ACTIVISM is more visible in recent times, with many people taking their activism to social media platforms. In fact, activism is now a part of a growing “trend” in Guyana. During the month of Pride in June, people shared rainbow-coloured content on social media with no purposeful message or explanation. In August, we celebrate Emancipation Day. Many people will wear their African prints without understanding their significance. In these instances, people simply “perform” their activism by doing these tasks, with no true impact.

The concept of awareness and social justice is now a vital one across social media. However, the viral approaches behind these concepts need accountability. The phrase “performative activism” is described as an act of support for a cause, expressed mainly to gain attention, avoid criticism, or appear socially conscious, without any real effort or risk. In essence, activism becomes a trend or an aesthetic. Advocacy becomes a concept to gain followers or to attract people through social media’s algorithm. It is a far shadow from the hard work of social justice advocates and change activists across the world.

I am not saying we should not welcome the conversations and discussions coming from social media influencers. Every person deserves to have their voices heard and their messages shared. However, the work simply does not stop there. There is more to raising awareness than having an influencer post a poster, even when major corporations use a trendy hashtag but still continue to abide by inhumane practices and regulations.

Unfortunately, it is very simple and easy to create content and post on social media. As such, people feel that with just a click, they can show solidarity or “advocate.” This, however, is a hollow approach. It creates an illusion of progress in awareness, but in reality, the issues and challenges persist.

This illusion also extends to Guyana. With the Venezuelan border dispute, many persons reposted the Guyana flag and map on their social media pages. Many persons also wore the Guyana national symbols as accessories, but beyond that—what else was done? Did they take the time to educate themselves further on the dispute? Did they try to combat misinformation surrounding the dispute on social media? Did they share reliable and accurate information or data on why Essequibo belongs to Guyana? Have they conducted any community outreach to educate their community members about the dispute and its potential impact on all Guyanese?

The real work requires us to leave the comfort of our homes. It also requires us to continue having conversations, even if they aren’t trending or viral. People will argue that activism is sometimes subjective, and who am I to judge whether someone’s efforts are performative or not? I am here to say that we should not create smokescreens for creating change. We must actually strive to create meaningful change. We must confront oppressive systems and engage in offline community work—becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

We must not allow performative activism to deter us from recognising the real sacrifices of many grassroots activists and organisations. I urge you all to start doing this by being honest with the impact and form of activism we portray.

Yes, we can continue to utilise social media to advocate for change, but challenge yourself to do more than that. Research and add policy reform recommendations to your next family violence post, or help organise a community clean-up campaign while simultaneously posting about keeping our beaches clean. Raising awareness is the first step, but it should not be the last—the work never stops there.