The BlackLivesMatter movement is young in American history and constantly being built by the new generation on the foundation laid during the civil rights era. Due to its origins as a social media hashtag, however, the severity of the movement has been questioned by older generations who refuse to acknowledge the new medium as impactful. Laurens Grant has helped in legitimizing #BlackLivesMatter in the eyes of millions of viewers across the United States by airing Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement on basic cable. Having a documentary detailing the effects the hashtag has had on the political and racial climate be accessible on Youtube after airing on television is also helpful in spreading the message that this movement is valid.
One of the main sources of disconnect people have with the movement is that it is heavily grounded to its online roots. Many believe that substantial change can only be achieved through peaceful protests like those done in the civil rights movement, but just because today's marches and events are formed online does not make lessen any less its effectiveness. Instead of undermining the use of social media, this documentary shows how it has allowed for young activists to lift their voice and enter the national conversation otherwise reserved for political figures. Actual tweets published by young users are shown in the film which provides evidence that people who use the hashtag are interested in changing America for the better. The tweets show how information can be easily and quickly spread, inciting action in activists keeping up with updates. The documentary then shows footage of actual protests that take place after spreading said hashtags and messages. For example, with platforms such as Twitter, the video of Eric Garner's murder at the hands of police was circulated rapidly. The shocking footage was uncensored and streamed on cell phones instantly, further fueling the movement by recruiting more people. Grant plays the video while also interviewing those affected by the incident, making the viewer feel personally invested. This is recurring throughout the film, where interviews of people who have either attended the marches or otherwise contributed to the hashtag are paired with visuals of activists in the streets. Interviews were conducted on people of various ages to show the effects BlackLivesMatter has had across demographics.
Not only is first-person footage used, but also the reaction of the nation through news broadcasting. The news clips provided evidence that there was not sufficient time to heal from the Eric Garner tragedy before the events in Ferguson began to fill both television and phone screens. The documentary does not shy away from showing the disturbing mistreatment of protesters from riot police in both Ferguson and Baltimore. This is where Grant takes the opportunity to show the parallel between contemporary police brutality and to that in the 1960's. At first, current images and past images were shown separately before they brilliantly began to mesh to the point where viewers could only differentiate them by resolution quality. This masterfully enraptures the audience and makes it impossible to turn away or ignore the events on the screen.
The documentary not only provides great visuals but also includes the aid of music to fully submerge viewers into the film. Current songs dealing with systematic racism fill the spaces where people are not talking in order to keep attention and focus in what is being presented. They also brought in Nelly, a recording artist, which shows how mainstream this movement has become that it has spread into Hollywood. The entertainment industry is not the only one affected; sports icons are also endorsing the movement by wearing clothing and using affiliated gestures. By making these showing popular figures contributing to BlackLivesMatter, the documentary urges viewers to believe the legitimacy and impact it is making in the nation.
Grant also includes other oppositions the movement has seen, like those who see BlackLivesMatter as a hate group. Clips of news anchors negatively covering events such as Baltimore, focusing only on the violence, are played. Conservatives and Republicans were labeling the movement a hate group against the police. Putting a light on these clips allowed the film to provide a counterargument by then showing a young protester taking a stance against an on- field reporter, shaming news stations for not covering the terrible living conditions of the black community. Baltimore had been more violent than other locations of civil injustice because people were tired of systematic racism tainting the American justice system. The documentary explicitly clarifies the actual mission statement of BlackLivesMatter when an interviewee states,"This is not about harming the police. This is about holding the police accountable."
The movement is leaderless, but the documentary does exceptionally well in showing how young activists are keeping it alive using social media as its backbone. The documentary sufficiently shows how important a trend on social media has become in the lives of Americans of today's society. BlackLivesMatter transcends its roots as a hashtag and has transformed into actions towards the betterment of the corrupt system. Presenting the events that shaped the movement in chronological order makes the film gripping and the viewer is able to experience the hardship faced by those affected. The flow of information made the events that happened as a result, like the addition of a civil rights tab on Bernie Sanders website, make sense.
