Black Activist Leaders to Follow on Social Media

In honor and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we wanted to place the spotlight on some of the top Black activist leaders to follow on social media. Among this list, which in no way encompasses all leaders deserving to be mentioned, are those who have built their platform through activism as well as those who use their already-established platform to further lead change. These leaders are continuing to educate and spread awareness of social justice issues through the use of their social platforms.

Rachel Elizabeth Cargle

One of the top Black activist leaders to follow on social media is Rachel Elizabeth Cargle. Founder of the Loveland Foundation, Cargle is well-known for her work towards racial justice and gender equality. In brief summary, the Loveland Foundation is “committed to showing up for communities of color… with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing.”

Cargle often reshares her Facebook posts onto Instagram, where she has amassed 1.8M followers, to help increase the reach of her message. Additionally, Cargle’s posts are often informative of oppression and injustice among all races, as seen in the post below.

Amanda Gorman

As the 2021 inaugural poet, Amanda Gorman became the youngest poet ever to read at an inauguration at the age of 23. Gorman, a cum laude Harvard graduate, largely uses her platform to share clips of poems she has recited on various major media outlets. Through the use of her powerful spoken-word, Gorman helps continue to strive for a more just society through moving wordplay.

Bakari Sellers

The former state legislature, Bakari Sellers, became the country’s youngest African American elected official at the age of 22 in 2006. Sellers was elected to represent South Carolina’s 90th district in the lower house of the state legislature. Sellers is now the host of The Bakari Sellers Podcast. On his podcast, Sellers “tackles the most pressing current events through conversations with a rotating panel of the country’s leading thinkers, writers, and influencers.” On his podcast, you can follow along as Sellers and guests discuss issues in today’s world.

Elaine Welteroth

Former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief and current co-host of “The Talk”, Elaine Welteroth, commonly uses her platform to promote social activism. Welteroth oftentimes brings social injustices to light along with the necessary steps towards change and improvement.

Kendrick Sampson

Actor, Kendrick Sampson, is well-known for his roles in How to Get Away With Murder, and The Vampire Diaries. However, Sampson uses his platform to inform his followers of social injustices and ways to move towards a more educated and just society. Sampson founded BLD PWR, with the main priority of engaging “pop culture, education, and activism to build and train an inclusive community of entertainers and athletes to advance radical social change.” Sampson believes that any privilege one has, whether it be ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. it is the duty of the privileged to help liberate those without.

Beverly Bond

Founder of Black Girls Rock, Beverly Bond, is known as a women’s empowerment leader. Black Girls Rock is a “lifestyle brand that focuses on the empowerment of women and girls of color.” Additionally, the annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! awards were created to help promote the achievements of Black women across different fields including entrepreneurship, medicine, entertainment, music, and visionary aspects.

Bryan Stevenson

Lawyer, social justice activist, and Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) founder, Bryan Stevenson, is another top activist leader to follow. The EJI is dedicated to providing “legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. We challenge the death penalty and excessive punishment and we provide re-entry assistance to formerly incarcerated people.“

The EJI Instagram page raises awareness of past injustices through posts of historical happenings. A great resource for awareness, education, and information, the EJI is a great follow.

Conclusion

In honor and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and society’s growing emphasis on social activism, we wanted to spotlight some of the top black activist leaders to follow on social media. Among this list are leaders who have built their platform through activism as well as those who use their already-established platform to further lead change. Included in our list, which in no way encompasses all leaders of activism, are Rachel Elizabeth Cargle, Amanda Gorman, Bakari Sellers, Elaine Welteroth, Kendrick Sampson, Beverly Bond, and Bryan Stevenson. If you’re interested in learning more about black activist leaders to follow on social media, influencer marketing strategy, and more from industry experts, visit Captiv8.io for more info!