Last week was a rough week for the Black community. After watching two black men become hashtags overnight, we were reminded that “Black Lives Matter” is more than just a hashtag, but something the world needs to acknowledge. With the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the #blacklivesmatter hashtag was brought back to the forefront of twitter timelines. With the hashtag resurfacing over the recent tragedies, Twitter showed its support through an Emoji.

Blackbirds, an official account run by Twitter employees, brought back the clenched fist in varying shades of brown after the #blacklivesmatter hashtag. Blackbirds seek to celebrate and encourage diverse perspectives and brought back the clenched fist emoji on Friday to aid in that conversation.

So the next time you use the #blacklivesmatter hashtag look for the three clenched fist in varying shades of brown behind it.

With many big businesses using this time of tragedy as a way to profit, or choosing to stay silent on the matter altogether, it’s great to see one company showing their support.

Google has also expressed recent support.

Last week, Facebook posted a Black Lives Matter sign at its headquarters.

#blacklivesmatter 💔

A photo posted by Ainura M (@a_moor) on

However, it is important to hold these companies accountable for what they do not only in the public eye, but also in the private eye. Don’t just reflect diversity in new features or around the office, but also in your employees.


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