Cuban community demanded celebrities to speak up against the repression on the Cuban island.
When we hear that someone is a social media influencer, most of us think about pretty people posting expensive shoes and clothes. Business owners think about popular and pretty faces becoming their sellers. However, being an influencer goes beyond that. An influencer is someone who has the influence, power, authority or trust of a certain group of people. They aren’t just selling things, they are sending a convincing message to others.
In other words, if you are that person in your group of friends who has the power to inspire others, guess what? You are an influencer. Of course, in social media it works a little different, but somehow, it’s the same concept.
The best thing about social media influencers is that their massage or influence can cross borders! And, in many cases, they become organizers. Yes, influencers have the power, and for many of their followers, the obligation to speak out and represent a community. Last week we have seen how the Cuban community demanded celebrities to speak up against the repression on the Cuban island. Hispanic influencer celebrities like @imarayulloa, @mariacelestearraras and @venenosandoval, joined the protest and their voice has resonated to millions. So much so that Richard Grenell, the former director of national intelligence stated, “Cuba is no longer just a South Florida issue”.
Greidys Gil, a Cuban American and former Nuestra Belleza Latina winner a famous beauty pageant for Univision, uses her platform to protest as well. Her message was used by other celebrities to protest and is being seen by millions.
In one of the rallies, one middle-age protester told The Associated Press: “We are fed up with the queues, the shortages. That’s why I’m here”. We have seen this behavior in influencers too. They are not only selling and representing a brands’ mission and values, but they are also a generation who truly use their power to change and better this world. And guess what? They are not afraid to get their political opinions out there.