#BLM prompts

[youshouldbesad]

when will celebrities learn to shut the fuck up if they dont have anything valuable to add to the conversation like theyre really showing their entire ass with these empty statements that no-one asked for

[writing-turnip]

Do you ever get sucked into finding out the internal life experiences of a stranger? I wonder how interesting narratives would be if being palatable wasn’t the highest priority.

The real un-marketable version. People want the credibility of identities, want to market the biographies.

They want to sell suffering with obvious villains , smoothed down and made palatable to the milketoast readers they prioritize. To assuage guilt with stories that promise to make them better people “I’m not racist, I don’t act like THAT” while never threatening them (which isn’t how it works), discomfort is part of growth. In the end, people have no investment in the actual voices.

Always, the real experience is first sacrifice at the altar of marketability. Even the nutritional benefits of learning is stripped away in the name of making biographic junk food.

[shylilbunny15]

Writing Prompts Tips/Ideas:

Melanin Characters

Not just melanin characters, but also add some spice and true spirit to them. It's not right to stereotype them either. Slang is not always their dialogue, but proper and grammatically correct English as well.

Give them hobbies.

Remember, no stereotypes or "I normally see them do this/ I think they would do that".

Every being is different and varies from one another.

A few tips:

What is the character's name?

(Isabelle, Leon, Mitski, Reina, Mesirae, Hazel, Dawn, Luther..etc the names don't have to "sound or fit melanin people" anyone can befit any name).

How do they act?

(Shy, Distant, Musical, Whiney, Whimsy, Perverse, Wise, Calm, Rankling, nostalgic, Breathtaking, Giddy, Angelic, Stuck-up, Hard-headed, ignorant, Arrogant, annoying, daredevil, silly, Respectful, Disobedient, Introverted, Imaginative, Integrity, Strong-willed.. etc)

Quirks!!!!

Plays with their hair when nervous; palms sweat when they are excited; looking up or avoiding eye contact; scratching when embarrassed; twiddling fingers; King/Queen of pet peeves; biting their nails; playing with their lashes; Smiling when they're confused or as a coping mechanism.

You get the point, I'm sure. I'm only saying that when you write about melanin Characters, give them meaning, a life, make them a character. Not the stereotypes you often see in anime/mangad and TV shows. It's good to show culture as well.

All in all, every character should have a good description, a proper role and introduction.

[half-asleep-star]

The power to stand up for women's and black rights (very bad in the 20's)

Actually the power to stand up for minorities in general

“That power corrupts people,” they cried, “you’ll become a monster!” That was a hundred years ago, and you’re beginning to wonder when the ‘evil’ is going to kick in

[silhouettecrow]

365 Days of Writing Prompts: Day 268

Adjective: Yellow

Noun: Funeral

Definitions for those who need/want them:

Yellow: of the color between green and orange in the spectrum, a primary subtractive color complementary to blue, or colored like ripe lemons or egg yolks; (informal) cowardly

Funeral: the ceremonies honoring a dead person, typically involving burial or cremation; (rare) (US) a sermon delivered at a funeral; (archaic) (literary) a procession of mourners at a burial

[shanastoryteller]

so, as i'm sure a lot of you remember, a few years ago during the surge of blm protests i did a little fundraiser where if someone showed me a new receipt of a donation to one of a list of charities, i wrote them 500 words of their fic of choice. unlike now, it was pretty rare back then for a prompt answer to go over 500 words

i put "thanks for donating" in the posts which i am regretting very much now because apparently there's a group of people who've seen it out of context and think i write updates in exchange for money. which i hate a lot and makes me very uncomfortable

i have never written fic in exchange for money. even when i briefly did commissions to raise money for a physical printing of gods and monsters, i specified that it had to be either an original idea or based on public domain works. i don't even do zines because i don't want money exchanging hands for my fanfiction

this is not a statement on other people doing this. not my circus, not my money. i've even commissioned an author i love, because their writing is wonderful and they were in a tight spot. and i think zines are an important part of fandom history and i'm glad they're still around. my personal boundaries are not judgements on other people

anywho. i want to 1, make that very clear, and 2, ask the least weird way to edit those posts so this stops happening. my initial thought was to change it to "thanks for donating to blm" but that's not accurate, because "blm" isn't a charity, it was a group of charities affiliated with the black lives matter movement (i think the one i donated to was for bail bonds, for example) but it also feels weird for me to just say "thanks for donating to charity" because it feels like i'm purposefully distancing it from the blm movement, which is not the intention. it's just that this was years ago and it would be difficult to impossible for me to track down who donated to exactly what charity, especially become some people chose to stay anonymous

idk. i'm very probably over thinking this

edit: thank you everyone for the ideas!!! i'm editing now <3

[ausetkmt]

