Outside of the social media initiative Blackout Tuesday, which encouraged internet folks to post a black square to show their solidarity with the black community and then continue to work to end racial injustice, June 2 was an election day in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Indiana, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, and the District of Columbia.
Since aside from protesting, there is truly nothing more to do than get involved and informed these days (there’s still a global pandemic happening, y’all), it’s important that we use our voices now more than ever to incite change in our communities, towns, cities and country.
When she wasn’t encouraging her fans to educate themselves on police brutality in America, music mogul Rihanna was encouraging her followers to vote if they’re registered in the nine states with election days on Tuesday.
“Ya ain’t got shit else to do man!” she wrote in her caption. “Get yo ass off the couch and go vote!!! I don’t wanna hear another excuse!! Stop believing that your vote and voice don’t matter! This the illest way to protest...vote for the change you want!!!” While many echoed her sentiment, others were not as thrilled.
“Voting ain’t gon change shit,” one user wrote, to which Rihanna replied, “sick of hearing this! Ya know what ain’t gon change shit? Not doing shit!!!!”
Social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook are encouraging voter registration within their apps. If you go to your Instagram Story, you can add a sticker to encourage your friends and followers to register to vote in their respective states. Those who click the sticker will be sent to the site Turbo Vote and should follow the steps in order to ensure you’re ready. Voter registration deadlines are coming up, so make sure you’re on top of things.