are real, tangible, and impactful.

[variousstudentthoughts]

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

A quick introduction to Black Twitter, one of the most influential digital communities shaping discussions about race, justice, and culture. As we learned in this week’s readings, these conversations aren’t isolated memes — they shape public opinion, influence journalism, and drive national awareness around racial issues.

[variousstudentthoughts]

This image reflects how racial justice conversations move through social media spaces, especially on Black Twitter. Communities use hashtags, memes, and collective storytelling to call out racism, hold media accountable, and mobilize political action. As the Knight Foundation notes, these digital networks influence which stories gain national attention — showing that social platforms aren’t just social spaces, but political arenas.

[variousstudentthoughts]

Intersectionality is not just about identity; it is also a lens through which we can analyze power.

— Merrill Perlman, The Origin of the Word ‘Intersectionality’, CJR (2018)

[variousstudentthoughts]

Social media activism has reshaped how communities organize around issues of race, gender, and politics. This Pew Research study shows how platforms like Twitter and Facebook amplify marginalized voices and help movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo gain momentum. It highlights why digital spaces matter for collective action and why online participation often translates into real-world political engagement.