These Activists Are Using Social Media To Empower Black Women — & You Should Be Following

Social media tends to get a bad rap — and for good reason. We can all agree that plenty of things in life are more enriching than the hours we spend hunched over scrollable feeds on our phones, saving astrology memes, skimming mega-captions, and ogling strangers' European vacations. That said, with a bit of curation, it is possible for our social media feeds to do more than just spark FOMO — they can be a source of inspiration and maybe even a force for good.

In a world where it often feels like power structures are focused on amplifying the voices and concerns of the privileged, social media offers a platform for a far more diverse range of voices to speak out.

Of course, that all depends on whom, exactly, you’re following. That’s why we partnered with Toyota RAV4 — a brand that’s committed to causes like education reform, financial empowerment, and youth development — to scour our feeds in search of impressive and influential Black women who are making waves both online and out in the real world — whether they’re leading workshops to empower women of color, promoting sex education, or launching initiatives that destigmatize mental illness. Read on to learn more about the five women who we’re adding to our forever follow lists. Then add them to yours, too.