Princeton Summer Journalism Program

By Eunice Chae and Roxana MartinezIt’s official, underdog Colonel Greg Betts is running for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. The seat in the House of Representatives has been left vacant as of May 16th, 2021, when Republican Steve Stivers ultimately made the decision to leave the House in order to serve as acting president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce; the state’s business advocate and resource center. Greg Betts is one of only two Democrats running, and plans to defeat the other 13 candidates in the race in order to continue to serve his country under the oath he took when he joined the military: “solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution… and although my military services are complete, my service to this state and nation is not.” Inspired partly by this oath, Betts is “really concerned about what’s happening with our nation.” Apart from wanting to avoid future attacks like the Capitol Riot on January 6th, he is motivated to work in the heart of democracy, towards a fair and free nation for all of its people. Betts also makes it clear that he is willing to listen to anybody to “become a better candidate”, and is open to communication. Betts’s belief in rights, equity, & justice for all goes beyond just the American people. Taking into account the numerous issues with the current asylum system that leaves thousands of people along the borders of their country waiting for a court date, we asked Betts to elaborate on his thoughts on pathways to refuge. During the PSJP Press Conference on July 15th, he enthusiastically supported the need for better immigration reform; claiming the conditions asylum seekers currently face are inhumane.“It’s not right to treat our fellow human beings that way… and I will do everything I can to shine a light on that egregious treatment of our fellow human beings.” If elected into the House of Representatives, he plans to demand repeatedly until action is taken. His hopes are that they will successfully pass legislation that will not only provide refuge to asylum seekers but additional funding for housing quarters within the United States that will provide the necessary protection they need. As positive as these efforts may seem, the timeline or concrete plan for such action has yet to be considered. Besides immigration reform, Betts touched upon raising the federal minimum wage, possibly one of the most contentious issues in politics today. What’s Colonel Betts’s stance on that? As mentioned on his website, he supports raising the minimum wage to $15/hour. When asked about the topic further during our press conference, Betts elaborated, saying, “I think a more livable wage is… $20 to $25 an hour, quite frankly.”One of the biggest concerns about raising the minimum wage is its effect on small businesses and their ability to afford the higher cost of labor in comparison to big corporation competitors. Betts’s solution is to tax those larger corporations more and use that money for tax subsidies to support small businesses. “Tax subsidies would keep them afloat,” Betts said.Another concern about raising minimum wages is how it may actually increase the rate of automation, as discussed by several media outlets including Business Insider and Wired.Betts believes that “it would [not] be considered constitutional for us to tell a business that you cannot use automation.” However, Betts was gracious and admitted that he hadn’t really considered that aspect of raising the minimum wage before. He promised to look more into the studies surrounding them, and even offered up his email address so articles and studies could be sent to him. Perhaps this is the perfect example of Colonel Betts’s previously mentioned willingness to learn more – Betts is not stubborn or hardheaded as opposed to many other politicians, and most voters should consider that a valuable strength of his.Colonel Greg Betts is certainly an outlier in this Ohio congressional race. He’s a Democrat, running to represent an area that’s majority Republican. He doesn’t have previous political experience, and he’s a newcomer to the political atmosphere. But Betts isn’t backing down. He’s spent the last 20 out of 30 years serving in the National Guard, and he is using his drive and wish for a better democracy to fuel his run. His campaign promises reflect this, although we don’t know the exact details of implementation as of now.

