Popular culture has evolved into a platform for societal change by providing a place to vocalize issues, bring people together, and give them a voice that can be heard. In the past, societal change was primarily brought about by politics and law, where the only 
people in control were mostly at the top of the social hierarchy. In the modern world, the participatory culture of fandom opens doors for people that were once silenced.
This culture now provides an opportunity to speak up and contribute to making the world a better place. Fandom provides more accessible platforms to learn, understand, and participate with forms of popular culture such as social media, television, magazines, music, celebrities, books, and much more. 
As presented in my first blog, “Humans of NY,” social media has provided a 
connection between the under-heard individuals of New York to the audience and fans around the world. Through this, controversial topics and direct impacts that have personally affected these individuals can be brought to life through their stories and into discussions for further 
analysis. These personal and unique stories can bring people together to connect over mutual experiences or to help inspire people to find ways to overcome societal challenges. Popular culture has provided new tools and techniques for younger generations to connect both socially and politically. By transmitting information about the world in such an accessible manner, more people can finally join to help create change.
Stemming off this, Abu Sayad in his blog about the show Fresh Off the Boat, claimed that “popular culture gives us the way to represent this hidden issue into society,” referring people feeling the need to change their identity in order to feel as if they can fit in. 
As a show that highlights the diversity of our country, the challenges of immigrants are brought forward for fans to witness. The name of this show refers to new immigrants, fresh off the boat, who have left their home nation to come and embrace a new nation and its culture. Popular culture has provided a form to express the hidden struggles of immigrants trying to adapt to new cultures and new struggles through bringing to light stereotypes that are developed and the struggle of identity crisis that many people face. As seen in this gif, a small quote from Fresh Off the Boat shows how strong messages and motivation can be transmitted through popular culture.
Abu Sayad discussed the history of America as a melting pot, and how life experience can be affected and altered by race, gender, ethnicity, social hierarchies, and politics. These factors together can result in inequality faced by an unfortunate amount of 
immigrants. As shows like Fresh Off the Boat can discuss and portray issues like this, information on the causes, affects, and direct impacts of these issues can be transmitted to viewers and fans all over the world. Fans that are not personally affected by issues such as these have an opportunity to learn and grow, to help put a stop to inequality and influence change through being informed. In the wise words of Sayad, popular culture “captures the abstract that diversity is the most important matter in the media and helps us to find the meaning of our true identities.” By understanding ourselves and our true identities, people can then be more understanding of those around them. This understanding can grow into bringing people together and reduced the negative impacts of a separated society.
Popular culture not only highlights issues addressing diversity, but it also is associated with 
helping to shed light on factors such as sexual assault and mental health illnesses. The #MeToo movement discussed in my second blog has brought people together to support one another in hard times and bring strength to society. This strength that give people the ability to create a voice to end a silenced topic that was once only whispered about. This 
concept further roles over into The Black Sheep Project, discussed in my third blog, as social media provides a platform to advocate for Borderline Disorder, a stigmatized mental illness. With their mission statement of “Together, we’ve got this,” it is clearly 
exemplified that by creating this online movement and community, people can feel more supported on their journey of understanding and overcoming this disease.
Nivetha Muruganantham also addressed how popular culture can facilitate change of the stigma related to mental health disorders use g the example of the show 13 Reasons Why. One of the largest key factors that applies to all the subjects mentioned above is the ability for these popular culture platforms to not shy away from difficult 
topics. Stigma, marks of disgrace associated with certain circumstances, is a social deficit that many face when it comes to speaking out against sexual assault or mental illness. By providing this accessible and understandable form of media that addresses these 
circumstances, people who do not personally relate to these issues can learn more about to facilitate them making more appropriate and caring judgments. Fans can learn how their minuscule actions can lead to such devastating effects on individuals. 13 Reasons Why has brought about awareness of mental illness and potential signs of suicidal thoughts, especially to younger generations, where many are afraid to speak up about how they feel.
Nivetha claimed that “for the sake of humanity as a whole, we are encouraged to stand up for what’s right and make the world a better place.” 
This powerful statement indicates that by addressing these difficult topics, popular culture can take responsibility in helping to change mindsets and remove stigma around diversity and silenced or difficult topics. In taking a step back, what do we love? We love 
each other, a world with 7.6 billion people who all have diverse passions, yet all share the common passion of human connection, New and emerging technologies and forms of popular culture have provided a source to learn, educate, support and stimulate change in society. Societal change is key to the evolution of 
happiness and equality, a way to bring people together to make a more peaceful world. By taking hard topics and helping people stand up for what is right, the world can become a better place. People can take pride in their unique identities but also speak up about their flaws and difficult experiences. By giving everyone a voice, the world is one step closer to being the best it can be.
illness. As a psychiatric disease, BD does not have an easy definition as it originates due to the interruption of brain pathways that regulate impulse and emotion control. This leads to a wide variety of symptoms such as “…a pattern of instability in intercostal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity.”
Yeomans explains in a raw way on what BD looks like and how it may feel. By giving strategies of Transference Focused Therapy, peers and loved ones are given techniques to help people affected by BD to be integrated and healed into their true selves.
exemplify that anyone can be afflicted by Borderline Disorder. By showing that a famous SNL star has been diagnosed with BD, people can feel less alone and know that they aren’t the only ones trapped within the suffering of this disease. Additionally, twitter has created a platform to help erase the stigma and labels that have been associated with BD. By starting this conversation, people all over are able to become aware of what this disease is and how to understand it without making judgments. As this disease is associated with an unstable personality, the hurtful nature of stigma and labels can be extremely impactful and further increase suffering in diagnosed individuals.
described that by owning his disease and the world around him, you can “reset’ what fitting in means to make the world and your journey the better place. By starting his story from a young age, this can relate to so many people who are lost and not understanding their emotions and disease. Individual accounts like this can be all that a person needs to get the support and help to improve their quality of life. As seen in the slide show above, Instagram also provides a method to show that this disease can affect all different types of people. With different ages, genders, and races, they are inclusive to all.
In October of 2017, a viral movement began on social media using the hashtag and “Me Too” to bring to light sexual assault and harassment. This movement followed the accusations against Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault and misconduct. This movement combined with aspects of social media provided a platform that finally allowed for women to feel as if they can speak up about a topic that is usually silenced. Factors such as traumatization, fear, PTSD, or lack of resources to stand up for oneself has contributed to the silence of this issue in the past. Social media allows for a more approachable way to admit to one’s own experiences, a more accessible platform to communicate issues and support one another.
magnitude of sexual assault” as women are coming out and speaking about their experiences. Even though this movement was popularized in 2017 in the response to accusations against Weinstein, this phrase was identified as a powerful way to help women in 2006. Behind this simple phrase, a single woman named Tarana Burke, inspired this internet phenomenon that became so much more.
From Susan B. Anthony, Gloria Steinem, and Sojourner Truth to Malala Yousafzai, Coco Chanel and modern celebrities, woman have fought to gain rights and justice.
Lana Del Rey is a prime example as she spoke on how this movement has helped given access to “have your own voice as a woman” and how that is something that cannot be taken for granted.
into discussions. This young lady, immigrated from the Bahamas to the United States. With successful parents in her home country, her family was unable to find work in their new home, causing them to move to four different states. Realizing that the American Dream may be unattainble, she worked and pushed to reach her goals. Later told that going to college would be impossible, she received the Dream.us scholarship and attended Queens college. Her story ended by her families fear of Trump revoking DACA, but still with a positive attitude, telling her family that they will survive.
Pop Culture: Modernization Connecting the World 