The Complicated Truth About Blackout Tuesday and Hashtag Activism

I shared a black image on social media. I deliberately avoided a specific hashtag, but perhaps it was still the wrong thing to do. It has been hard to know how best to support those who are the ongoing victims of racial profiling and violence. Should we go dark or break our silence on social media? Or both? My own reaction was to look at myself. Am I doing all I could be doing to reduce bias in the world? Am I using my voice as powerfully as I can, and am I giving enough of a platform to those who lack the same opportunities that I have? Do I have a blind spot?

These aren't easy questions to ask and it's even harder to grade yourself. But I do know how I answer them in any other situation in my life. By choosing to be open-minded, learning more and finding a way to take a stand that makes sense for me. So I started by reinvesting my time in reading (including the excellent writing of Damon Young) and I put together a list of some of the most powerful books I have read (and several that I aspire to read) on the topics of diversity, race and bias.

I am also committing myself to work harder as the founder of a publishing company to seek out under-represented voices and offer them a platform to share their stories with the world through publishing deals. I'm not sure it's enough. But it is a start. And I do know that it is better than the forgettable hashtag activism of posting a black square on social media to feel good about myself and going on with my day.