Freedmen Seek Their Fair Share of Billions of Dollars in Federal Aid and Why We Should Care/Rise UP and Support Them

By Eli Grayson Eagle Guest Writer

Eli Grayson is a Creek Citizen and unabashed supporter of the Freedmen descendants of the 5 Civilized Tribes and the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties.

This past week, we celebrated our Nation’s 244th year of Independence with family and friends over BBQ and fireworks, we should all stop to reflect on its significance, particularly in light of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

The protests that have swept the country by those outraged over the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and far too many others, most of whose names have not garnered national attention, has sparked a long-overdue National dialogue about the treatment of Black Americans in the United States, a reckoning with this country’s past, the many vestiges of slavery that continue today, and what we as a country can and must do to address racism. [It also reminds ALL of us that we have a long way to go.]

Not only have the egregious deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery led to a growing chorus of voices calling for criminal justice reform, it has prompted many to reflect upon racism in both its subtle and overt forms today. It has prompted many to learn about events long celebrated by Black Americans such as Juneteenth (even the NFL recently recognized Juneteenth as an official holiday). And it has prompted many to consider what steps we as individuals, and as a society, can take to affirmatively address it. Here in Oklahoma, attention has focused on Black Wall Street and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

Well known is the U.S. Government’s abhorrent treatment of Native Americans, which included abrogation of countless treaties, appropriation of land, and forced removal to Western territories, including what is today Oklahoma.

Less well known, however, is the fact that the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole Nations – collectively known today as the Five Civilized Tribes – enslaved Africans. Like Southern plantation owners, they bought and sold slaves and treated them as chattel property. Indeed, slaveholding was such an integral part of the daily life of these tribal nations that each entered treaties with the Confederate States of America in 1861 to ensure its continuance.

Many Americans recently learned for the first time about the meaning and significance of Juneteenth, when nearly all remaining slaves in the United States and its territories were freed – a full 71 days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865 to Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant.

Enslaved Africans of Indian Territory

This was not the case for the enslaved Africans of Indian Territory. Even after Lee’s surrender, and even after General Granger read his Orders, the enslaved Africans of Indian Territory were kept in bondage.

Sadly, it was not until the Five Tribes of Indian Territory entered Treaties with the U.S. Government on March 21, with the Seminole Nation, on April 28, with the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations, on June 14, with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and on July 19, with the Cherokee Nation in 1866 – more than a year after Lee’s surrender – were these slaves granted freedom, tribal citizenship, and equal interest in the soil and national funds.

Each of these treaties (collectively known as the Treaties of 1866) contained provisions freeing the slaves and an express acknowledgement that the U.S. Constitution was, and shall remain, the Supreme Law of the land. Notably, there was no mention of tribal law or sovereignty insulating these slave holding tribes from full compliance with the U.S. Constitution, which includes all the Civil War reconstruction amendments.

Today, we find ourselves at a turning point in society. Similar to the country as a whole, the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations must take this seminal moment to carefully examine their slaveholding past, their prior allegiance with the Confederacy, enshrined through Treaties entered in 1861, and how they can make amends by fully adhering to both the letter and spirit of the 1866 Reconstruction Peace Treaties.

Congressional legislation

The three House bills are H.R. 2, the Invest in America Act, which includes $1 billion for the Native American Housing Block Grant Program to create or rehabilitate over 8,000 affordable homes for Native Americans on tribal lands; H.R. 6800, the HEROES Act, which includes $6 billion for housing and community development to respond to the Coronavirus; and H.R. 5319, the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act (NAHASDA), which would authorize $680 million in grants to tribes in the first year and grow to $824 million in the fifth and final year.

Why is this important and why should you care? NAHASDA was originally passed by Congress in 1996 to address poor housing conditions in Indian country and last re-authorized in 2008. It is a flagship Federal law for Native American tribes and the vehicle through which approximately $650 million flows annually to the tribes. In Oklahoma, the Five Civilized Tribes receive more than $62 million annually in direct grants for housing and community development projects. These grants are based on a formula that takes into account various factors including the number of tribal members. Notably, these grants are supported by taxpayers.

