Major media companies are showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement on social media.
With the protests around the country demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and many more Black people killed by police officers, more and more people are coming out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and against standing in solidarity against white supremacy. It’s even gotten to the point where major media companies and corporations are showing their support by posting messages on social media.
Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon, Disney, and many others have shared messages on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram taking a stand against racism and police brutality.
To be silent is to be complicit.
— Netflix (@netflix) May 30, 2020
Black lives matter.
We have a platform, and we have a duty to our Black members, employees, creators and talent to speak up.
But major media and streaming services are not the only ones to speak out; social media platforms showed their support as well. Twitter and Instagram both changed their logos. Twitter also included #blacklivesmatter in its bio, while Instagram change its header on Facebook to read #shareblackstories.
Even YouTube, which isn’t always known for its politically correct videos, made a statement on its Twitter page and has pledged to donate one million dollars “to address social injustice.”
We stand in solidarity against racism and violence. When members of our community hurt, we all hurt. We’re pledging $1M in support of efforts to address social injustice.
— YouTube (@YouTube) May 30, 2020
Warner Bros. also put out a message on all the social media accounts of its movies. Chances are, if you were on the internet yesterday, you saw the message. It was on the social media pages for everything from The Lord of the Rings to Blazing Saddles to The Notebook. It was almost impossible to miss.
“Somebody has to stand when others are sitting. Somebody has to speak when others are quiet.” – Bryan Stevenson
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) May 31, 2020
We stand with our Black colleagues, talent, storytellers and fans – and all affected by senseless violence. Your voices matter, your messages matter. #BlackLivesMatter
But with the messages, there have been questions about whether these giant companies are doing enough. They are multi-million dollar corporations, and yet only YouTube has pledged to donate any money at all.
Netflix has repeatedly said how much it supports and works toward more diversity and inclusivity. So are these organizations putting their money where their mouths are? As of now, they’ve yet to announce any real action beyond their statements.
If you’d like to take action or donate yourself, there are a ton of places you can support. Here are a few that are working to help the protesters and the Black community:
- Minnesota Freedom Fund: Donations go to getting protesters in Minnesota out of jail when the police arrest them and work to end mass incarceration.
- National Bail Fund Network: They also work to pay for protesters’ bails. There’s a specific fund for most states, so your money can make a difference locally.
- Black Visions Collective: Black Visions Collective is Minneapolis-based organization, and they focus on specifically helping Black queer and trans people. They work to stop violence, connect the Black community, and support Black leadership.
What are you doing to make a difference? How are you supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and demanding justice? Let us know in the comments below!