By Alibek Asanbaev and Eunice ChoiIn a press conference with Stami Williams, the communications director for Jack Ciattarellis campaign for New Jersey governor, for Stami Williams, the communications director for Republican Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign for New Jersey governor, revealed that getting her boss elected isn’t just politics.“There’s no doubt that our immigration system right now is broken,” she begins. When asked about why she feels that the immigration system in the country is flawed, she emphatically vocalized that her grandparents immigrated legally from Greece. “We have to understand that we have to build a better life. That’s what my grandparents came here for. That’s what my family is here for. And I am lucky to be a product of that.” Similarly, Ciattarelli also has immigrant grandparents and believes that it is necessary to create a “tough but fair pathway to citizenship for those who stay out of trouble, pay taxes, and learn English.”If there is one thing that Williams underscored throughout the entire press conference, it was that she believes in Jack—and his political positions. On taxes, for instance, the two agree that New Jersey’s property taxes are far too high. For Williams, growing up in Georgia accustomed her to low property taxes. However, being a New Jersey resident with family sprinkled all over the state, Williams has discovered that her family members “pay an exorbitant amount of property taxes.” Furthermore, Williams says she supports Ciattarelli’s “moderate, middle-of-the-road approach to governing and leading.” Due to her family’s immigrant history, Williams feels America should “empower the little guy”—especially, in her view, small businesses. She believes in making these small businesses feel “as powerful as they can be” while maintaining free market principles.Williams also implied that New Jersey’s economy unfairly favors large corporations over small businesses.When it comes to incorporating LGBTQ+ curriculum in elementary and middle schools, Williams holds a conservative perspective. When it comes to education, Williams draws on her own experience. “Those are things I didn’t even consider in school,” she said of LGBTQ+ ideas. “[When I was a child in school], I was worried about collecting plastic coins and coloring pictures.” Williams added, “Any type of sex should not be discussed in elementary or middle schools.”Williams acknowledged that “it’s been very tough” to be  a woman in the male-dominant field of politics.  “You face a lot of disrespect in the work space,” she said. But working with Ciattarelli and his team has been different. The candidate and his team support gender equality and female empowerment, she says. “This has been the most healthy work space environment that I’ve ever been in.”

By Synai FerrellCredit: NetflixFatherhood is a drama film adapted from a true story following a single father named Matt (Kevin Hart), who unexpectedly must raise his daughter, Maddy (Melody Hurd), on his own. After his wife, Liz (Deborah Ayorinde), passes from birth complications, he is forced to take on parenthood independently despite his doubts and fears of being incapable of raising a young girl. The movie starts at Liz’s funeral, where Matt is distressed by his new responsibility. Although, the audience would assume he would have a supporting village around him, he faces pushback from his mother-in-law, Mariam (Alfre Woodard), who believes he cannot raise a daughter on his own and proposes to raise Maddy herself. Although Matt declines this offer, it becomes hard for him to find balance in his life as a single father while juggling a full-time job as a tech worker at a software company. Early on, he brings Maddy to his job since he has no one to watch her while he is at work, but Maddy becomes a distraction when Matt cannot get her to stop crying. The experience at work prompts Matt to seek help from a mother only, parenting support group. When Matt arrives, the mothers assume he’s looking for Alcoholics Anonymous. Their assumption models the way society views single men, specifically Black men, as unfit for parenthood. While Matt is offended by their assumption, it does not prevent him from asking for help in how to stop a child from crying. This newfound bravery in Matt marks a chapter of growth in his parenthood journey.As Matt learns that he cannot raise Maddy alone, he seeks help from his close friends Oscar (Anthony Carrigan) and Jordan (Milton Howery). Maddy builds close bonds with these men as they play important male figures in her life. She adopts many witty, yet charismatic characteristics from them, representing how heavily influenced she is by her father and his friends. This leads Maddy to embrace her masculinity through her clothes, bedroom, and toy interests. This becomes a problem at her Catholic elementary school where girls can only wear skirts. The school administrators incessantly push Matt to make Maddy wear skirts and push him to introduce a female role model into Maddy’s life. Although Matt rejects the proposal to change Maddy’s dress, he questions his decision not to include his mother-in-law in her life. However, when Oscar introduces Matt to a love interest, Swan (DeWanda Wise), Matt decides to introduce her to Maddy. When Maddy first meets Swan, she is apprehensive, but eventually they form a bond over art and drawing. Swan and Maddy’s relationship help symbolize the importance of a young Black girl having a Black woman as a female figure. With Swan, Maddie can grasp more of Black culture and femininity through a new lens that her father could not fully represent.As Maddie becomes more accustomed to change with Swan in her life, her battle with her Catholic school’s dress code remains. When the school proposes to Maddie again to wear a skirt, she unexpectantly agrees, as she is more comfortable exploring her appearance because of Swan’s influence. However, this decision gives Maddie more attention at school. While at the playground, Maddy encounters a boy who mocks her for wearing a skirt instead of her usual attire, which makes her so furious that she falls from the rock climber. Once Matt is notified that Maddy had an accident at school, he feels that his relationship with Swan has distracted him from his main priority, Maddy. After ending things with Swan, Matt decides to take Maddy to Mariam’s home in Minnesota. In this setting, Matt regrets not allowing Mariam to be more present in Maddy’s life. While staying at Mariam’s home, he begins to see how Mariam would benefit Maddy, which leads him to leave Maddy at Mariam’s home while he decides what would be best for her. Fatherhood concludes with Matt reuniting with Maddy as he understands that the best place for Maddie is with him, and although he might face his challenges as a single father, those challenges are what makes him a great parent. He also learns that Swan is an influential factor in both his and Maddy’s life and should be a part of their lives. While this reunion allows the movie to end on a sweet note, it happens abruptly, making the movie lose the authenticity that was developed throughout the beginning and middle sections of the film. However, this does not diminish Matt’s underlying character development. Throughout the movie, Matt grows into the role of fatherhood and his character helps augment the perception of single parenthood which is typically represented by single mothers. The film provides a profound outlook on how Black men are often doubted in their capabilities as parents, and how they can overcome the stigma placed on them.

