On Wednesday night I got tagged by my friend Leo, (who is a yoga teacher in NYC who also happens to be black) on the #ThanksgivingClapBack memes.  They were HILARIOUS!!

Here’s one of them..

When your grandma ready to go home but nobody want to take her home….

This is a PERFECT example of why I have fallen in love with Black twitter.  Connection.  Are some of the memes mean…yea and that connection to some truths in a knowing community is what makes it funny in a safe space.

I was at a Friendsgiving with some white friends in Brooklyn and shared some of the memes with them and while they thought they were funny…were confused about black twitter.  One of them said…well am I on “white twitter”  another said..is there a “Jewish twitter”.

Here’s the thing… many white folks, no matter how liberal or well meaning, are intimidated by black people organizing. God white folks… why does everything have to be about you?

This made me think… this is a PERFECT example of why I am so grateful to be connected to the Black community via social media. It’s there whenever I need it.

It’s funny, my parents moved to the suburbs for a better life.  Which we had.  Yet as an adult, when I’m around black people who lived in predominately black neighborhoods that were working or lower class, the perception of me is that I am “other”.

Black Culture in America is built on segregation.  Ever since our ancestors were brought over in slave ships, Black Americans have been skillfully separated by first the slaveowners, then by the systems of oppression used to keep Black people divided and weak.  Other opressive systems  like Nazi Germany and Apartheid in South Africa looked to the American innovation of slavery in order to divide, brainwash and control people in their countries.

Black Americans are divided.  Many black people have been raised to believe in the systems that tore us apart and made us weak.  Distracted by colorism, hair texture, conservative religions, and machismo the Black community has become devistatingly weak.

When people asked me about the Black community I would say there is no Black community.

And then…the internet appeared.  Black social media is a uniting force.

A totally free internet grants access to everyone.  This access leads to connection and breeds creativity, discussion, debate, organization…freedom.

BlackTwitter is where black people from all over the country and the world come together united to laugh, to share injustice, praise, support, sorrow, to unite and organize.

I’m finding that there is nothing more intimidating to many white Americans (and some black folks) than black people united, focused and organized.  It’s preferred that we are distracted, struggling and focused on surviving.

When Black people are coming together on social media we share stories and truths are revealed.  On Black Social media there is no corporate entity with a specific agenda based on profit margins using propoganda to fuck with the truth.  Black people come together and realize what is really happening.  We are using social media to break out of the matrix.

When I was going to these spiritual retreats and yoga classes led by white folks, they would always talk about the dangers of social media and electronics.  I always felt that was not my truth.

Social media has created access.  Black people of all social classes can connect and share stories.  We see that no matter what shade or class or socio economic place we are in…we are all Black Americans dealing with the same racist bullshit.   We are all Black Americans, able to find creative and uplifiting ways to transcend the bullshit and thrive.

Black Social Media has organizing power.  Black people are connecting on social media then coming together in person to organize, associate and just be together.  It’s about community.  In the past, folks went to church.  But many of us have rejected the patriorical restrictions of western religions and the judgment, fear and homophbia connected to traditional black churches so we don’t go to church.  Yet, not having a place where we can come together, has made us weak.  Social media is creating a 21st centruy community that is not based in religion and that is FANTASTIC.

It’s also about healing.  Black people are coming together to work through our own stuff, like interracial dating, colorism, social justice, and too many other issues to count.

Social media is creating awareness and uniting power to take action when need be.  This power, raises the stakes and that is awesome.  This is the ultimate in free speech…and the establishment is afraid.  I say…good

So Black Twitter, Black Facebook…Black Instagram…I love you all  thank you for reigniting the Black community

Side note… I was speaking to a black female friend of mine about how much I am loving being connected to the black community.  She also grew up in the suburbs and said how although she would like to be around more black people, she finds it hard to be around black people because of the judgment, colorism etc.  She also said something that surprised me.  She said she did not want to be with a bunch of black people complaining about white people all the time.  I laughed and told her when groups of black people come together…the last thing we talk about is white folks!

It’s amazing how easy it is to get caught up in believing that this world is all about white folks.  Well…it’s not and safe spaces for people of color are just that…places where we come together either online or in person to just be.  And just “be”ing feels really good.

On a lighter note… it’s just nice to behold the creativity, humor and unique flavor of the Black Community via social media.  To connect on this level…priceless.  God the #ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies was just HILARIOUS and ridiculous.  It made me so grateful to have the black family that I do have knowing that some folks are going throug so much more drama.  And that my friends is totally something that I think everyone can connect to.

Ashe

J9