Come and Get Your Capital Sis: How Does Twitter Help Black Women Increase Their Social Capital

Authors

Sasha Pierre-Louis, Virginia Commonwealth University

Original Publication Date

2018

Document Type

Presentation

Comments

Entrant, 4th Annual VCU 3MT® Competition, held on October 18-19, 2018.

Abstract

Sasha Pierre-Louis’s research explores how Black women use Twitter to build social capital and access professional opportunities in fields where systemic racism and sexism often limit access. With over 350 million daily users, Twitter offers a powerful space for connection and resource sharing. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines social network analysis (SNA) of hashtags like #reignydayjobs with in-depth interviews, Pierre-Louis examines how online interactions can translate into tangible benefits such as job opportunities and expanded professional networks. By mapping digital connections as nodes within a broader network, this study highlights how social media can serve as an equalizing tool—helping Black women navigate professional spaces historically dominated by privilege and exclusion. Ultimately, the research underscores that on platforms like Twitter, it’s never just a tweet—it’s a potential link to community, empowerment, and opportunity.

Transcription

Good afternoon everyone, what you are looking at is how we’re potentially all connected. But I’ll get back to that. I’d say everyone here uses social media right? Right? Some more than others...Well my favorite is Twitter. I use Twitter to comment on my favorite show and sometimes I use Twitter to find resources on how to survive grad school. Judging by the 350 million daily users and 500 million dailly tweets, I’d say people like Twitter too. In my research I’m going to explore how Black women, specifically, use Twitter to find information on how to get opportunities in their field. And I think it’s important that I’m studying Black women because we are often disadvantaged because of not only our race but our gender too, due to systemic racism and sexism and to be honest not having the same social capital and opportunities as white men. What you are looking at here are nodes and so with each potential node is a source of connection that we can all reach to and think about to use as a way to connect with others. These people can show us different opportunities in our field as well as increase our social capital. Using a mixed methods approach of in- depth interviews and social network analysis also known as SNA, I’m going to analyze hashtags such as reignyday jobs and see how many people are actually like searching for these jobs. And then after that I will pick a few connections within the network, and interview them to see how successful they been in finding a job or just increasing their social capital in general. In today’s world it’s really important that we think about how social media can influence our social capital, especially when the traditional white old males club has access that disadvantage groups may not have. So just whenever you’re on Twitter, remember that it’s never just a tweet. And Happy Twitter!

Rights

© The Author