10 Social Media Accounts to Follow For Empowering Black Voices

If there was ever a time to add impactful and empowering Black voices to your social media feed, it’s right now (actually, it was long before now).

This is especially true for non-Black people who are looking to learn and listen – as so many have publicly pledged to do in recent weeks. Following Black change-makers on a daily basis is a smart way to educate yourself on the ever-powerful Black Lives Matter movement, racism, and Black culture.

If you’re looking for fresh, inspiring, and motivational content from some of the biggest change-makers in the Black community, we have you covered.

Kahlil Greene
Despite his relatively modest 9,269 Instagram followers (at time of writing), the world is hearing Kahlil Greene’s voice loud and clear, as evidenced by the thousands of “likes” and comments on his powerful social media posts in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. The 20-year-old Maryland native has made headlines over the past year as the first Black student body president of Yale University (May 2019-May 2020). No doubt, the spotlight will continue to shine on this young scholar.

Instagram: @kahlil.greene
Twitter: @big_kah_una

Ava DuVernay
By now, you’ve probably (hopefully) seen Ava DuVernay’s eye-opening Netflix documentary 13th – and if you haven’t, make it a point to watch it ASAP. The award-winning doc highlights the longstanding history and current state of racism in the American justice system – a system that is designed to repress Black Americans and enslave them in a lifelong cycle. While you’re at it, also check out DuVernay’s mini-series When They See Us and we sure to follow the filmmaker on social media.

Instagram: @ava
Twitter: @Ava

Alicia Garza
If you want to learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement, follow one of the inspiring people behind it. BLM co-founder, activist Alicia Garza, continues to make a major mark on the world – all before her 40th birthday. In recent weeks, Garza has made headlines with everything from to her work as the creator of Black Futures Lab, to her takeover of Selena Gomez’s Instagram account with powerful and motivational content.

Instagram: @chasinggarza
Twitter: @aliciagarza

Rachel Cargle
Odds are, you’ve already come across the words of wisdom of activist, writer, and lecturer Rachel Cargle over the past few weeks. Screenshots of her hard-hitting feed have likely either graced your news feed or you’ve shared them yourself. Cargle is the founder of The Loveland Foundation, an organization that offers therapy support to black females – and is a great source of daily insight on the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Instagram: @rachel.cargle
Twitter: @rachelcargle

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Good morning ? • Just a quick Saturday School lesson for you, loves. • This is a comment I recently received. I wanted to offer an analysis for those who are new to this space and also for all who might be looking for language as they continue in this work. • 1. Linda went directly into the Angry Black Woman trope, a classic American stereotype reinforced through history in various media that intentionally is juxtaposed to the innocent blond haired blue eyed white woman, on a post where I simply said “I don’t want your love and light unless it comes with solidarity and action”. In a practice of gaslighting she completely overlooked the hostility of the actual racism I was addressing and instead deemed my response inappropriate. • 2. She then goes on to say that because of my hostility, an angry backlash can be anticipated. So she is irrationally justifying the feelings of white people and their “anticipated angry backlash” to my post yet is insisting that I not have any type of angry backlash to the racism I’m here to address. Another clear example of the delusion that white feelings matter more than black lives & experiences. This type of rhetoric lends to the often deadly results of white tears. Examples include when white people call the police on black people for no reason. They don’t “feel” like seeing a black person in a particular space so they put them in the direct danger of the American police force. • 3. She then assumes that my work here is to gain a “wide audience”. This misconception speaks to the reason I have to constantly remind people that social media is simply a tool, it’s not “the work”. The work is to keep black bodies alive, to find black liberation…..not to grasp for a social media audience. • 4. She then goes on to very directly tone police me. She advises me that antiracism work won’t be of interest to white people unless it is said in a tone that they find palatable. These types of respectability politics play out in various ways in society and here Linda made it clear that her interest in fighting against black pain and oppression is limited to how comfortable she is in the process. • Happy weekend, ya’ll ??