By Amanda Renae ChapaCredit: Carolina Theater if Durham 2020 was a year where most of the world went dark. Many establishments closed their doors in face of the unknown, but not all. Instead, for some, closed doors stood as an opportunity to rebrand, to rethink their position in their own communities, and answer the silence. Armed with new ideas and a full-face of makeup, drag performers and the venues they performed in were at the front lines of revisioning potential during the pandemic.  When Vivica C. Coxx first joined the Drag Scene, it was in a black satin gown she had thrifted, made to complete her very first entrance at The Pinhook. In the midst of the performance, staring at a wide-eyed audience, she would realize that “this is what I was supposed to do.”  Through her groundwork as an activist for social, racial, gender, and consensual justice, Miss Coxx gained traction and an even greater spotlight as she ventured into teaching and social justice advocacy, which, according to her, “really validated all of the work that I had put in prior to that.” Work they continued fighting for— at least until COVID-19 hit, and she was forced to reimagine the way she did drag and approached activism. Instead of performing to sold out venues in-person, her venue was now her living room, and her audience could be seen in rectangular squares on Zoom from all over America— from DC, Chicago, LA, and New York. Despite the challenges, both technical and real-world, she persisted as a performer and as a mentor for her “family,” she said. COVID was an isolating period, but they remained a light for many throughout. “We had our shows, and that’s probably what I did for my family is that I gave them something to do, something to look forward to.” Now, almost a year and a half later of being able to do drag solely “from the waist up,” Miss Coxx is still cementing her path as a performer and a leader in her community. Outside of the dressing rooms, the heels and thousand dollar faces, however, are the establishments that are critical to the Drag Scene— whether it’s an amateur performer, or a seasoned one like Ms. Coxx. In Chicago, this sacred place is Roscoe’s— a Boystown landmark that was one of the very first LGBTQ establishments in the entire city to have “windows that were open onto the street, because every other business, especially in Chicago, was known for having their windows broken out on the regular,” said Shawn Hazen, Roscoe’s Marketing and Special Events Manager. Roscoe’s, unlike any other bar in Northern Chicago, was a pinpoint in starting one of the first LGBTQ neighborhoods and offered its patrons so much more than just drinks and food: it offered them a home. Sight of the “longest running amateur drag competition in the city of Chicago,” Roscoe’s was accustomed to long lines and packed corners. However, when Roscoe’s announced their initial two weeks closure shortly after Saint Patrick’s Day in 2020, most of its employees described the process as “doomsday protocol.” With Chicago’s COVID-19 regulations, Roscoe’s was also forced to resort to what Hazen refers to as “restaurant mode”— where the Roscoe’s kitchen was open, and take out became their main focal point in staying afloat amongst closures. The bar-turned-restaurant was efficient in “chucking chicken tenders out the front door,” and quickly gained a reputation because of their popular finger foods, which was a decision that stayed throughout the pandemic, and is still in play now. The restaurant arm of the business has created new ideas like Drag Brunch, which “was something that opened up so many opportunities for me to work with people that I’d never worked with in the Chicago queer scene before,” and has given new Drag Queens the ability to bring their own touch to a space that is open to them— and, despite the perils of the pandemic, open to new possibilities. 

