Black Women Activists and Writers to Follow on Twitter
Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash
The life of activism is tough.
It’s not an easy world to jump into. Especially when you realize that EVERYTHING involves politics and activism. Discrimination and micro-aggressions show up in every aspect of life. They shows up on our streets, social media, and TV screens. Staying informed and speaking out can be very overwhelming, and if you’re not only worrying about yourself and your family, but also persecuted minorities or the environment, it’s also very depressing.
But it doesn’t have to be.
My own ascent into activism was pretty complex. It started when my sorority sisters in college put me on to the importance of activism and staying informed on international, national, state, and local scales. As I entered the real world, I continued to volunteer and take part in necessary political discussions. But, when paired with my depression and anxiety, it proved to be difficult. Most news stories I heard would both explicitly and subtly engage with racism, sexism, xenophobia, or all of the above— which in turn, did no good to my mental state.
The Solution? Black Women on Twitter.
For me, the best way to stay informed about politics while also staying sane lies within a specific group: the Black women activists of Twitter. Part of it is the fact that as a Black woman, it always feels better to talk to fellow black women. There are certain experiences that only happen to black women, and hearing other people talk about it keeps me from feeling that I’m alone. (Hello, the point of social media as a whole.)
My favorite part of following these women is that the bad news is delivered with a bit of hope. It’s not the same as reading a stoic headline or watching the measured words (or ranting) of a politician. Instead, these women say, “This is happening, it’s disgusting,” and I know I’m not alone in my thinking. These women let me know I’m not alone in having to deal with the past few tumultuous years. And I want to thank them for that.
So, here are a few women whose Twitter feeds help me stay informed, and let me know that I’m not alone.
Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti)
Brittany Packnett is an activist, writer, and co-host of the podcast Pod Save the People. She came into the spotlight for her activism in during the Ferguson riots in 2014, and then went on to work on President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. I always enjoy hearing her take on issues, since she approaches everything from a place of intelligence and compassion. Also, she makes sure to highlight moments of black girl magic and solidarity. If you like her feed, be sure to check out her TED Talk about confidence, which has over two million views.
Nikole Hannah-Jones (@nhannahjones)
Nikole Hannah-Jones is a civil rights reporter for the New York Times. She recently curated the 1619 Project, an issue of New York Times Magazine that features articles, poems, stories, and opinion essays about the 400-year anniversary of the first slaves arriving in the United States. Follow her feed if you want to see tough issues discussed clearly and frankly. Plus, if you like the 1619 Project, you can follow her feed to stay updated about future articles.
Jemele Hill (@jemelehill)
Jemele Hill is a sports columnist and host of the podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered. Her commentary on politics in entertainment and sports is fascinating because she sees it from the inside, and she usually brings up a different angle than I’ve read everywhere else. Plus she’s hilarious! If you like her feed, be sure to check out her podcast. Less politics there but her episodes on Marsai Martin and Robin Thede are excellent.
Charlene Carruthers (@CharleneCac)
Charlene Carruthers is an activist in Chicago and author of the book Unapolegetic: A Black, Queer and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements. I love her feed because her threads come out as conversations with her followers, and they make me feel connected to the topics she’s discussing immediately. Plus she uses Twitter as a sounding board for topics that you read and you’re immediately fascinated. Basically I want her to be my politics friend.