For the 2021 Fiscal Year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is responsible for administering NAHASDA, has informed the Five Civilized Tribes that they can expect to receive $62,223,462. Thus, nearly 10 percent of all NAHASDA grant funds will go to just these five tribes. By any measure, this is a significant sum, particularly when you consider that there are approximately 573 federally recognized tribes in the United States today, according to data from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. And, the final amount will be even greater as Congress has (appropriately) increased the amount of funds for NAHASDA far above the amounts requested by this Administration, including an appropriation of $825 million for this Fiscal Year.

Oklahoma Tribes receive millions in housing aid

Native American Tribes also receive other competitively awarded grants from HUD through a program known as the Indian Community Development Block Grant program. The Choctaw Nation was recently awarded $900,000 to rehabilitate 60 single-family homes while the Cherokee Nation received the same sum to construct a community building, which will house the Early Head Start program. The Chickasaw Nation was awarded $900,000 to construct a youth center in Ardmore, Oklahoma that will provide a safe and clean place for activities and services for Chickasaw tribal youth while the Muscogee (Creek) Nation will use its $900,000 award to construct a facility on the campus of the College of Muscogee Nation. The facility will include space for exhibitions and a lecture hall. These are worthy projects and it is vital that all those in need, including Freedmen descendants, can benefit.

Why Freedmen are concerned

Now if you have read this far, you must be thinking this is great news for these five tribes. And indeed, it is. However, for the Freedmen who are de facto members of the tribe, they may never see a dime of these funds if history is any guide.

Steps such as conditioning or denying the issuance of Citizenship Cards to Freedmen descendants, as well the disenrollment of Freedmen as tribal citizens, is what first led Congress in 2008 to include language in the NAHASDA re-authorization bill to link the receipt of NAHASDA housing grants to compliance with the treaty rights and benefits conferred on the Freedmen through the 1866 treaties.

That is why the efforts of House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-California, to fight on behalf of the Freedmen of all Five Civilized Tribes is so vital.

The committee she chairs oversees HUD and is responsible for periodically re-authorizing NAHASDA. A bi-partisan bill introduced in Congress last December would re-authorize NAHASDA. However, unlike the 2008 legislation, which contained language to prevent the Cherokee Nation from denying Cherokee Freedmen under the Act, the bill introduced by Rep. Denny Heck and co-sponsored by Reps. Scott Tipton (R-Colorado), Ben Ray Lujan (D-New Mexico), Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), Deb Haaland (D- New Mexico), Don Young (R-Arkansas), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wisconsin), and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), does not contain any protections for the Cherokee Freedmen nor the Freedmen of the other Civilized Tribes. Similarly, the version introduced in the Senate last week is devoid of such protections for the Freedmen.

Disturbed by the pattern of denying benefits to Freedmen, Chairwoman Waters is seeking assurance that descendants of Freedmen are not denied NAHASDA funds received by the Tribes. The Descendants of the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes have been working to include language that would ensure that the Freedmen of all Five Civilized Tribes receive taxpayer funded NAHASDA benefits. A similar effort advanced by former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank was successful and helped to ensure that Cherokee Freedmen received NAHASDA benefits. And in case, any question whether such protections were needed, one look only to the fact that HUD held up NAHASDA funds to the Cherokee Nation for noncompliance.

Native Americans keep fight against Freedmen

Given the harsh treatment of Native Americans at the hands of whites, one naturally would expect these Five Tribes and their supporters and defenders to be more sensitive to the plight of Freedmen who today make up more than 200,000 descendants.

The reality has been quite the opposite.

Despite knowing all this, tribal leaders and their supporters and defenders continue to maintain that such language is not needed and further argue that such language infringes upon the sovereign rights of ALL Native American tribes.

Both arguments could not be further from the truth.

Language ensuring that the Freedmen have access to federal housing benefits is urgently needed for the very reason that Freedmen have routinely been denied NAHASDA benefits for years. And let’s be clear – language we are seeking does not apply to ALL tribes, but rather only to the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes.

And it does not stop at NAHASDA benefits. Freedmen have been denied tribal citizenship, benefits, and the right to vote as well. Regarding sovereignty, these are federal taxpayer dollars – as such, the federal government and, by extension, its American citizens, have a vested interest in ensuring that all tribal members, including Freedmen, benefit from the funds appropriated pursuant to NAHASDA.

