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What Are Whitefluencers Doing Now?
A little over a year ago, 28 million accounts on Instagram posted a black square in support of BLM. What are they doing now?
Remember when millions of people posted a black square on their Instagram pages? Posted to show support for Black people, what have those post done a little over a year later? Since June 2nd, when a majority of these post were put up, not much has gotten better for Black Americans. In fact, all over the country we are watching as laws get enacted to restrict the teaching of systemic racism in schools. “Voting rights” laws are popping up to actually restrict the voting power for people of color. One year later and Black people are seeing an America that doubles down on telling them they do not matter.
Whitefluencers, a white or white-passing person with a large social media following, who muted, prayed, and listened have largely gone back to being silent about Black lives mattering. They have resumed posting content that allows them to profit off of product placement and endorsements while remaining socially and politically silent to maximize followers and profits. These performative acts have done absolutely nothing to better the lives of Black people. If anything, these gestures were used as a way to ensure continued success. A black square is easy to…