By Tryphena AwuahCredit: Netflix“Fatherhood” is about a single father, Matthew “Matt” Logelin (Kevin Hart) overcoming the challenges of raising his daughter Maddy (Melody Hurd) by himself after the unexpected death of his wife, Lizzy, just after she gives birth. This movie is based on the true story of Matt Logelin and his book Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love. In the opening scene at Lizzy’s funeral, Hart’s first lines are: “This sucks.” He is referring to the death of his wife, but, for me, the sentiment describes the movie itself. Watching comedy guru, Kevin Hart, take on such a serious role was a novel experience, but his witty nature could have been better incorporated into the movie. This movie offered a refreshing view into a dedicated father and highlighted interesting issues, such as the lack of cultural support for fathers, but while heartwarming, it largely fell flat in its humor. For instance, Matt’s friends, Jordan (Lil Rel Howery) and Oscar (Anthony Carrigan), are supposed to be the comedic relief that this movie desperately lacks, but fail at nearly every attempt. Oscar, an extremely talkative awkward personality, sets Matt up with a girl whose name is also Liz. At first, this seems like an uncanny coincidence orchestrated by Oscar but is actually a true detail in Matt Logelin’s life. However, most viewers are likely to miss this detail and may have found it to be somewhat cheesy like myself. Liz, however, plays an important role in the development of Matt as a father and a man, being that she is the first woman he sees since the death of his wife. After Maddy gets in an accident at school, he lashes out on his new girlfriend, and finds it hard to forgive himself for not being there for Maddy. As a result, Matt breaks things off with Liz, but unfortunately, the movie doesn’t give much screen time to the breakup to make viewers really feel affected by this change. We are given a parking garage argument between Maddy and Matt when she asks the pivotal question, “How come, when something good happens, it always gets taken away?” A young girl who experiences loss before she is even able to consume solid food, is able to arrive at this conclusion at just the age of five years old. Matt rightfully responds with the answer of, “I can’t answer that.” Maddy helps Matt realize that as a single parent, Maddy should always be his first priority, but not at the expense of his own happiness. Matt also sacrifices his mental wellbeing for Maddy’s sake, and the movie highlights the lack of support groups for single fathers because men are not seen as capable of raising children by themselves. Specifically, Matt’s mother-in-law, Marion (Alfre Woodard), vocalizes her disapproval of Matt raising Maddy by himself repeatedly throughout the movie. She characterizes Matt as immature and deepens his insecurities about being a single father, instead of providing him with necessary encouragement which is a sad reflection of the rigid dichotomy between single fatherhood and single motherhood. Although the movie teaches these important lessons of balancing love, life, and loss; it just wasn’t engaging enough. Kevin Hart and Melody Hurd had great chemistry on screen and really nailed a natural father-daughter relationship, but at times the staleness of the humor was enough to exit out of the Netflix app. Nevertheless, a movie about a single girl-dad is always heartwarming in showcasing male vulnerability.  It gives viewers a break from the cruel reality of daddy issues and the gross prevalence of fatherlessness in homes today and reminds them of the comfort that should be found in a father’s arms. 

By Nahid HassanCredit: Imani Hill It is common to see athletes grimace after picking up some form of injury. The devastating ones are the scariest. When we see stretchers pulled out, everyone fears the worst. But the smaller and less obvious injuries can cause trouble for college athletes without a medical safety net. Many have felt a small niggle in their body while playing, a small indicator that they have picked some form of injury up. But they are often able to ignore it with adrenaline masking over any physical struggle. Yet the pain can often supersede their mental fortitude and the possibility of an injury creeps into mind. The fear that you will be sidelined is brutal enough but college athletes have additional worries in mind. If they were injured while not under their college’s supervised activities, such as a team practice or a game, they will have to care and pay for the injury on their own. If the injury is even worse than expected, regardless of college supervision, there is the possibility that their athletic scholarship will be rescinded under NCAA guidelines.  Student athletes already face the struggle of paying the extraneous costs of college that stipends and scholarships attempt to assist. PhD Candidate and former D1 Women’s Lacrosse player Imani Hill described the funding for student athletes as insufficient. “College athletics think about the requirements, but their estimations are never really enough,” she says. Hill was sidelined multiple times from team practices and scrimmages, noting that she was fortunate to have been injured there instead of anywhere else. If her injuries were elsewhere, the costs would have been out of pocket.  Until recently, the NCAA prohibited student athletes from securing funding utilizing their name, image, and likeness, or NIL. It stemmed from the NCAA’s belief that the scholarships and stipends provided to athletes were sufficient and that this would preserve “amateurism” in college sports. With the recent changes, college athletes are able to secure funding from sponsored social media posts, training lessons, memorabilia, and any other activity that utilizes their NIL. Even as it is being implemented on a state by state basis, it is not enough. The NCAA still holds the power to impact the lives and careers of student athletes with their policies, and their lack of a secure medical safety net for their athletes diminishes the prospects of the injured. There are several potential models that may work to ensure that current and former athletes are covered for sports related injuries, most prominently a workers compensation fund that offers assistance for the injured. This model could counteract the NCAA’s decision to give colleges the full reign on athletic treatment. The lack of coordination means that athletes have no assistance beyond their college’s policies. If there is to be change for the betterment of college athletics, then the NCAA needs to adopt an improved model that assists with injuries. 

