Black digital activism is driving change – and it’s women taking the wheel

With the explosive rise of social media, Black British communities are harnessing the power of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to claim their space, challenge injustice and redefine activism on their own terms. 

With the offer of instant reach and a platform for voices too often sidelined, these spaces have become vibrant hubs for Black British socio-political commentary, creativity, and cultural expression over the last decade.

From the global impact of #BlackLivesMatter to countless everyday callouts of racism and inequality, digital activism is disrupting traditional media and politics like never before – and and while there’s no doubt Black men are part of the movement, it’s women leading the charge. 

British female artists and cultural producers are no longer waiting for mainstream approval; they are creating and sharing work directly with their communities online. 

This shift embodies what media scholar Henry Jenkins calls ‘Participatory Culture’, where audiences transition to becoming active creators and leaders. And these Black artists have bypassed the gatekept worlds of TV, film, galleries, and museums, to produce their own art, memes, podcasts, and videos that speak directly to their lived experiences.

21st-century trailblazers like Patricia Bright, Candice Brathwaite, Candice Carty-Williams, Tobi Oredein, and Michaela Coel are just a tiny handful names that have paved the way over the last decade. 

Platforms such as ‘Black Ballad’, founded by British Nigerian Tobi Oredein, tell the multifaceted stories of Black women — from mental health to politics and culture. Meanwhile. Candice Brathwaite’s ‘I Am Not Your Baby Mother’ reveals the realities of Black Caribbean motherhood, unpicking the complex and intersectional threads of race, gender, and class. 

These voices are reshaping the narrative and creating spaces where Black women’s experiences are front and centre.

Another powerful example is the Instagram account Know Your Caribbean, led by Fiona Compton, which celebrates Caribbean culture while advocating for reparations to the Windrush Generation – British citizens from the Caribbean who were invited to rebuild Britain after World War 2 during the years 1948-1971, only to wrongly face deportation in 2018. By sharing music, dance, language, and history, it instils pride and challenges distorted narratives around Caribbean and Black British identities.

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Everyday activism

At the grassroots level, activists like Kelechi Okafor bring digital activism to life, creating real, joyful everyday moments. Her recent campaign to offer free haircuts to Black boys starting school, organised with local barbershops, celebrated Black boy joy and fostered community pride. 

Health advocacy also pulses strongly, as the Black Health Gap continues to show the disparities between the Black and white communities.

Content creator and sickle cell campaigner Simply Sayo’s campaign It Takes A Village, aims to recruit 16,000 blood donors of Black heritage to help those affected by sickle cell disease—a condition that disproportionately impacts Black communities. Through social media, Simply Sayo – real name Adesayo Talabi – has been mobilising the community, appearing on podcasts created by Black creators, educating, and driving life-saving action. 

Moreover, Black mental and maternal health have been central to many online advocacy campaigns, particularly as Black women in the UK are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). As a result, we have seen the growth of influencers such as midwife and content creator Mama Dinya (real name Elizabeth Idowu), and digital platforms such as The Motherhood Group, which offer advice and knowledge for Black mothers. 

Creating change

Community building is another strength of Black British digital activism, helping to foster powerful networks of solidarity. Hashtags like #EndSARSUK and #DearBlackGirls have created virtual spaces for collective healing and knowledge-sharing.

These movements connect people across borders and backgrounds, creating what scholar Moya Bailey calls ‘digital care work’—where marginalised groups use online platforms to support one another.

I have personally engaged in and benefited from digital care work. Whether it’s sharing resources on navigating racial trauma, promoting Black-owned businesses, or rallying behind petitions and protests, there is a sense of digital kinship and belonging to a collective that extends beyond the online.

Standing on the shoulders of giants

However, in some ways this isn’t a new thing. Black women have always been at the forefront of social movements — any digital activism stands on the shoulders of pioneers like Claudia Jones and Olive Morris, whose legacy still shapes the movement today.

Claudia, a Trinidad-born political activist and journalist, arrived in the UK in the 1950s and became a leading voice in the fight against racism and inequality. She founded the West Indian Gazette, one of the first major Black British newspapers, and organised the first indoor Caribbean carnival in 1959 – a radical act of cultural resistance which evolved into Notting Hill Carnival. 

Years later, Olive Morris emerged as a fierce organiser within the British Black Panther Movement. She campaigned for housing rights, youth empowerment, and Black women’s liberation, leaving behind a model of fearless, intersectional activism.

Today’s digital campaigns, such as BLAM UK and The 4Front Project, echo their revolutionary spirit: bold, grassroots, and community-led.

Black digital activism isn’t just a trend — it’s a movement rooted in resilience, creativity, and power. From grassroots campaigns to life-saving health advocacy, their digital leadership is driving real change — and making their voices impossible to ignore.

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