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Martin Luther King III
We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the son of the late great civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King III. Carrying on the family legacy, King is a passionate anti-racism and human rights activist. He has been in the spotlight in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, shedding his words of wisdom through TV appearances and his social media accounts.

Instagram: @officialMLK3
Twitter: @OfficialMLK3

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Mireille Cassandra Harper
Writer and editor Mireille Cassandra Harper has been a source of digestive insight and information during the global Black Lives Matters protests. Her “10-Step Guide to ‘Non-Optical Allyship’” has been shared far and wide on social media among those wishing to truly educate themselves on the cause and become a sincerely supportive and effective ally.

Instagram: @mireillecharper
Twitter: @mireillecharper

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Social media has been a bit overwhelming since I first put up this post so it has taken some time for me to post this. On Friday, I shared this content on Twitter after I felt the conversations online were like screaming into an echo chamber. I wanted to provide those who wanted to support and be an ally with practical tips to move forward and make a change in our society. I am still somewhat surprised and overwhelmed by the reception so please take patience with me at this time. — For a note on who I am to those who have followed me from Twitter, my name is Mireille. I'm an assistant editor and I do freelance writing, PR and sensitivity reading and other bits on the side. I am extremely passionate about diversity and inclusion, and everything I have shared is not new knowledge to me. From as far back as I can remember I've been campaigning, fighting for equality and supporting and working with black owned organisations. I have worked in the diversity and inclusion space for around four years and I have been equipped with knowledge, skills etc through that work as well as through wider, intensive reading and being raised by a Jamaican mother who has a degree in Women's Studies. I felt as a mixed race person who was emotionally capable despite the current situation that I could use my learned experience, skills and compassion to offer this advice to allies and anyone else who was seeking advice but didn't know where to turn. This is now on my stories as a highlight so please feel free to share from there or here. — A small reminder that this took emotional labour and POC, especially black people are not here to teach you everything. When I said ask how you can support, I meant on a personal level as a friend etc. I hope this toolkit provides you with the starter info you need but there are genuinely people more experienced than me who warrant your listening to – please go and follow @nowhitesaviors, @laylafsaad, @rachel.cargle, @ckyourprivilege, @iamrachelricketts, @thegreatunlearn, @renieddolodge, @ibramxk + a few more: @akalamusic, @katycatalyst + @roiannenedd who all have books or resources from many more years of experience. _

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Amanda Seales
Comedian, actress, and TV personality Amanda Seales has made some bold and inspirational moves in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Most notably, she announced she would not renew her contract of her daytime talk show The Real just six months into the gig because she said it restricted her ability to speak freely as a Black woman, thanks to a shortage of Black figures on the top.

Instagram: @amandaseales
Twitter: @amandaseales

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Sheesh. Via @elwingbling

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Janaya Future Khan
If the name Janaya Future Khan sounds familiar, it should. Writer and lecturer Khan is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Canada and an International Ambassador for the Black Lives Matter Network. In response to the global BLM movement, Khan’s 40-minute video on white guilt and white privilege continues to generate buzz as a must-watch for those in need of some perspective.

Instagram: @janayathefuture
Twitter: @janaya_khan

Ibram X. Kendi
Ibram X. Kendi has been busy educating people on the incredibly important distinction between being “not racist” and “anti-racist.” The #1 New York Times bestselling author’s work includes titles like “The Black Campus Movement,” “Stamped From The Beginning,” and “How To Be An Antiracist.” The esteemed scholar is also the Founding Director of The Antiracist Research & Policy Centre.

Instagram: @ibramxk
Twitter: @DrIbram

Trevor Noah
Comedian, talk show host, and New York Times bestselling author Trevor Noah captivated readers with his debut book Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood before becoming more of a household name on the popular The Daily Show. Noah has become a trusted source of insight in recent weeks, thanks to his thought provoking political and social commentary.

Instagram: @thedailyshow
Twitter: @Trevornoah