By Marshalee Mclean and Jada JacksonCredit: Siren Search There is no escaping the Instagram infographic. The 360-by-360 square that seeks to explain the nation’s most complex issues and events falls on a user’s daily Instagram feed. Whether created by someone on the platform, or simply reposted, users will see at least one infographic that they consider imperative. A post breaking down an issue that the  public should be aware of.  There has been an increase  in the amount of infographics produced and consumed by the public. As a recent online endeavour, we’re left with one question: why?The spike of online activism connects with the country’s increased dependence on social media and the trending era of being politically active..  But alongside online activism popularity,  we should ask: are there drawbacks? Is there a greater sense of pressure around being politically active? Is awareness of social issues enough? And overall, is online activism effective? These are questions Princeton Summer Journalists asked rising seniors: Amber Clay, from Chapel Hill High School in Metro Atlanta, Roxana Martinez in San Bernardino, California from Cajon High School, Yarlin Morales, from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, New York and Layla Brooks, from John Glenn High School in Bay City, Michigan. How are teens already politically involved and how does this  lead to online activism? All four teenagers from The Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) said they’d consider themselves politically aware. Amber said, “I am politically aware–wouldn’t say I’m politically active because I can’t vote or anything yet, but I am aware of what’s happening.” Roxana believes that she is both politically aware and involved. She is a part of her school’s Speech and Debate club and Model UN.Roxana said, “…both actually involve a lot of researching and keeping up to date with public issues. But I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily active, because I’m not as involved in my community with protestors and other activists.” Layla also agreed with Roxana. Yarlin added that she is also politically aware. She reads the news and tries to keep up to date. She shared, “…at the same time, being how young we are, it’s kind of difficult to be politically active and actually participate without getting in trouble.”Yarlin mentioned a perspective on Gen Z’ activism that isn’t talked about enough. Social media and the generations following have told Genz Zs that they will change the world–t all they have to do is go for it. But that isn’t the case for most teenagers. The PSJP students expressed that they have curfews and strict parents. They can’t just pick up a megaphone and join the fight in-person. So all they can,and should,do is stay informed. This is the best we can do. Is there pressure to be politically active on social media? Some would describe the burden placed upon youth to take action on social media as intense With the rise of cancel culture it’s no wonder that Yarlin felt this pressure.She explained, “I think that there’s a big pressure, where if you don’t do it you kind of look bad to everybody else, and they start judging you for it, when in reality you are aware and informed.” The group agreed  with the idea that posting equals care or knowledge couldn’t be further from the truth.It shouldn’t take a reposted story to prove that someone is passionate about an issue. If you only post out of fear of being judged, is it even activism? Or are people using serious issues for clout and praise via social media?Amber doesn’t post much on social media in general. Knowing this, you’d  think the pressure would be off. Yet, last summer the pressure was still on. Amber said, “I felt like I had to post something, because everyone was like, ‘you’re not supporting or you’re not spreading information’, or whatever. But I just felt like I had to post, so then I started posting.” Amber shared that since then she still posts about issues but not as frequent. Roxana and Layla, however, saw this pressure as a proud responsibility. Roxana had no problem with reposting. She views social media as a place to “…share information and share opinions, rather than sharing something because you feel pressured to.” Roxanaalso said, “I feel like media platforms really allow you to share important issues and different perspectives that need to be put out there, so that we don’t silence ourselves.”  