If tribes feel so strongly about their sovereign right to continue to discriminate against Freedmen through denial of federally funded benefits, they can opt to refuse the funding, which would then be redistributed to other tribes. Indeed, it is the height of hypocrisy for any of the Five Civilized Tribes or their supporters to makes these arguments as they count the Freedmen when it comes to the allocation of federal housing grants from HUD yet turn around and deny those very same Freedmen from receiving such benefits.

Freedmen are equal, lawful Tribal citizens

And don’t be mistaken. While Freedmen should be treated as equal citizens under the respective 1866 Treaties, the language we are seeking to include in each of these three bills carefully avoids this ensuring Freedmen receive taxpayer housing and community development benefits on the same terms and conditions as their Native American sisters and brothers.

Indeed, in many instances, these truly are their sisters and brothers given the extensive intermixing of Freedmen and By Blood tribal members over the years. Ironically, this has resulted in some members of a family being considered by the Five Tribes as Indian and therefore citizens of the Tribe while other family members being considered by the tribe as non-Indian and therefore like black sheep.

Yet every time we make a further legislative concession and are led to believe that we are close to a final agreement on language, the Tribes and their supporters and defenders move the goalposts. Sound familiar? Yes, a sensitive issue. The Freedmen only seek to ensure that the Five Civilized Tribes comply with the Treaties of 1866.

Tribal Nations’ actions throw shade on BLM

Lastly, the Five Civilized tribes cannot have it both ways. They cannot on the one hand claim they are victims of discrimination and participate in BLM rallies yet discriminate against Freedmen by denying them suffrage and other rights of tribal citizenship under the guise of sovereignty.

And we are under no illusion that fighting this battle for justice and equality will not remain a challenge. The Five Civilized Tribes have wielded their extensive influence amongst the Nation’s 573 tribes to frame the debate and shape the position of the National tribal organizations in Washington, whom the Members of Congress look to when writing laws that affect the tribes. Adding to the challenge is the fact that the Five Civilized tribes have deployed their sizable resources to contribute to key Members of Congress with the dual purpose of keeping Americans in the dark about their slaveholding past and ensuring that these legal protections for Freedmen never see the light of day in Congress.

But just like our Nation, it is time for the Five Civilized Tribes to stand up and confront their past by taking immediate and affirmative steps to ensure that all descendants of Freedmen receive the federal housing benefits.

This they can do by supporting legislation being courageously advanced by Chairwoman Waters that would require the Five Civilized Tribes to both comply with their Treaty obligations of ensuring access to benefits for Freedmen and report on their compliance to Congress.

Featured Image (Top), Buck C. Franklin, Nashville, Tennessee, 1899, Calvert Brothers Studio Glass Plate Negatives Collection, The Tennessee State Library and Archives Blog

[politicalprof]

Apparently, it is okay in Texas for one man, armed and in public, to kill another man, who was also armed and in public … at least if the dead guy was a BLM supporter.

Because guns make us safe and free, dammit!

[gusty-wind]

This new AI is on Fire. Someone prompted it to do a Pixar version of BLM Looting.

[tgirlbumps]

Hey guys, welcome to my blog! You can call me Morri, I'm 21+ and use it/it's and she/her pronouns. Feel free to send asks, anon asks are always open~.

This blog is a safe space and believes in trans rights, lgbtq rights, women's reproductive health rights, BLM and very much ACAB. Please be respectful when interacting. I am no longer responding to DMs in any regard other than potential collaboration.

Some things you can expect to see on this blog are things relevant to pregnancy, expansion, lactation, maybe some feederism, vore and other light transformation. So let's have some fun and maybe be a bit naughty~.

I'm going to start writing and maybe even other content starting at $5 for audio, $10 for 3 pics and $15 for a long, detailed scenario of your choosing if you have a prompt! Or if you want to just leave a tip for the other content I've posted or will post, that will be greatly appreciated!

Venmo: tgirlbumps

Cashapp: $tgirlbumps

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/tgirlbumps

[killingbirdswithastone]

Hi!

Making an introduction because I made some on my other accounts, so why not do it here?

Information

Hi! My name is Lance, Yorak or Desmond. I am a writer who is working his way into psychology and science, and I do animation and art in my free time. I’m bisexual, and go by he/him.

