Dylan Manderlink | On 09, Apr 2015
From my personal and professional experience concerning social advocacy, activism, nonprofit work and social justice, I’ve noticed that many people are skeptical and quick to judge when it comes to using social media for “social good.
”Often (but not always) when I’ve discussed promoting causes, raising awareness of social and environmental justice issues and recruiting advocates or volunteers through social media outlets and other online programs, I’ve been met with hesitancy and cynicism.
The first thought people jump to when they hear social media, technology and activism together is slacktivism. Because our generation notably contains 20-somethings who are some of the most tech- savvy, technologically up-to-date and skilled in social media, we’ve recently been under fire for the way in which we use the technology made available to us. Our frequent social media use has been attributed to laziness, superficiality and over-consumption of the internet and media. However, the overwhelming majority of 20-somethings I have met, worked alongside, volunteered with and befriended do not prove those associations to be true. In fact, I would argue that the social media and technology use I’ve seen is incredibly effective, informative, inventive and motivating.
Despite our generation often being associated with slacktivism and online advocacy that is convenient and fast, I strongly believe that millennials are crafting a new kind of social media use.
Since becoming a more active and regular blogger for several organizations focused around feminism, social justice, volunteerism, nonprofit work and activism, I have had the pleasure to connect with, learn from and exchange ideas with passionate and strong-willed activists. The way they use social media to promote social change, causes and activism is a testament to their tireless, respectable and earnest efforts outside of the digital world. For this reason, I implore people to realize how our generation of advocates, volunteers, activists and agents of change is actually leveraging technology to raise awareness, foster social change and encourage compassion.What I’ve learned from my personal experience blogging about similar issues is that social media, technology and sharing your writing with the digital world is an incredibly productive and inspiring way to share important information. But we need to remember that our efforts in galvanizing people and communities to care about important issues doesn’t just stop at the click of a mouse. It’s up to us to prove the slacktivism stereotype wrong. As one of the most technologically savvy and skilled generations, it’s our duty to use the digital world to improve our physical world.
One of the reasons I’ve been so eager and persistent to share my writing with organizations, online magazines and blogs is because I have seen how influential the power of sharing personal stories can be. I found that the more I wrote about issues that mattered—both to me, society, pockets of communities and others, the more people shared their personal experiences, passions and concerns about society too. The blogs I contributed (and continue to contribute to) enabled and promoted mutual storytelling and constructive conversations about important issues. I was learning so much about society, diverse communities, issues people face every day and possible productive solutions to societal problems just from exchanging ideas and engaging through social media with passionate activists and community members. In fact, just recently I had a piece published for a popular online magazine for women about my father’s personal struggle with mental illness and addiction. I wrote about how his ten year battle with alcoholism, although difficult for him and my family, helped inform, empower and inspire my activism.
At first, I was apprehensive to have my story published for all to see. I knew this online magazine had a lot of traffic and viewers and there I was, about to share such a personal, intimate and upsetting part of my life with strangers. Within the first few hours of my story being published, I was surprised but humbled to see such public expressions of support, compassion and passion for social advocacy. Not only were people thanking me for sharing my story, but they also seemed motivated by my advocacy efforts and hopeful that change can actually happen (especially if we continue to tell important stories, rally around causes that matter and find positive pathways to enact that change). One person even commented that she was involved in the same international advocacy group and nonprofit I was in middle and high school and would discuss my story at their next meeting.
Although these sparks of change may just be the beginning of something more significant, they still contribute to the fire that is social change and justice. These conversations may exist in the digital world, but they greatly impact our physical one and are inspiring people to take action every day. Blogging about social justice, sharing an informative article via Twitter and making a Facebook status that prompts people to question their privilege and society at large are necessary—even if they’re just baby steps. Getting people talking is just the beginning and our generation knows very well that it doesn’t stop there.
Blogging about the ills that plague our society, issues that impact people’s quality of life and solutions that can lead to social change has the potential to be a catalyst for so much more. Storytelling, education and sharing information is tremendously powerful, inspiring and empowering. The more we leverage social media to tell these important stories, the more we are creating outlets for people to find their voice, promote what’s important to them and tell stories that can impact people’s hearts and minds. That is not slacktivism. Labeling it as such is a disservice to the personal, informative and transformational stories that are shared with the digital world.
One of the most important components of social justice is allowing people closely related to injustices to self-empower, raise their voice and tell their story in hopes of pushing for change. With the internet being one of our main modes of communication, it is important for us to view social media and internet use as megaphones and soapboxes—not just a way to connect with friends, post pictures of the latest trends and edit selfies. We need to trust that social media and blogging have the potential to inspire change, urge people to take action and motivate others to spread awareness and promote solutions to achieve social justice.
Feature Photo via We Heart It