"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." 

- Margaret Mead

Social media activity is pretty easy to participate in.  By mixing in a few posts here, a few retweets there, a splash of likes and a dash of hashtags, boom, you've got yourself a cocktail for a typical social media reputation.  Some say it's a very lazy way to engage in social issues, but hey, at least you are engaging.  In recent months, the hashtag has been a common tool for people to communicate and raise awareness around an issue.  

      A hashtag's purpose is to create a space where people can correspond among an idea or issue.  In the wake of a horrific shooting at the University of California, Santa Barbara, thousands of women used #YesAllWomen to share examples of personal sexual assault accounts, while emphasizing that not all men are deemed with misogynist qualities.  These accounts spread internationally, raising the awareness of gender inequality. 

     Most activism agendas approach an issue with a mind-set that "society needs to fix something."  However, #YesAllWomen dialogue is based around people talking about real experiences, each story validated by the next.  These stories are centered on the fact that at some point, all women have experienced some sort of gender abuse.  

     As news outlets begin to report on more and more stories that are trending online, the converging of social media and mainstream media has never been more evident.  In recent months, we have seen social movements like #YesAllWomen reach global views by means of social media.  These online movements have been a very powerful tool to raise awareness around an issue, and because of the momentum they have created in an online presence, they have been able to reach massive audiences through mainstream media. 

      No, hashtags are not evidence of a physical movement, but they are helping people evolve none the less. The #YesAllWomen has allowed women to share their experiences, ultimately giving themselves a platform to raise awareness around a cultural issue that would have, otherwise, not been put in the spotlight.  The premise for the hashtag is a tragedy, but it triggered a response that is gaining international attention. By collectively expressing views, our culture has a means of influencing what is seen on mainstream media, ultimately allowing society to create a voice.