University Failure and Student Response – Linking Today to the 1960s

Earlier this month, a horrific, hate-filled video of a UW-Madison student spouting racist slurs, threats, and a desire to own enslaved people began circulating around the UW-Madison community. It didn’t take long for the video and responses to it to go viral online, resulting in a petition for the expulsion of the students involved with the video amassing tens of thousands of signatures.

Protests in the Age of Social Media

In the last two decades, social media has become a central part of our daily life and a catalyst for change in society. With over 4 billion people using social media globally, various platforms such as Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram have become a way for people to express themselves and share information about topics they are passionate about.

The Black Lives Matter Movement in Cuba

In June of 2020, the killing of an unarmed young Black man received widespreadmedia attention and sparked calls for protests across Cuba. However, 52 local activists were preemptively arrested for planning such protests that called for racial justice on the island. Additionally, the state-owned communications company blocked phone and internet access the night before participants and journalists were planning to cover the protests.