Social Activism is the New Civil Rights Movement | Ranier Maningding | TEDxBinghamtonUniversity
Social activists have digitized the civil rights movement, changing the course of race and politics from the comfort of their smartphones. More than just tweets and shares, these small efforts combine to create tangible change in society. From better casting choices in big budget Hollywood films to more authentic dining experiences at high-end restaurants, social activism is a vehicle for change and progress. Is it all smoke and mirrors or have the “SJWs” tapped into something deeper?
Ranier Maningding is a Filipino-American advertising copywriter and writer for The Love Life of an Asian Guy (LLAG), a growing social media platform for race, politics and pop culture. Created in 2008, LLAG started as a Wordpress blog for Maningding to debunk myths about Asian male identities and stereotypes through candid stories about his college dating life. After the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, Maningding saw a lack of solidarity from the Asian-American community and shifted the focus of LLAG from dating to politics, to help combat injustice toward the Black community and push against the grain of white supremacy. Since 2014, LLAG has grown from 2,000 to 200,000 readers, reaching upwards of 11 million timelines per week. Maningding’s work has been featured in The Huffington Post, Mic, Buzzfeed and he continues to speak at Universities around the country.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
