What would’ve happened if Abraham Lincoln never ended slavery? If the Civil Rights Act never got approved? If people didn’t care about the murder of Eric Garner? These are scary events to think about, especially for the black community. Throughout history African Americans never had the same respect that other races have. In recent generations, younger black people have needed a way to express their feelings about the injustices and racism they have faced. Thankfully, in 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement was created to help younger African American find their voices and use it. However, some people are trying to exploit the movement in a bad way and abuse their power. The Black Lives Matter movement is a good use of power because it makes people more aware of the issues black people face, stands up to police brutality and other violent acts, and helps colored people use their voice.

To start off, the #BlackLivesMatter movement is a good use of power because it makes people more aware of the issues that black people face. According to the Black Lives Matter website, there are over 2.8 million black people that are imprisoned in the United States. A significant percentage of the black people in prison were wrongfully convicted. The people that support the movement try to make others more enlightened on this topic. The #BlackLivesMatter campaign also tries to help the five hundred thousand black immigrants that can’t reach their full potential because they’re undocumented (Black Lives Matter). Being undocumented doesn’t allow for you to have the same opportunities US citizens do; the movement tries to help them out as much as they legally can. Not everyone knows about the types of problems that African Americans face, and that is why the Black Lives Matter campaign is trying to spread awareness.

Additionally, the #BlackLivesMatter movement is a good use of power because it stands up to police brutality and other types of violence that happens in the black community. The Black Lives Matter campaign was started after 17-year old Trayvon Martin was killed and put on trial for his own death. His killer, George Zimmerman was not held accountable for killing Martin (About: Black Lives Matter). This inspired Alicia Garza and her two sisters to create the movement to step up. As well as trying to prevent more cases of of police brutality, Black Lives Matter also tries to help stop violence against black women. According to the Rape Abuse Incest National Network and RR Organization, every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted and 1 in 5 African American women experience rape some point in their lives. Black Lives Matter tries to help women who have undergone these types of events and try to prevent anyone else from being oppressed from this experience.

Lastly, the #BlackLivesMatter movement is a good use of power because it allows African Americans to use their voice. The purpose of #BlackLivesMatter is to help broaden the conversation about black lives and how they matter (The New Yorker). In the past, the ability for black people to speak up has been stepped on like a sidewalk crack. From slavery to segregation and to day to day racism, the world has finally reached a point where black people can say what they want without opposition. The founders of Black Lives Matter strongly support anyone using their voice to step up for African Americans, especially it’s part of the reason why the movement was created. Black people can say what they want and express their feelings about current events relating to black lives using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on popular social media websites from all over the world (Movement for Black Lives). The movement also helps black women stand up and face sexism, misogyny and anything that has to do with supremacy of men of any race. By using the collective power of black women, the Black Lives Matter movement helps them stand up for themselves in the black community and in everyday life.

On the whole, no matter what some people might think about the Black Lives Matter movement, the campaign is a good use of power. Although a few individuals are using the movement in a bad name, the movement has helped a lot of people. Black Lives Matter helps people become more aware of the issues black people face, stands up to police brutality and other violent acts and helps give colored people a voice. This movement is important for future of African Americans and their part of society. By using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, people are helping to spread the word that black lives do matter. African Americans deserve to live in a world that isn’t full of racism and hate.


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