Can we cut through the propaganda and fear-mongering about what “woke” is and what it means? The term “woke” originated among English-speaking Black communities meaning informed and aware. It has become more widely used in the age of social media to describe an awareness of systemic discrimination and inequality. The 2014 police killing of Black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., rocketed the word to prominence on Twitter.
What is the actual definition of “woke”? It is, “Aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).”
So folks, to me woke is important. It is what is necessary to perpetuate our democracy. It is being aware of the systemic discrimination, inequality and misinformation in our history. It is not “rewriting” history, it is separating myth from facts. Reality from fiction. History should be based on facts should it not? So, how can being woke be a bad thing? How can it be a danger to our country unless you fear the truth?
