When Ollie Gordon scrolls through social media and her emails, the notifications always come in like clockwork.
The Google alerts she set up for her cousin Emmett Till’s name often surge after mass shootings or incidents of Black people like Trayvon Martin or George Floyd being killed. When she reads comments on Instagram or Facebook, the phrase “Emmett Till moment” is a constant as people turn to social media for solace and community in the aftermath of high-profile violence.
“Anything that happens, trust me, Emmett’s name comes up,” Gordon said.