I am DIAGNOSED with adhd, and I am researching about autism. I am still trying to get diagnosed, so understand that. I am not saying I have it. I’m researching before even trying to get a diagnosis.

I like to write fictional stories, specifically about my characters or Voltron. I’m a big fan of alternative universes and headcanons, I love hearing about them! Feel free to send them in my ask box or DMS, I love sharing fanfics too. I also sometimes post stuff about character design!

As you can tell by my page, I am a giant fan of Voltron! My favorite character is Lance, but I also love almost any character from voltron, lmao. Besides Allura. I’ve disliked her since the beginning, I’ll continue to dislike her now :,) (But I love the fanart of her, you guys make her looks seriously pretty. Big fan of her design. I don’t hate-hate her, just don’t like her)

I love writing, punctuation and grammar being my favorite things to do! Although I get called formal, or people say I write like a robot, I enjoy it a lot. I am blunt, I love talking about things!

Political stuff is not aloud on my page, due to it making me uncomfortable, so please don’t interact if your whole thing is politics. Same with object show fans with their whole account dedicated to it, please don’t interact. Makes me uncomfortable. Still, free Gaza/Palestine/any other countries experiencing genocide. 🇵🇸

My writing sometimes deals with heavy topics, such as eating disorders and mental stuff because it’s what I experience. Some of my writing dwells into psychological horror, and I barely posts cute stuff that isn’t my art. But feel free to message me writing prompts in my ask box or messages! I would love to write short stuff about it. And if I like it enough, I’ll make it a full story. Wink wink.

Beneath the cut is most of my Alternative universes about Voltron and my DNI/BYI list, so I’d appreciate reading it! (Can you tell I love writing essays..)

That’s all for my basic information, thanks for reading!

DNI

Basic DNI list, Zoophiles, Pedophiles, Radqueers, Proshippers, Anything that has to do with Child/Adult ships, Incest enjoyers, Noncon stuff (Consent matters, babe), people who’s page is full of BFDI/Object show stuff (It’s a triggering topic to me, sorry.)

BYI

Although I’m perfectly fine with all ships, I am personally uncomfortable with sheith. I see them more like brothers?

I love talking to someone about different disabilities for fun, while also learning to help improve my writing about a certain thing. The more research about anything, the better! :)

Like I said before, some of my fanfics might have triggering topics, such as: Eating disorders, mental disorders, psychological body harm and horror, and many mental stuff. My writing will have the trigger and CW’s at the top and a “keep reading” button, just to help.

They/them is something I don’t like to be called, so please refrain from calling me it! I am an LGBTQ+ supporter, Pro-Blm, Pro-disabilities and supporter of the alterhuman community. Xenogenders and Age/Pet-reg (though I wouldn’t recommend reading my stories with littles, as it might upset them.) are allowed here, too.

Alternative universes

AU!Angel Keith - Keith is a seraphim with a human like form (but with ram legs/eyes on his body and a long white mullet/white eyelashes) who his crazy interested in humans, talking about them for hours and getting judged by other angels. (He also sees lance from earth and gets all embarrassed by seeing him, that’s the main reason he goes down to earth in his “human form”)

AU!80’s Keith and 2000’s lance - Keith is from the 80’s (AND HAS A MORE FLUFFY MULLET OH MY GOD) and Lance is from the 2000’s (he’s a big fan of Beyoncé too), but accidentally get teleported to the 90’s together and meet, they’re judging each other hardcore for what music they listen to + their outfits (Walkman VS iPod..)

AU!Sweeney Todd - Keith is Sweeney Todd, while lance is Ms Lovett, Pidge is Tobias/toby!! Big fan of this one because I’ve had it since I’ve watched the broadway version and the movie, love the soundtrack too.

AU!RENT - Keith is Roger, Lance is Mimi, Lotor is Benjamin, Hunk and pidge is Angel and Tom (and sadly they’re shipped together erm), Romelle and allura are Joanne and Maureen, Shiro is Roger (Keith’s) ex (but in this au; he’s his brother, not his girlfriend like in the musical) and one of my galra ocs is Mark!! Technically, mark would’ve been lance cause he dated allura, but then again.. klance..