Layla shared a similar sentiment and explained that she saw it as an opportunity to share something about issues that were close to her experiences;“Online activism has given me kind of a chance to share those things with close friends and family,” Layla said. The four interviewed students  represent different sides of the same coin. On one side, there are people like Roxana and Layla who face the new age of activism with passion. On the other side, there’re  people like Amber and Yarlin,faced with peer pressure to repost or get branded as someone they are not. Is there longevity in online activism? Is it effective?  The online activism debate questions the platform’s effectiveness. Whether online activists just follow trends and speak only on hot topic issues in one season, but drop them  once it’s old news in another. All four of the students agreed that online activism, not paired with further investigation into the topic or physical action, can be rendered useless. “Some people choose to not continuously inform themselves–that’s where the problems lie,” said Roxana, noting that social media can be a breeding ground for “…false information and poor explanation of concepts.” Roxana emphasized the need for users to post and understand the issue  at its fullest. Layla, Yarlin and Amber all agreed. They shared similar statements, concluding social media activism is not enough when it comes to solving issues. What does this mean for the future of online activism? “[Social media] is an opportunity to learn more than you have already been reduced to in our white washed textbook[s],“ Roxana said. Social media has its good and bad moments, but carries significance when it comes to awareness. Awareness is important to a society that desires progression. However, it shouldn’t be the end all be all when building a more inclusive, empathetic society. Online activism, at its core, has good intentions. But way more can  and should be done. 

By Angie Tangarife & Esmeralda GarciaCredit: Ease.lyIn recent years infographics have become one of the most popular ways to spread information on social media, especially Instagram. Infographics have always been part of the business community, to help spread information and data to people, but have grown in popularity with those interested in activism and social movements.  . Tied in with the use of infographics in social media is the spread of online activism. With the use of infographics, activists can now spread information more easily and more people can see them on social media..  This year’s Person On The Street Report was focused on this rise of infographics and online activism in social media, specifically Instagram. For insight into the views of this topic, four students from the 2021 Princeton Summer Journalism Program were interviewed. From the results, it was observed that overall opinions stayed consistent with the exception of how involved each interviewee is on social media.   All interviewees thought of online activism as a helpful and effective way to spread information and become politically active. Although not all are actively sharing and posting information, three out of the four interviewees have done so at some point and two still continue to do so. A common response among the interviewees was their concern with the way that these infographics enable performative activism. The idea that social media can be “toxic,” meaning harmful, is something widely argued by the interviewees and what can be appreciated in these interactions. The pressure to post again or keep up with all movements was also brought up by one of the interviewees. It was the prime reason why this specific person stopped sharing as much information because they worried their intentions would not come off as sincere and felt as if the whole social media culture, and specifically Instagram, was performative.  The way in which the interviewees participated in this activism was also similar; two out of the three interviewees who stated they shared information also stated that they believed the information to be true and assumed for it to contain accurate information. The remaining interviewee stated that they conduct their own research before reposting any information about any movement.Interviewees seemed to care less about whether or not an issue pertained to them, and more about spreading information that could potentially help curtail injustice in any form. .With the use of infographics in social media anyone can get involved in a movement. The key is to make sure that information shared is fair and accurate.. With infographics,  information can be  visually appealing to viewers and get them to understand the subject or topic more freely. With the responses of the interviewees, we can see that there is some concern of these infographics being biased or inaccurate . Aside from that, infographics are beneficial to users who want to help an issue in this country and are an easy way to spread the information.

