Black Twitter continues to be powerful during this pandemic in terms of highlighting issues. How can Twitter work with leading voices to help amplify and share resources and positive information?
Unfortunately, COVID prevented this from happening, but if you don’t already follow @GodIsRivera on Twitter, you should. God-is [Rivera, the global director of culture and community at Twitter] is in the process of working with Black Twitter universe to create an event called Black Twitter Live. It was actually intended to be the first week of March, [which] was also the same week that we got noticed that we would begin to work from home. Although she is moving that conversation from being in-person to the platform itself, it is a way to convene the leading voices, not just immediate but also the leading voices on Black issues to amplify and also to share support and resources that are happening.
This nation doesn’t have one solid message. How do we get a solid, one-pronged message out of Black Twitter?
Black Twitter is not like a group. You don’t just call a Black Twitter meeting and people appear. Black Twitter is like stealth, and they show up when they need to show up. … It’s the issue. It’s the cause. I think that although Black Twitter is probably one of the most powerful voices on the platform, I think we also have to look back into our own families, communities and people [who] people talk to every day. There is a shared responsibility. It can’t be a single-pronged approach. It almost has to be everywhere you go you’re getting that message.
