It seems like every day your favorite hair brand, soft drink, famous rapper or transportation company is sticking their foot in their mouth.  Just when 2017 is shaping up to be just as foolish as the last, something happens that is a little close for comfort. This isn’t just your ordinary slip of the tongue. it’s colossal; It’s something like a cross between a violent hailstorm and someone asking "who made the potato salad" at the function and not in a good way. Heartbreaking.  In short, what do you do after everyone berates and drags your favorite thing on Twitter after everyone has decided that company/brand/person is “canceled”? 

Well, the good news is that you will survive this PR nightmare and you may not have to feel conflicted about what to do next. When disaster strikes, try the following. 

Don’t defend them.

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You’ve combed through multiple tweets trying to piece together just how this could’ve happened. Take a deep breath. Yes, your favorite natural hair brand did do something very confusing and upsetting. Yes, your favorite drink company did assert that racial inequality could be solved if we could only sip from a can of yours truly. Instead of trying to find your way around their ignorance, don’t try to play devil’s advocate. Mourn their silly decision and admit that they were wrong. 

Detach yourself. 

 

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A little denial never hurt anyone right? Not exactly. While you shouldn’t ignore what just happened, at this point we often skip right to “What do I do about this?” The answer: absolutely nothing. The wound is fresh, and in many cases, it can be triggering to talk about. Believe it or not, their poor decision up to this point doesn’t say as much as you think about you. Before you succumb to customer’s guilt, let yourself feel angry and disappointed. And yes, even grab your pitchfork and join the mob on your TL. 

Hold them accountable and express yourself. 

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Unfortunately, many of these companies thought that the incident in question was a good idea. But now on social media, the distance between you and your favorite brand isn’t so far away. If you thought those last few bars about you spit were completely out of pocket? Tweet them. Did you think they would be better off if they employed more people of color to avoid complete failure? Share that. And if you really feel a way, fill out an online survey. Get it all out. If enough people are upset, like you, they will have to respond. 

Decide whether the course of action was enough. 

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Was their apology lukewarm? Did they issue a response that issues another slap in the face? The better question is whether or not you’re satisfied with the response. If not, by all means, delete that app or refuse to give that company your money. And if you feel conflicted that’s OK, too. Do your homework and go for context and facts first. If you need to see the receipts, it doesn’t make you on anyone’s side. 

Is this a breakup or a disagreement? 

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Just because everyone else is angry and ready to cut ties, that doesn’t mean you are obligated to do the same. If it’s that serious, take a moment to assess the impact this will have on you. At the end of the day, your Twitter followers don’t get to dictate how you spend your money or support you if you fall on a rock and a hard place. You decide what is unforgivable! Besides,  sometimes it's just not that deep. I mean, you can’t break up if you were never together. And no this doesn't apply to anything Trump says on Twitter. 

Decide what you value and stick to it. 

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Maybe you won’t be "woke" enough for your peers, but just because this is a hot topic doesn’t mean you have to explain yourself to everyone. The only person that has to be OK with your thoughts on the matter is you. And while you might come to a few unpleasant exchanges with friends, stick to your decision even when they try to convince you are overreacting or that you aren’t angry enough. If that fails, use the ultimate litmus test: Do they pay your bills? 

If you get to the end of this and still feel conflicted, you’re probably in denial. And in that case, you should start at the beginning. Otherwise, your process, your healing and how quickly that happens is up to you. If that means that you need to log off, get your chakras aligned or practice self care in lieu of this disaster. Do it.