By Jennifer Alvarado and Layla Hussein Image Credit: Megan Li“Before the pandemic, we weren’t as involved and we were young. We knew what was going on, but we did not have a say. Now, everyone is becoming fearless during the pandemic,” Ebony Riley, a high school student in New Jersey explains.As the coronavirus pandemic skyrocketed across the nation, the world witnessed a new age of activism, especially among Generation Z. With quarantine limiting opportunities to express our voices, the tech-savvy generation worked with what they already have: social media. Online activism did not originate during the pandemic or with Generation Z, though. During the 1990s, the U.S. experienced its early stages of internet activism with the Lotus MarketPlace and its email-marketing database that contained information of over 120 million U.S. citizens. Although the internet was not as advanced as it is today, people used mass emailing as a campaign method to advocate for their privacy concerns. In recent years before the pandemic, online activism was also seen with instances of police brutality. After 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, people used social media as an outlet to organize protests and disseminate information, with #Ferguson calling global attention to bring accountability to repressive forces. In the summer of 2020, online activism was at its peak with the murder of George Floyd, where people cried for justice through virtual petitioning and campaigning.The pandemic amplified existing issues of systemic racism, climate change, mental health disparities, and more that awakened many people out of a state of normalcy and engaged more teenagers to activism. The nation witnessed a racial uprising following high-profile killings of Black citizens during the pandemic, some at the hands of law enforcement. In the midst of social distancing and quarantine, there was nothing left to do for most individuals but to utilize social media to express their voices. Known as a casual posting platform, Instagram grew into a medium of social change to share information and action resources with visually engaging, condensed infographics. Additionally, TikTok flourished into an app that still preserves meme culture and viral dance trends, but acts as an opportunity for BIPOC creators to speak on issues, educate others, and bring radical change through 15 to 60-second videos. Jackie James, an 18-year-old TikTok influencer with over 2 million followers, uses the app as a creative outlet to fight for social justice through satire. Indigenous TikToker Shina Nova similarly uses the app to educate her audience about Indigenous history, culture, and experiences. The Impact of Online Activism on Generation ZDue to social media and online activism, 16-year-old Skye-Ali Johnson has learned more about social justice and the Black community. She recently learned about the case of Tamla Horsford through an infographic on Instagram. “It’s unfortunate how this world is because there’s plenty of unfortunate events going on around here that are really tragic, so I just find that every day that I go on social media, I’m always learning about something new,” she says.However, with so much content on social media, many teenagers expressed pressure to always be politically active.  “I feel pressure to be in-the-know all the time,” Mmachukwu Osisioma, a student from Tennessee, tells us. “Sometimes, I do not know 100% on a topic, but when people I know are engaged in the topic, I feel like I have to know a lot about that certain topic to be able to be friends with them or engage in conversations with them. That’s kind of hard, especially when the news is hard to read.”17-year-old Yasmin Mustefa shares a similar feeling. “Through social media, there are always people who say ‘Why is nobody talking about this?’, ‘We need to speak up now!’ And I am like ‘Do I have to repost this?’, ‘Do I have to be vocal about this right now?’ And at those times, I step back and realize that I do not have to. But it is my responsibility to educate myself on a certain topic.”When it comes to the individual perspective on internet activism, feelings can be much more internal, and the motives for spreading information may not be as calculated. “If I were to repost something, would it make a lot of a difference to my followers?” is a question Yasmin asks herself while dealing with the pressure of disseminating information. However, this is not something most big corporations ask themselves before posting something. Rather, they ask if it is something that will influence their portrayal in the media.Blurring the Lines Between Performative and Genuine ActivismSocial media has become a pivotal approach for not only Generation Z, but reputable companies, celebrities, politicians, and more to speak out on issues. However, many people argue that digital activism shared among reputable figures and companies is for the sake of conserving their public image. This was seen in June of 2021, when members of the LGBTQIA+ community celebrated Pride Month. Many companies traditionally decorate their logo with rainbow-like colors, but transition to their original logo when pride month is over, suggesting that celebrating LGBTQIA+ folks occurs once a year. This is known to be rainbow capitalism, where companies contribute to the commercialization and commodification of LGBTQ+ movements, as well as the capitalization of queer struggles. Many companies contribute to rainbow capitalism, despite being anti-LGBT. CVS, for example, decorated its logo with rainbow colors in an attempt to express allyship for the LGBTQ+ community, yet supports sponsors of anti-trans legislation in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. What’s more, AT&T once pledged to a Human Rights Campaign letter against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, yet made approximately 327 donations to 133 anti-LGBTQ+ legislators. Along with the LGBTQ+ community, this is seen with the Black Lives Matter movement. Osisioma noted, “The NFL was in support of BLM, but they were not in support of the people taking a knee. I am like ‘you say one thing, but it is another.’ GAP supported BLM but very few percent of the company were actually Black. And they get money from this [supporting BLM]. People are like ‘GAP supports BLM, I should buy from them.’”Teenagers have also expressed how infographics can be more focused on its aesthetic rather than the actual content, contributing more to performative activism.“The pretty design and the fonts [of the infographics] make it hard for me to focus on the actual content. Sometimes the aesthetic is prioritized over the content. People spend hours on the infographics, trying to make the design feed into the feed, to make it look cute, to make people stop and read,” Osisioma shared.Your Guide to Combating MisinformationDue to the freedom that social media instills, it has become increasingly easy to upload and discuss information that is not completely truthful or accurate. This can, unfortunately, come as a big disadvantage for those who make no attempt to fact check and cross-reference.As seen during the earlier stages of the pandemic, many were making an attempt to find a feasible cure for COVID-19 through the use of traditional medicine. This resulted in a series of rumors surrounding antidotes for the disease that only functioned to misinform people and create false speculations and hope. Student journalist Skye-Ali Johnson provides advice for combating misinformation: “I do sometimes try to make sure that I go directly to the source and I look at, you know, what’s their expertise in this field? How knowledgeable are they on the subject? What’s their experience with the subject?” Having access to social media likely means equal access to search engines where you can conduct personal research that will lead you to a conclusion based on facts and evidence. As a community that has grown at the same rate that technology evolves,  Generation Z is on track to be the most well-educated generation yet. Generation Z has managed to battle against the constant cycles of misinformation in the media. “I started following those accounts [that share infographics], and that’s how I know more about social justice,” says Osisioma. This generation is making a successful attempt at managing both their future and the mental toll of so much tragedy. Access to information on current events is now at its peak thanks to online activism.