AU!Sun ‘N moon god klance - Lance was a Sun god (that’s just an orange glowing body with yellow eyes/mouth/stars in others on his body but you can tell its him because of his hair and flirtatious self) named “Theósílios”, while Keith is the moon god (purple/blue body with blue eyes/mouth/stars, but you can tell its him by his long blue (mullet) and a lighter version of blue scar across his face), named “Selínitheós”. (more info on this alternative universe is on this)

AU!Horror au - Originally named Skinwalker au, but then realized it might be disrespectful to cultures, but this was specifically an AU for Keith; but I can’t write it all out because it would take days. I’ll write the info of it all later.

[callixton]

sorry i need to interrupt before i see how he makes a bit out of it to say the funniest thing blm could possibly do for this sub dm prompt is just act like he normally does when dming

[mika-mediastudies]

MDA20009 DIGITAL COMMUNITIES Week 6 Post

Has any fandoms you’re involved in been part of any protest or acts of social activism

"From Escapism to Activism: The Power of Protest in Animal Crossing"

So the fandom i be deep diving for this blog post will be about Animal Crossings

"When you see pictures of Animal Crossing, you might think of it as just another cute and carefree game in which people of all ages can relax, decorate, and spend time with friends and family. But what if I told you that, beneath its charming, innocent exterior, Animal Crossing has evolved into an unexpected forum for social activism? From virtual protests to displays of solidarity, fans have turned this cozy game into a one-of-a-kind platform for expressing powerful remarks and supporting worldwide causes. This lovely universe isn't just for playing; it also allows you to stand up."

In 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was more than just a location to capture bugs and build trees; it was also a platform for real-world activism! Players from all around the world brought causes such as Black Lives Matter and Hong Kong's pro-democracy rallies to their virtual islands. From homemade protest posters to meetups with friends, Animal Crossing has become a surprisingly strong tool for making a message, demonstrating that even in a cozy game world, gamers can speak out for what they believe in.

Even before its release, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was largely regarded as a welcome respite from real-life concerns, particularly given 2020's harsh isolation measures (Hernandez 2020). However, when police violently interrupt protests across the country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, moderators are finding it increasingly difficult to justify keeping their communities completely cut off (Hernandez 2020).

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' online hosting capabilities let individuals of all ages to support ongoing rallies against police brutality and structural racism while staying at home during the pandemic. Typically, players construct an island paradise with buildings, artifacts, and interactions with other players and NPCs. Not only can students create their own worlds and residences, but they can also personalize the products and objects that their characters use. As Black Lives Matter rallies exploded around the world, fans began using these capabilities to construct digital protests, adding BLM iconography to placards and apparel, transforming the game into an unexpected social activism platform.

For parents who are hesitant to bring their children to physical rallies, Animal Crossing provides a safe and collaborative opportunity to support the Black community by organizing or attending virtual protests. Players using Nintendo Online can open their islands for these rallies; one such protest occurred on June 7, 2020. With a maximum of eight players per island, participants queued through a website to get a unique entry code when it was their turn. The host made personalized posters, cushions, memorial images, and a designated protest area where players were invited to contribute in-game cash (bells) to be changed into real-world charity donations.

On the other side, Protests in Hong Kong erupted, prompted by a contentious extradition bill that grew into a broader movement demanding greater democratic rights. Thousands of Hong Kong residents of all ages participated, often disguised to protect their identities. However, when Covid-19 spread, the demonstrations were halted by government-imposed lockdowns, which severely restricted pro-democracy demonstrators, culminating in over 8,000 arrests. To adapt, many activists turned to the virtual world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where they discovered a new forum to express their demands for freedom.

In Animal Crossing, players retreat to a deserted island where they can build homes, modify decorations, and engage with friends—ideal for a period of global self-isolation. Hong Kong residents brought their protest art with them, utilizing the game to circumvent political censorship. Joshua Wong, a renowned activist and member of Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement, adds, "Animal Crossing is a place without political censorship, so it is a good place to continue our fight." His virtual island is adorned with protest symbols such as a black banner, images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam, and the city's famous cherry blossoms. Wong and others believe that the game's popularity has made it an unexpected weapon for advocacy.

The movement's creativity spilled over into the game, with participants creating protest art and famous designs on their islands and posting them online. Players like as Li, a young student, began contributing protest-themed art on local forums in the hopes of reaching out to individuals who were less politically engaged. Another protester, Fung, utilized the game's design capabilities to create clothes based on Hong Kong's unofficial protest mascots, a pig and a dog, and shared them with pals. Animal Crossing allows Hong Kong protestors to remind the world of their message despite lockdowns and limitations.

