In today’s social media circus, anyone with Wi-Fi and a loud opinion can declare themselves a “leader” in the Black community. No boots on the ground. No sleepless nights organizing. No risk taken. No skin in the game. Just a ring light, a recycled Malcolm X quote, and a fire emoji caption — and somehow, that makes them a voice for the people.
These unapologetic, armchair pro-Black revolutionaries love to speak in absolutes. What is and isn’t Black. Who’s woke, who’s a sellout. They judge community organizers, teachers, artists, and elders from the comfort of their couches. They belittle folks feeding kids on Saturdays, helping expunge records, or pushing policy — because it doesn’t match their idea of “the movement.” Their version often boils down to rebranded rage, clout-chasing, or worse — trauma porn for likes.
The loudest voices in the room are often the ones who’ve never built anything. Never started a nonprofit. Never mentored a child. Never knocked on a door, fed a family, ran a program, or healed a heart. But they type with fury. They yell with conviction. They curse the system while doing nothing to understand — let alone dismantle — it.
And yet, they’ve amassed followings. They’re quoted, shared, and lifted up like beacons. Meanwhile, those in the trenches are overlooked, underfunded, and often attacked. The real ones move quietly — not because they lack power, but because they know real work doesn’t require applause. It requires results.
This isn’t a call for silence. Speak your truth. Use your platform. But understand the weight of your words. If all you offer is critique without contribution, you’re not a revolutionary — you’re a commentator. If you’ve sacrificed nothing, built nothing, and served no one, you’re not leading — you’re spectating.
The movement is more than memes and monologues. It’s messy. It’s complex. It’s slow, and often thankless. But it’s real. And real change takes more than a post — it takes presence.
So to the armchair radicals: either stand up and show up, or kindly sit this one out. The stakes are too high, and our people deserve more than just hashtags.