By Amber Clay and Yarlin MoralesImage Credit: Emma Martinez SuttonDigital activism increased in popularity  during the Trump era, but in 2020, it became a part of every teenager and young adult’s social media life. Ryleigh Mae Emmert, from Lewiston ME, believes that last year’s rise of online activism was largely a result of George Floyds murder by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. This event made many members of Generation Z demand criminal justice system reformations.The big question is how. How could a teenager be an activist when they cannot leave the house without their parents’ permission? The answer? They can’t. Despite posting infographics on their instagram stories and using their platforms to spread awareness about topics affecting underrepresented communities, Aryam Haile, from Stone Mountain Georgia, and Ryleigh do not consider themselves activists.Many Instagram users’ posts could be classified as performative activism, which describes promoting political change to make yourself look good to others. When users post or make these infographics, they benefit from the reshares, likes, and comments. Ryleigh gave an example:popular Instagram account,  @feminist; a social media account about women’s rights, run by two men who reportedly profit from this account to fund their sustainable clothing brand, CHNGE. In a world filled with share-and-like obsessed teens, most posts seem to be about following a trend. Teenagers like Ryleigh and Aryam say social media apps are pushing more political content onto their feeds, which leads teens to post more of them; even though they themselves do not post such content. Seventeen-year-old Eunice Chae from Victorville, CA says that “…while [she is] sure some are genuine attempts at activism, overall it seems like a forced trend.” Chae thinks very little of social media activism is genuine. However Aryam says that “it’s a great way to spread awareness on topics that aren’t really covered in the news.”  The fear of spreading misinformation is a major reason Generation Z refuses to participate in online activism. “It’s one of, if not the most, negative aspects of social media activism” Aryam says, and “…it’s very easy to spread misinformation since we have easier access to social media.” Aryam believes “…that people need to preface that, when they’re sharing takes on certain controversies, that it’s solely opinions and not facts”. Which we as writers can understand  is fairly difficult to do in our society. When writing this piece we realized that psychologically there will always be an “us” and “them” group and therefore objectivity can be extremely difficult to execute because it’s natural for us to want to take a side; even when factual information is right in front of us. Eunice Chae said it best, “…on social media, knee-jerk reactions triumph over justice, and misinformation is much too common.”Although Generation Z doesn’t ignore the flaws of online activism, many of them still believe that its positive aspects outweigh the negative. Online activism does in fact lead to change, even if it’s small, and leads to the spread of information on a larger scale. It allows for our generation to be kept up to date with world-wide issues. So, despite online activism having a bad rep among teenagers, we know that as a society these flaws can be fixed–and from what we gathered in our interviews there’s no doubt in our minds that Generation Z won’t be the ones to do so. 

This story was reported by the staff of The Princeton Summer Journal. The project was led by Ryleigh Mae Emmert, Synai Ferrell, Roxana Martínez, Mmachukwu Osisioma, and Lewis Stahl. Thomas Stone High School is located about twenty-five miles south-east of Washington, D.C., in Charles County, Md. Roughly 1,100 students are enrolled there, most of them […]

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