This generation has created something extraordinary using a medium that has never been used for the purpose of rallying. It has been undermined and demonized by those who misinterpret its purpose. Many ask, "Is this legitimate activism..is this a moment or a movement," and with the help of documentary like Stay Woke: Black Lives Matter Movement, the answer has become clear (04:42-04:52).
One of the main sources of disconnect people have with the movement is that it is heavily grounded to its online roots. Many believe that substantial change can only be achieved through peaceful protests like those done in the civil rights movement, but just because today's marches and events are formed online does not make lessen any less its effectiveness. Instead of undermining the use of social media, this documentary shows how it has allowed for young activists to lift their voice and enter the national conversation otherwise reserved for political figures. Actual tweets published by young users are shown in the film which provides evidence that people who use the hashtag are interested in changing America for the better. The tweets show how information can be easily and quickly spread, inciting action in activists keeping up with updates. The documentary then shows footage of actual protests that take place after spreading said hashtags and messages. For example, with platforms such as Twitter, the video of Eric Garner's murder at the hands of police was circulated rapidly. The shocking footage was uncensored and streamed on cell phones instantly, further fueling the movement by recruiting more people. Grant plays the video while also interviewing those affected by the incident, making the viewer feel personally invested. This is recurring throughout the film, where interviews of people who have either attended the marches or otherwise contributed to the hashtag are paired with visuals of activists in the streets. Interviews were conducted on people of various ages to show the effects BlackLivesMatter has had across demographics.
Not only is first-person footage used, but also the reaction of the nation through news broadcasting. The news clips provided evidence that there was not sufficient time to heal from the Eric Garner tragedy before the events in Ferguson began to fill both television and phone screens. The documentary does not shy away from showing the disturbing mistreatment of protesters from riot police in both Ferguson and Baltimore. This is where Grant takes the opportunity to show the parallel between contemporary police brutality and to that in the 1960's. At first, current images and past images were shown separately before they brilliantly began to mesh to the point where viewers could only differentiate them by resolution quality. This masterfully enraptures the audience and makes it impossible to turn away or ignore the events on the screen.
The documentary not only provides great visuals but also includes the aid of music to fully submerge viewers into the film. Current songs dealing with systematic racism fill the spaces where people are not talking in order to keep attention and focus in what is being presented. They also brought in Nelly, a recording artist, which shows how mainstream this movement has become that it has spread into Hollywood. The entertainment industry is not the only one affected; sports icons are also endorsing the movement by wearing clothing and using affiliated gestures. By making these showing popular figures contributing to BlackLivesMatter, the documentary urges viewers to believe the legitimacy and impact it is making in the nation.
Grant also includes other oppositions the movement has seen, like those who see BlackLivesMatter as a hate group. Clips of news anchors negatively covering events such as Baltimore, focusing only on the violence, are played. Conservatives and Republicans were labeling the movement a hate group against the police. Putting a light on these clips allowed the film to provide a counterargument by then showing a young protester taking a stance against an on- field reporter, shaming news stations for not covering the terrible living conditions of the black community. Baltimore had been more violent than other locations of civil injustice because people were tired of systematic racism tainting the American justice system. The documentary explicitly clarifies the actual mission statement of BlackLivesMatter when an interviewee states,"This is not about harming the police. This is about holding the police accountable."
The movement is leaderless, but the documentary does exceptionally well in showing how young activists are keeping it alive using social media as its backbone. The documentary sufficiently shows how important a trend on social media has become in the lives of Americans of today's society. BlackLivesMatter transcends its roots as a hashtag and has transformed into actions towards the betterment of the corrupt system. Presenting the events that shaped the movement in chronological order makes the film gripping and the viewer is able to experience the hardship faced by those affected. The flow of information made the events that happened as a result, like the addition of a civil rights tab on Bernie Sanders website, make sense.
This generation has created something extraordinary using a medium that has never been used for the purpose of rallying. It has been undermined and demonized by those who misinterpret its purpose. Many ask, "Is this legitimate activism..is this a moment or a movement," and with the help of documentary like Stay Woke: Black Lives Matter Movement, the answer has become clear (04:42-04:52).
