Facebook Live

On July 6^th, 2016 Diamond Reynolds live streamed a video of her boyfriend, Philando Castile, after he was unjustly shot by police officer, Jeronimo Yanez.  In the video, Reynolds explains the details of the situation, saying that they were pulled over during a traffic stop and that the officer had shot Castile as he was reaching the get his license.  This video alongside the brutality displayed by the officer who shot Castile seven times forced the American public to recognize the horrific nature of police brutality against African American people. The decision made by Reynolds to go Facebook Live on the scene is a very decisive one due to what a live video suggests.  A live video cannot be edited and shows exactly what the one filming is experiencing in the moment.  By doing this, Reynolds is forcing the viewers to live through the horror as she herself is.  It is evident in the video that Castile is fatally wounded, thus the video then becomes a tribute to his name.  People cannot argue against the reality of what they see, thus her case against the officer becomes a solid claim.  This is a modern day take on what Emmet Till’s mother did following the death of her son.  She made his story public and forced people to examine why society exists in such a way that such a tragedy could occur.  Reynolds mirrored this tactic when she went Facebook live, allowing the public to examine the tragedy in a very real light.  The use of social media in relation to activism is currently on the rise for it allows audiences all over the world to witness and participate in movements of activism.