While some perceive these progressive shifts as a danger to their escapism, the Animal Crossing community has traditionally used the game as a political tool. Protests in Hong Kong have spread beyond international islands, prompting Chinese retailers to drop New Horizons. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has utilized the game to make house calls to constituents. And now, the tropical paradise is hosting Black Lives Matter rallies. It's a logical progression that doesn't go against the game's ethos, because this is what it's always been about (Hernandez 2020).

Well that is all for me folks hope you have fun and thank you for taking the time to read all this. Goodbye for now.

Here are some links to YouTube to know more of these fan activism

References

Bernhard, M 2020, ‘On Lockdown, Hong Kong activists are protesting in Animal Crossing’, Wired, Conde Nast, viewed 9 November, 2024, <https://www.wired.com/story/animal-crossing-hong-kong-protests-coronavirus/>.

Hernandez, P 2020, ‘Animal Crossing’s escapist fantasy is getting a reality check’, Polygon, Polygon, viewed 8 November, 2024, <https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/2/21277972/animal-crossing-new-horizons-black-lives-matter-acnh-nintendo-switch-politics>.

Stavros, J 2020, ‘“animal crossing” users are wearing black lives matter shirts, making signs, and organizing virtual protests’, Business Insider, Business Insider, viewed 9 November, 2024, <https://www.businessinsider.com/animal-crossing-users-are-having-virtual-black-lives-matter-protests-2020-6>.

[brown-spider]

Have you written anything about Sunny Brown? Bc based solely on ur pinned post, I am very intrigued and want to know Everything

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

Instead of a young kid who dreams of making a difference, my spider is a young adult who has become disillusioned with the idea of heroes and the difference that one person can make (imagine if Trump got re-elected after the BLM protests in 2020, that's where they're at)

Towards the beginning of the story, if prompted, they would have crudely described superheroes as "guys who beat up homeless people" or a similarly scornful description. They say stuff like, "If I saw someone stealing food from a convenience store, no I fucking didn't."

Thanks to an overeager, classic Peter Parker Spider-Man who wants to be a mentor, Sunny is slowly (kicking and screaming) reintroduced to all the things being a superhero is a about: stopping dangerous accidents, being a role model, fighting the supernatural, and defying the law where it becomes necessary, etc.

I have a spidersuit designed for them! I'm still working out the way they would move/swing tho. Btw they're an organic web-shooter, have proportional strength of a spider, wall crawling, and most of the classic Spider-Man powers. I've dabbled with the idea of them having paralyzing venom, but if they do they would literally NEVER figure it out lmao. They don't... they've never bitten anyone so they just... wouldn't know

[jaynes-sedation]

The rapid improvement of AI technology happening right now in tandem with Israel's genocidal actions in Gaza can't be a coincidence, right? For months. Israel has been trying to use any form of propaganda they can to justify the murder of 30,000 Palestinian civilians. They have repeatedly tried to gaslight us by using the American government and media as their own propaganda tools. The zionists have them repeat the claimsthat they are bombing hospitals because Hamas bases are underneath them, or that they are trying to get the hostages back, or that the entire strip has been "taken over" by Hamas. But it hasn't been working. Every lie they have been using in their propaganda efforts has been disproven by the Palestinian people living through the genocide, broadcasting the slaughter of their people by the Israeli state that wants to steal the small bit of land they have left. And more ordinary people than ever have been rising up to protest their actions and call for Israel to pay for their crimes. Especially in places like the US, where Israel expects the citizens to eat up their propaganda through the vast machine supporting it.

But it's not enough anymore

And all of a sudden AI is everywhere. The technology has been around for a couple of years, but since the siege of Gaza began, there's been a massive push by American companies to perfect it. So many commercials lately have bragged about how companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple use it to perfect their products, and companies like Disney and Warner Bros seem determined to replace most of their productions with AI.

And now Microsoft is releasing Sora, advertising how it can make images so realistic that you'll no longer be able to talk what's real and what's fake. Who does that serve? Even for the few wealthier individuals able to pay for it and access it around the world, not many will do more than play around with it for a little while before getting bored with it.

