Stan Twitter, as an organised online community, has always had considerable influence when it mobilises. Usually, it comes together only to scam Starbucks fans into buying Lady Gaga’s music or getting their fave to number one by using Spotify’s repeat function for hours on end. But in the past few weeks some stan communities, notably BTS’s ARMY, have been using their influence and platforms for a good cause, joining the hundreds of thousands of people across the world protesting against systemic racism and police brutality.
On Saturday evening, as protests were held in many major cities, BTS announced a $1 million donation to the Black Lives Matter movement. In Korean and English the band said in a statement that they stand against racial discrimination in all forms and condemn violence. “You, I and we all have the right to be respected,” they went on. “We will stand together.”
In response to the statement the ARMY quickly flooded Twitter with their #MatchAMillion campaign, aiming to organise a donation pool amongst themselves to raise the same amount for the cause. After enlisting BTS’s “One In An ARMY” fanbase charity organisation, the stan community raised an incredible $1.1 million dollars in just over a day (25 hours) from allies and supporters across the world.
But, while the number and the speed at which the money was raised is undoubtedly impressive, the One In An Army organisation have made it clear that the current wave of social media attention on Black Lives Matter and the calls to dismantle the racist status quo in the US and many other countries should not be seen as a flash in the pan.
“Black Lives Matter isn’t something that has a time limit, it’s a belief that everyone needs to carry in their everyday lives” the group said in a statement on Twitter. “We stand in solidarity with the Black Army. They’re an important part of our family. And we stand with Black people everywhere. Your voices deserve to be heard.”
“Black people all over the world are in pain at this moment from the trauma of centuries of oppression”, BLM’s Managing Director Kailee Scales said in a statement. “We are moved by the generosity of BTS and allies all over the world who stand in solidarity in the fight for Black lives.”
You can find out how to support Black Lives Matter protests going forward here, and how to contribute to charity if you don’t have the finances to do so yourself here.