We are in the midst of one of the largest civil rights movements in American history. Gen Z played a large role in creating that movement, and social media has been our handiest tool. 

America is a large and complex country, and that unfortunately comes with many problems. At the forefront of the current movement, we see Black Lives Matter activists, advocates for the LGBT+ community, and rallying calls to end the crisis at the border. But, these just scratch the surface of the social problems we have in the US. That’s why, despite its fast pace, the constant stream of new issues on our feed is essential to the success of these movements. 

Of course, when you see 10 different posts, one after the other on your social media timeline, you aren’t expected to fully grasp the weight of all of them at once. But, this rapid spreading serves another purpose. By exposing people to more issues, we increase the chance of them finding ones they are passionate about. Social media activism has helped me find the issues I am most interested in and passionate about. I took those topics, did my own research, and developed my own stance in support of the issues. 

Not everyone is an activist. It definitely takes a lot more than sharing posts to be an activist. But simply being aware of these issues, even if your understanding is minimal, leaves us a whole lot better off than if we didn’t know the issues existed at all. Making an effort to care about those affected, some of whom may even be your peers, is an important part of being a good member of society. 

Without social media, there is no doubt that the marches wouldn’t have been as big, the petitions wouldn’t have as many signatures, and many more gofundme’s would have missed their goals. The way in which we can spread information rapidly to millions of people on the internet is something newly unique, and we should take full advantage of it.