Project Description
For my project, I want to tackle the problem of institutional racism in my community of Cobb County, Georgia. Examining the range of possible topics, I decided to focus on the subject of racial relations, as it seemed important. Racism is one of the more noticeable systematic problems that many people these days seem to ignore or sweep under the rug. In Cobb County, there have been reports of racial discussions being suppressed, which is a serious problem that needs public attention (Robinson, 2020). While researching, I have also found out that a piece of legislation concerning racial issues has been passed in the area, which is also an important point in the discussion (Lutz, 2020). Taking these events into consideration, I wanted to discuss the present issues and raise awareness of the topic by starting a social media campaign.
While the problems of racism apply to every state and county in America, I think that addressing them in relation to the local area might prove beneficial to the wellness of my community. As opposed to a project on a larger scale, this seems like something I can theoretically accomplish by myself. Bringing attention to the systematic problems of the place I inhabit can bring benefits to both me and my local area. I want to start a social media campaign to attract as much attention as possible and make people think more about their neighbors. My work would include formulating and holding a campaign to raise awareness of the issue and influence people’s judgment. The overall goal is to inform people about the ongoing local problems connected with race and to give the audience clear instructions on how they could aid in this predicament.
Project Format
As stated previously, I intend to organize a social media campaign for my work. One of the reasons I gave preference to the online format is its large scope. The internet allows even the most ordinary people to band together to support the cause they feel for. Reaching people online is much easier to do than in person, and it allows variety in presentation and communication. I think that such a platform will allow me to reach a broad audience, making the biggest possible impact with my otherwise limited capabilities. Spreading information on the internet works especially well with young people who often use it to inform their decisions in daily life and tend to be more open to new ideas. It might also influence the older demographic well, given that I phrase it in an accessible and clear manner. The other reason is the relative simplicity of making a social media campaign. Many of the other forms of activism require more formal training than I could probably manage, while the online campaign is presented in an easier-to-handle manner, which I really appreciate. Most of the needed knowledge is entry-level and depends mainly on my writing abilities, with a few other factors. With both tools and learning materials available from home, this approach seems to be the most convenient.
Another interesting point in favor of an online campaign stems from many people’s approach to activism and direct action. Oftentimes, one can feel the desire to give back to their community or to better their environment in some way. This inclination, however, is often contrasted with the inability to decide where to start and general feelings of fear and uncertainty. Such emotions can be combated by offering people the knowledge they need while giving them time to think about their actions without external pressure. This kind of support can be easily given by using the internet. Finally, I think that online campaigns have proven to be effective in the current social climate. With the internet’s rise in popularity and usage, many companies and organizations have employed its benefits in their work. As exemplified by various brands, such strategies can quickly amass a large viewer base and effectively deliver a message.
Project audience
The main audience is the people in my local area who use social media often, meaning most of them. I do not have an entirely clear vision of my demographics, though I hope they will be as broad as possible. I think that this kind of project would benefit from every type of audience it can get, barring the people who think that the issues of race are unimportant. Taking a guess, the majority of people interested would be teenagers and young adults, the kind of people who follow current trends and social media closely, thus becoming aware of an ongoing campaign quicker than others. Young adults are also, to my knowledge, more likely to take my words as sincere and believe me. Speaking about older demographics, I cannot accurately estimate how many of them my project will reach. I think that a heartfelt message aimed at handling racism in the community might resonate with them well, though I am unsure to what degree specifically. I am not well-versed in convincing older people, but an attempt should be made nevertheless.
As for how the project will reach its audience, I think it will mostly happen naturally through its spread on the internet. Just like with many other multi-media projects, it will probably not require much intervention or promotion on my part, though I will try to engage with the audience nevertheless. On the web, much new information appears, starts to gather traction, and spreads each day, making it the perfect place for informing others. It is also really easy to fact-check anything one might find online, which adds more credibility. My social media of choice would probably be Instagram and Facebook, as they seem to be popular with younger and older people, respectively. Facebook is an older, more reliable choice that is relatively easy to navigate and manage, while Instagram leans into the online viral trends more often, helping with finding an audience. Many adolescents today strive to better their local communities and fight injustice, whether it affects them directly or not. Taking advantage of youthful eagerness would prove effective in spreading a good message and convincing people. My main goal is to present the information simple enough to follow, support it with evidence, and make a direct call to action. By telling the people exactly what steps need to be followed and providing appropriate recourses, I hope to gain support and encourage people to spread the message.
Works Cited
Robinson, Arielle. Cobb School Board Suppressing Black Members, Racial Discussions, Board Member Says. 2020, Web.
Lutz, Meris. “Cobb Takes Stand on Racism, Hate Crime Law Following Heated Debate.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2020, Web.