But Israel can use it. And the United States government and media machine can use it. So now, if Israel wanted to "prove" battalions of Hamas soldiers were roaming the west bank in order to justify a full ethnic cleanse of the rest of Palestine, they could easily plug that prompt into Sora and give the resulting images to CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. And anyone who hasn't learned the history of the Palestinian people and Hamas would only see Israel defending themselves from "terrorists." And the truth would be that much harder to access for ordinary people on social media

Of course, AI wouldn't only be used for Israel's propaganda, but for any other propaganda people in power with to use. Fox News wants to "prove" a city is on fire after a large BLM protest? Just plug in "Downtown San Francisco on Fire and turned to rubble." Transphobes want to "prove" that trans women are raping cis women in public bathrooms? Just plug it into Sora. Apple wants to "prove" that they have safe, slave free, child free cobalt mines in The Congo that's frequently audited? They can make a video of it with whatever they put out to compete with Sora.

But the US has invested so much time and money into the colonial zionist ethnic cleansing of Palestine that they probably want the technology that allows them to "prove" as many of Israel's claims as they can. Because that is what will allow The US and capitalists around the world bent on white supremacy to keep the power they currently hold without the threat of the masses rising up against them. And that is why AI fucking terrifies me.

[morganali-art]

I decided to sit down and sketch out all my WoLs (not including like, six other joke characters that I have) and I have come to the conclusion that someone should take the character creator away from me.

I got too many lil guys 😵‍

From left to right...

J'rhota Tia is just a silly orange lad - PGL/ROG main, a scrappy little fight boy. Means well, but very head empty. Constantly getting locked out of the Waking Sands, but unfortunately is the only one who can take down Ifrit without getting tempered.

Amelot Greywoode Lost an eye on one of her adventures - couldn't afford a glass eye to match her good eye at the time, so the one she wears under her eyepatch is slightly off colour. (Highlander, GLD)

Parasha Pasha - Tiniest gorl. Min height lala. My god, she's so small. 🥺💕 Ostensibly mains WAR/DRG, but really is a FSH main.

Sami'ra (Sameth/Bunny) Lavellan - ARC/ROG main, previously a Dragon Age Inquisitor. Yearns to keep the stories of his people as a historian, but in the harsh economic times post-calamity, adventuring better pays the bills and provides for his large extended family. Per his name, he is the youngest son in a Keeper family with an oddly large number of sons. Truth be told, not all are family by blood, though are loved just as well. Sam has quite the crush on a certain Lord Commander.

Cessalie Sombreterre was an orphan of Ishgardian birth, and made her way to Ul'dah at a young age to try and make her way in the world, eventually taking up adventuring. Ostensibly a BLM main, though dabbles in roguery and swordplay. Min height elezen. Amongst her people, she's so leetle 🥺💕 Marries into the Fortemps house.

Hazel Rah is my main lad, first boy I ever made. He was born in the Golmore Jungle. Though he misses his childhood home dearly, he was forever restless, and eventually left - spending some time in Dalamasca and other occupied territories, before travelling to Eorzea in the wake of the calamity. Young for a travelling viera, he's about 70ish years old. Before he came to Eorzea, his forest name was Rjel Fith. He loves to garden.

Clover Frith is Hazel's much older sister - she's around 200, though she's not one to keep count. She left the forest when Hazel was quite young, in his 20s or thereabouts. When they met up again decades later, she was taking work as a gleaner in Sharlayan. Though her forest name is long left behind, her last name was Fith.

Blackavar Rehw-Dvre was Hazel's childhood sweetheart. In my headcanons, he does not leave the forest at all until well after the calamity - the general upheaval and unrest making its way even unto the forest, prompting the Rava people to make the choice to send scouts far from home to investigate. As such, though he is confident in the ways of his home, he is very out of place in the wider world and is often mystified by the ways of outsiders. As far as appearances go, Blackavar actually has quite curly hair - so I imagine his hair is more like the catboy hair both J'rhota and Sam have. Alas, there's no perfect bun options 😞

Holly Huorlwesfv is a veena bunny who I created as a retainer and went "aw fuck, I did it again," and had to turn him into a real boy because I liked him so much. He doesn't yet have a lot of a backstory yet, but I named him after Captain Holly from Watership Downs, and so in my mind he looks quite a bit scrappier than he is. Ears are scratched up and tattered. A few more scars. He's a stoic bun, a former guard most like. Definitely a fighter. PLD main iirc.

Bitter Snow is my beautiful, purple, goth Roe. I did not mean to give her the same name as Yellow Moon's paramour, it happened completely accidentally. 👀💦 She's so pretty, I ought to play her more. Pretty sure she's a DRG main, I cannot recall.