Social Media, Sociocultural Literacy and Universal Social Change in the 21st

Century Era
by: Adelle Melyssa Imoen M. Manatad

Think of a social media application; what comes to mind? If you’re a photographer, you’ll most
likely say Instagram. You’re a filmmaker? Well, you must certainly know about YouTube. Definitely, no
matter who you are and how old you may be, you’re familiar with, or at least, have heard of Facebook.
Regardless of identity, age, status etc., without a doubt, you’ll be able to mention at least one social
media application. This is the power of social media.
Like a cellphone and its charger, social media and society go hand in hand. Ultimately, social media
is society’s response to our inevitable progression towards that of the modern era. In a span of a few
years, we went from town criers to broadcast news, from written letters to online messaging
applications, from magazines to web articles and so on. Particularly, one of the most recent, is one called
social media which according to Investopedia, refers to a computer-based technology that facilitates the
sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information through virtual networks and communities. (Social Media:
Definition, Effects, and List of Top Apps, 2021) Accordingly, alongside this distribution of ideas,
thoughts and information, follows all the interrelated parts that make up society; that is: diverse cultures,
traditions and history; including, of course, each group’s and individual’s personal beliefs and
experiences. In addition, according to Internet World Stats, out of a world population of 7 932 791 734,
an estimate of 5 385 798 406 people or 67.9% have access to an internet connection. (World Internet
Users Statistics and 2023 World Population Stats, n.d.) Both of these factors combined, people are more
liberated than ever to connect with all different kinds of individuals from all around the globe and be
exposed to the different cultures, traditions, history and perspective that each has to offer. This is
especially advantageous to those belonging to misunderstood minority groups as social media then
becomes a platform for them to make their voices heard and enlighten those who are ignorant to their
histories and collective identities, of their realities and their truths. This way, social media plays an
essential role in spreading worldwide sympathy, acknowledgement and thus, universal social change by
means of global sociocultural literacy through extensive, web-based sociocultural edification.

George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was

declared dead in May 2020 after Derek Chauvin, a
white Minneapolis police officer, knelt on Floyd's neck
for more than nine minutes in spite of Floyd's repeated
pleas that he could not breathe. As a result of the
widespread distribution of a bystander's film of Floyd's
final moments, massive protests took place in places all
across the United States and all over the world. (Black
Lives Matter | Definition, Founders, Goals, History, &
Influence, 2022) In the United States alone, it is
estimated that a number of participants ranging from 15
million to 26 million had protested at some point, making it the biggest in American history. (George
Floyd Protests, n.d.)

