How can you avoid common mistakes when reporting on the Black Lives Matter movement?

The challenge for journalists in reporting on race-related issues is primarily two-fold: 1. They fail to acknowledge that race is a mythical construct created by White Europeans, rooted in ideology of racial hierarchy (valuing and devaluing humans by the mythological construct of race) and white supremacy. The presumption of whiteness is operative whenever White journalists use seemingly innocuous terms like "journalists" and "people" and "the American people" and "suburbs" and "rural" to refer to population groups. Say "White" when referring to White people, which adds clarity, just as White journalists are clear when referring to nonwhite groups. 2. Talk about the "Negro Revolution" as the root cause of today's BLM protests. (See MLK)

Unless writing specifically about the organization, I would not use the term BLM. I would use the term preferred by the group being reported on or describe their commitment preventing or ending police violence rather than using the BLM movement.

The BLM movement comprises many different organizations, people, and connecting movements. To say in an article that the BLM movement is one holistic movement would be categorically wrong. There are many stories that make up the movement or movements and many different servant leaders who define the movement in their own way due to how racism and inequities have shaped their lives. To capture the right stories and the voices of the people, journalists must put aside their bias towards this or any other movement and record the voices of the people who are struggling. By putting boots on the ground in the communities that are being impacted and showing compassion, I believe the real story of the BLM movement can be told.

Focus on the reparations aspect. Then study the ethno-aggregation practices that native black americans practiced through out the 30s-50s. You can then make a better report about the coming progress if reparations dispursed.

Today exists a movement that warps the truth, and relies on conjecture and lies to offer a narrative that sounds authentic! Its basis is to distract. Take the term “Woke”! This term denotes being educated, aware and not easily confused! Others would have you believe it represents a threat to the Status Quo Anti! Hidden agenda and hate! Far from it!

To further this point, it is important that you take into consideration not only whose voices you are amplifying, but what stories you are asking them to tell and how you are positioning them. Consider how Black voices are being given a platform not only to illuminate stories of injustice but also to share thoughts on the solutions and to highlight the deep work many are already doing. It is not the responsibility of Black people to solve the problems of systemic racism, and at the same time, we cannot make true progress on anti-racism work if we are not listening to, learning from, and prioritizing the voices of the people most affected by the issues.

Wonderful perspective! However I would go so far as to eliminate “Black people who are directly affected.” The reality is that all Black people don’t experience the same microaggressions, stereotypes, etc. But all Black people and people of color are affected in some shape or form whether directly or indirectly. Hearing these different perspectives from individuals will allow you to learn and discover more than you could ever imagine.

BLM are not ignored or marginalised, to the contrary they have been supported by some of the richest most prestigious and recognisable brands in the world. From Nike to Facebook to Target to even the English Premier League the richest football league on the planet. We also know that Linkedin doesn't truly believe in listening to the voice of black leaders, if they did they would shine a light on influential black leaders that are vehemently opposed to BLM to critically evaluate their marxist driven worldview. In reality it is black conservatives voices which are truly being ignored whilst big tech runs PR for BLM by suppressing the scandal of Patrice Cullors who used donation money to purchase herself a £6m mansion.

I disagree that using language like “white supremacist” is appropriate. It is bias towards a particular person or group of individuals. This type of ideology encourages the generalization that almost all white people who are involved in shootings of black people are somehow associated with this term. Which couldn’t be farther from the truth! While every individual should be cognizant of the language utilized in dialogue, being vulnerable and truly expressing your feelings and emotions deliver so much better. People are more welcome to hearing your unfiltered language that could be naive about the situation. But when you attempt to say all the correct buzz words when associating with BLM and don’t really understand it discourages some people

Shot by a white supremacist is a very not journalistic thing to say. It is a categorisation that doesn't have anything with journalism but with activism. BLM is an activist organisation. Journalism is not and it cannot call people names used by activists.

That is correct you do need to use the right language for example, Linkedin writes "It is a decentralized network of activists, groups, and chapters that emerged in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager, in Florida" Misleading. This is closer to the truth: "It is a decentralized network of activists, groups, and chapters that emerged in 2013 following the acquittal of George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager, in Florida. The jury concluded that Zimmerman acted in self-defense during the altercation with Martin"

I cannot stress enough how the right language is critical when reporting on BLM. Also, doing what I have just done, using the abbreviation may come across as casual, and may assume everyone knows what BLM stands for. I took a comment to task about the repeated use of “those people “in this person‘s response. In attempt to not repeatedly use their title, this person opted for the use of “those people “. Even if the intent is not too other people, the use of phrases like that can certainly come across doing more harm than good. Also, folk language may turn people off or away. Phrases like black folks, colored people, the Asians, the Japanese, the Mexicans can also leave the more isolating tone behind after you have spoken or written.

You should be aware of your own unconscious bias and strive to be objective in your reporting. There are historical context to what lead to the movement and it’s important to be sensitive to these contexts.

Everybody doesn’t need to speak on everything. Way too often we amplify the voice of the narrative instead of the actual people. Let’s be cognizant of what’s being said and by who. Lastly always follow the 💰

It's one thing to say black lives matter in words. We must understand that abuse of black people by the police didn't start with Trayvon Martin, it's been going on for decades, his death shed new light on it. Understanding that all lives matter but all people don't get the same treatment or justice based on skin color. If you really want to understand Black Lives Matter do a roll reversal using George Floyd and determine how you would feel if this were your family member.

Until we acknowledge skindemic as one of the leading undetected "viruses" plaguing our society, we will continue to waste our efforts on symptoms instead of the core cause.

When reporting on the Black Lives Matter movement, avoid perpetuating stereotypes or sensationalism. Prioritize accuracy, providing context to events, and representing diverse perspectives. Verify information from reliable sources before sharing. Be mindful of language, choosing terms that respect the movement's goals and amplify marginalized voices. Acknowledge your own biases and strive for balanced coverage. Avoid selective framing that could misrepresent the movement's intentions. Engage with community leaders and activists to gain nuanced insights. Prioritize empathy, understanding the gravity of the issues involved, and approach reporting with sensitivity to the movement's historical context and its ongoing fight for racial justice.

Keep abreast of changes in actions and philosophy of group as tactics change. ex de-funding police did not stay in their attention actions,.

Don’t get caught up in the alternative narrative that when we say “Black Lives Matter” that we are devaluing any other life. We are simply & non apologetically saying for years Black lives has not and still don’t matter to many. This mantra is a call for Blacks to be recognized, valued, treated equitably & respected in all systems.