Can Social Media Activism Actually Work?

When a disabled fan was not allowed to board a flight to see Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour with his wheelchair, the Beyhive sprung into action to get him to a new tour date. But was online organizing enough to make change? Disability activists Jon Hetherington and Keah Brown share disability justice history, and how logging on to social media can be a first step toward making the IRL world more accessible.

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Citizen Better follows KJ Kearney as he finds the ‘informal’ ways to be civically engaged in everyday life so that viewers can feel empowered to make a meaningful impact on the reg rather than just on election days. Like shoes, one size does not fit all. By “trying on” various types of informal civic engagement, KJ will find what pairs suit him to make a footprint in our democracy.

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[dragonflies]

As a disabled person, one really important thing about the internet for me was gaining access to education and empowerment. I wouldn't be able to advocate for myself in person, at my university, in healthcare settings, if I didn't have the education and empowerment from what other disabled people have made available online. I'm not even sure I would identify as disabled, or if I would have the wheelchair I need.

[Caterfree]

Like a lot of new technological advances, online activism is nuanced. It can do a lot of good, as demonstrated in this video. Nerdfighteria has also done quite a bit themselves. Yes, there are downsides, especially as emails and online petitions are easily ignored, but it’s a good jumping off point for a lot of people imo.

I think the actual problems can come when people conflate activism with other arenas, like how entirely too much fandom discourse likes to wrap itself up in progressivism while promoting conservative ideas of art censorship. But that’s a whole other kettle of fish.

[robinhahnsopran]

Hi! I'm an online disability activist, focusing on disability accessibility in the arts in my videos on YouTube and on Instagram. I love Keah Brown's work - so glad to see her here! ✨ Not only does online activism work for disabled folks, as online spaces are still some of the most accessible to us, it also helps us build community, when the ableism we face often separates us and keeps up apart from that community. Becoming disabled in and of itself can be so incredibly isolating, and the community we build online speaking about our experiences and pushing for accessibility and change has likely saved many lives - not just because of the change it has already affected, but also because folks have found out through that work that they are, in fact, not alone after all.

Thank you for validating and spotlighting the work of disabled activists and elders who have come before us, and illuminating that valid ways we're pursuing towards an even more accessible future.

[Lohengrin]

Thank you for sharing the actions of disabled activists, and how important our work is!!

[AroundTheBlockAgain]

Thank you for reiterating that what changes the world is GETTING ORGANIZED.
Doomscrolling a tragedy online isn't activism.
Spreading awareness in a general sense online can help. Organizing community knowledge & strategies with a group you trust is what prepares the world for change. Talking to people you personally know about issues that are important to you is often what opens up people's minds. Talking to your politicians, voting, and making donations if you can, all make bigger differences than people realize. And if you have mail-in voting, you can do all of that from home.

Some of us have no choice but to do this from home, if being in public is not safe for us.
Looking at you, all the people out there walking around in public without masks. During a pandemic that has disabled millions of people in the USA in addition to its death toll. Telling me "maybe you should just never leave the house, if you have such risk factors for covid, because I have no intention to make accommodations that would make being in public safer for you." A lot of this ableism hasn't changed one bit. We can see exactly how much you care about disabled people.

[NUFAN]

The disappointment in his eyes when he said he wasn't going to be able to see Beyonce made me cry. I'm so damn tired of these airline deciding who gets to be treated like a person. I hope he gets to see ALL the Beyonce concerts his heart desires. 😊

[aprildawnsunshine]

Saw a great video recently about how ablism is at the core of all discrimination. It's so true, it's always "you're (insert marginalized group) therefore you're less able, therefore you are less than human" and far too much advocacy focuses on proving they're not less able instead of the fact that ability doesn't determine a person's humanity. You can tell me all day ling how you don't think I'm worthless, but meanwhile my labor is literally worth less than yours because it takes me longer to do the same things. If an able bodied person cared for my body's needs they'd deserve a living wage, so why when I do it do I get told off for being "lazy" and "a burden" and offered a maximum of $800/mo from my government in the richest nation on earth?

[brandonyohn]

I don't know why, but it took 3 times of seeing this video's thumbnail in my sub feed for me to realize that it wasn't an ad.

[PogieJoe]

Great episode! Love hearing about disability advocates

[sillybillybear]

Thank you for representing disability advocates! I follow Keah Brown and am happy she is being represented here.

[mascadadelpantion]

Activism is a tool. And just like any other tool, you need to refine it and use it correctly. then you can work magical wonders

JUST LIKE ANY OTHER

[MickiFroGrness]

My partner is disabled and looking at this video she'd more light and appreciation for the things that individuals and the ADA fought and fight for 💪🏿

[Sad_bumper_sticker.]

There are so many YouTube channels and facebook pages created by members of minority groups to educate both other members of the same minorities and allies about current social causes, either as small teams or individuals they take on work which activist journalists also do/should be doing. Those channels / pages are having views in the hundreds of thousands and have created their own community of supporters and allies and videos allow for meaningful important discussions in the chat, while formal official minority or disability group representing NGO organization's content on their own social media or on their own websites reaches less people and has less traction and allows for less engagement. So social media are invaluable activism praxis hubs.

[skyllalafey]

May we all have a fraction of the necessary ferocity of that child in the clip ("I'll take all night if I have to!") when it comes to promoting causes that fight for equality of all people.

[RebelwheelsNYCShow]

hey! good to see some disability-related content! finally <3

[Peace_And_Love]

What I heard: follow and amplify the voices of those being discriminated against. #SignalBoosting is a better use of my social media posts when I'm not being directly affected.

[jessacloudx]

I wish his shirt said “byte” instead of “bite” because of the social media topic 💻

[jadedoptimist]

Anyone who attempted to warn others about the jab were heavily censored. It's to late now.

[episdosas]

it can help. but real life is not online. community is in person. cant live in a box all day. its a tool just like a newspaper. even for disabled people, we all need to get outside, fresh air, sunlight. thats nature.