Furthermore, amidst the tragedy, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, two more
African-Americans who had passed away previously, were also brought to public attention. Arbery was
out on a jog in Glynn County, Georgia in February 2020 when two white males in a truck started to
follow him, thinking that he might have committed a string of break-ins. Arbery was accosted by the
men, who were armed, and during the ensuing battle, Arbery was fatally shot. The month after, Taylor,
an emergency medical technician, was shot multiple times and killed in Louisville, Kentucky during an
unsuccessful police raid at her apartment. Despite originally receiving minimal media attention, after
Floyd’s passing, Arbery and Taylor became the focus of widespread protests as well. (Black Lives
Matter | Definition, Founders, Goals, History, & Influence, 2022)
These people, among others, would serve as the catalysts for what is
to come for Black progress. However, to take it to the very
beginning, we would have to return to the year 2012. Specifically,
February 2012.
In February 2012, an unarmed Black teenager by the name of
Trayvon Martin was shot dead by a white volunteer neighborhood
watch police officer named George Zimmerman. Martin was simply
walking along the streets of Sanford, Florida when Zimmerman,
despite having been advised not to, pursued the 17-year-old,
claiming that he thought the teenage African-American seemed
“suspicious”. The two then got into an altercation, during which the
young man was shot and murdered. Upon the arrival of law
enforcement, despite Martin being unarmed with a can of iced tea
and a bag of candy being the only items that he had with him, Zimmerman alleged that the teen had
assaulted him and that his shots had been fired in self-defense. He was released and remained free for
weeks. As the incident attracted national
exposure, however, protests calling for his
punishment broke out all around the country
where finally, in April 2012, about two months
after the deed of the crime, he was detained and
charged with second-degree murder. More than
a year later, in his defense at his trial,
Zimmerman utilized the contentious Florida rule
known as "stand your ground," and argued that
he had acted in self-defense. His acquittal in
July 2013 was widely regarded as a miscarriage
of justice and sparked further nationwide outcry.
(Black Lives Matter | Definition, Founders,
Goals, History, & Influence, 2022)
 As a response to this injustice,
three Black women and activists:
Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Alicia Garza,
and Opal Tometi co-founded BLM or
the Black Lives Matter movement, an
online movement
that makes use of the convenience of
technology, particularly, of social
media, in bringing about social
change. Using the #BlackLivesMatter
slogan on social media applications,
most notably on Twitter, millions of
African-Americans and allies of
various different races and ethnicities, unite and spread awareness of the myriads of issues regarding
Black identity within society, and the
racism, bigotry and prejudice that follows
alongside being a part of the community,
especially that of white police brutality
towards Black lives. The Black Lives
Matter movement has many objectives. In
particular, BLM activists work hard to
highlight the various ways in which Black
people in society are treated unfairly as well
as how institutions, laws, and policies
contribute to this unfairness. The movement
fights against this discrimination through
means of political action, petitions, and
peaceful protests. The movement opposes
police brutality, for-profit prisons
and the excessive policing of
minority neighborhoods and it
does so by urging for improved
police training and increased
accountability for police
misconduct, among others. (Black
Lives Matter | Definition,
Founders, Goals, History, &
Influence, 2022)
Triumphantly, needed change
and progress did come into fruition
and: “S.3955'' or the “Justice For
Breonna Taylor Act'', “H.R.1280'' or the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021”, and the
appropriate incarceration of Derek Chauvin with regards to George Floyd’s death are some of the most
powerful, among others.

The convenience and accessibility of social media has proven to be valuable in acting as an
instrument for various different kinds of people all over the world, but significantly to those whom are
members of underrepresented minority groups, to have a platform where they can amplify their voices
and enlighten those, whom are ignorant to their cultures, histories, and collective identities, of their
realities and their truths. By means of extensive, web-based sociocultural education, sociocultural
literacy is achieved therefore spreading intercontinental awareness, sympathy, acknowledgement and
thus, societal edification and social change.
References

Black Lives Matter | Definition, Founders, Goals, History, & Influence. (2022, December 4).
Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Lives-Matter/Subsequent-protests-George-Floyd-Ahma
ud-Arbery-and-Breonna-Taylor

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for
Depriving George Floyd and a Minor Victim of their Constitutional Rights. (n.d.). [Dataset].
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-minneapolis-police-officer-derek-chauvin-sentenced-more
-20-years-prison-depriving

George Floyd protests. (n.d.).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Floyd_protests#:~:text=Polls%20in%20the%20summer%2
0of,the%20largest%20in%20U.S.%20history.

Gordon, S. A. (2021, December 30). Simply Good: BLM Positive Impacts. Rework Work.
https://www.reworkwork.com/simply-good-blm-positive-impacts/

H.R.1280 - George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. (n.d.). [Dataset].

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280

Photo Essay - Black Lives Matter. (n.d.). Oxford African American Studies Center.
https://oxfordaasc.com/page/photo-essay-black-lives-matter

S.3955 - Justice for Breonna Taylor Act. (n.d.). [Dataset].

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3955

Social Media: Definition, Effects, and List of Top Apps. (2021, August 31). Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media.asp

World Internet Users Statistics and 2023 World Population Stats. (n.d.).
https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm